Racing at Del Mar : McCarron Rides Into Hall Through Winner’s Circle

Chris McCarron really knows how to throw a going away party for himself.

Just one day before he’ll leave for Saratoga, N.Y., and the Racing Hall of Fame, McCarron capped a quadruple with an impressive win aboard Charlie Whittingham’s River Master in the $100,000 La Jolla Handicap Sunday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

“It’s kind of a nice way to leave town,” said McCarron, who will be inducted into the Hall on Thursday.

River Master, who beat Tokatee by 1 3/4 lengths, covered the 1 1/16 mile turf course in 1:42.3 and paid $5.00, $4.20 and $3.20 in the Grade II race for 3-year-olds. Owned by Cardiff Stud Farm, Red Baron’s Barn and Timestable, River Master is three for three under Whittingham.

“This is a nice horse; he’s only just learning what it’s about, too,” said Whittingham, who began working with the colt during the Hollywood Park meeting. “He likes the turf and he’s eligible to run better on it next time.”

Next time will come Aug. 20 in the $200,000 Del Mar Derby where Hawkster, winner of the Oceanside Stakes, and Notorious Pleasure, who won the Will Rogers Stakes at Hollywood Park, figure to challenge River Master.

“He’ll be awfully hard to beat,” said Whittingham, who has won three stakes in the first 11 days of the meeting.

After winning $65,000 Sunday, River Master has earned $101,650 in five starts. Last year at Del Mar, the colt finished sixth and second in sprint races. He did not race for almost a year before winning a sprint race at Hollywood Park and an allowance race on the grass at Hollywood in July.

Tokatee, ridden by Robbie Davis, was in command throughout the race and held a three-length margin entering the stretch. But the colt, trained by Laz Barrera, could not hold off the charging River Master.

“I thought I was going to get it, but when I saw Chris’ horse coming at me, I knew I was in trouble,” Davis said. “I thought (Tokatee) ran a real strong race.”

McCarron said he was beginning to wonder if his horse would ever get by Tokatee.

“I was riding my horse in the far turn and I didn’t know if I was going to get by him,” McCarron said. “But he finally got in high gear and overhauled him.”

Art Work, ridden by Gary Stevens, finished four lengths back and third. Exemplary Leader, who won a division of the Oceanside Stakes, was a disappointing sixth.

Del Mar Notes

The combined attendance (on and off-track) of 50,516 set an all-time record for Del Mar, breaking the record of 49,184 set last Aug. 21. The on track crowd was 24,435 and the off-track attendance was 26,081. . . . The $9,755,498 bet was the second highest handle ever. . . . In her debut performance, 2-year-old filly Ten K won by an impressive 4 1/2 lengths in the sixth race over favored Viento Bailador. Owned by Glen Hill Farm, trained by W.L. Proctor and ridden by Gary Stevens, Ten K covered the six furlongs in 1:10. Ten K must be considered one of the favorites for the $200 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 3. . . Wednesday’s De Anza Stakes is the first major stepping stone for 2-year-olds pointing for the Del Mar Futurity, which closes the meeting on Sept. 13. The six-furlong De Anza is followed by the seven-furlong Balboa and the one-mile Futurity.