Floating Reserve Beats Encolure at Del Mar

Floating Reserve, ridden by Pat Valenzuela, outlasted Encolure in a head-to-head battle down the stretch to win the $40,000 feature race by a nose Monday at Del Mar.

Encolure, with Eddie Delahoussaye up, finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of third place Last Command in the mile race for 3 year olds and up.

Floating Reserve, carrying 116 pounds, ran the mile in 1:34.2 on a fast track to defeat six rivals and win $22,000.

Sent off the second choice by 14,147 fans, Floating Reserve paid $11.80, $5 and $3.40. Encolure paid $7.60 and $4.80, and Last Command, ridden by Corey Black, returned $4.60.

Forced to run on the outside the entire race, Floating Reserve took command at the quarter pole and held off Encolure, who had set or forced the pace from the start.