DEL MAR : World Is Gregson’s Oyster Again After Slew Of Pearls Wins the Oaks

On paper, Sunday’s $167,900 Del Mar Oaks looked as if it could be won by nearly any of the 12 entrants.

On the track, the meeting’s prime race for 3-year-old fillies turned into a one-horse race.

Recipient of a picture-perfect trip, despite the bulky field, Slew Of Pearls made 8-1 seem like a gift, beating 10-1 shot Adorable Emilie by nearly two lengths in 1:49 4/5 for the 1 1/8 miles on turf.

In winning for the fourth time in 12 grass starts, Slew Of Pearls reversed what had been a unhappy few days for trainer Ed Gregson. Petite Ile, who would have been favored in next Monday’s Del Mar Handicap, is sidelined because of a splint injury and crack sprinter Sunny Blossom is done for the year because of a stress fracture.

Gregson wasn’t surprised to see the Tsunami Slew filly improve on her third-place finish two weeks earlier in the first division of the San Clemente.

“I ran a dead-short horse last time,” he said. “She was staggering around in the receiving barn. I took all the blame. I did the same thing to her father in the La Jolla Mile. He came back to win the Del Mar Derby and I was hoping history would repeat itself.

“She’s an honest filly and I thought 1 1/8 miles was her best distance. After this, maybe farther. I think a full field was to her advantage. She’s a very tractable horse . . . she reminds me a lot of Giggling Girl (a multiple stakes winner Gregson trained several years ago). She got lucky in the middle of the turn. Corey (Black) moved her at the right time and deserves a lot of credit.”

Black couldn’t believe how well his journey went. Eleventh after a half-mile and eighth after six furlongs, the rider was able to save ground, angled out at the top of the stretch, caught Annual Reunion inside the final furlong and was pulling away at the wire.

“We had a great trip and she got down on her belly and ran hard today,” Black said. “Eddie told me she was real tired after her last race and he thought he had run a short horse.

“I looked for a spot on the turn for home and when I saw it I gunned her and she went. She finished strong today. She felt real good.”

A winner of six of nine starts in France, Adorable Emilie trailed for six furlongs, then finished well to beat Annual Reunion, who was the 2-1 favorite while coupled with Bel’s Starlet, by a length for the place.

“I had a good trip, but the winner had the momentum,” said Rafael Meza, who rode Adorable Emilie. “(Slew of Pearls) got the jump on me going through the hole at the head of the stretch and that’s why she was able to win. But we had a good try and she gave me her best.”

Bidder Cream was fourth in the Oaks, then came Bel’s Starlet, Interlope, Fit To Scout, Nijinsky’s Lover, the 7-2 second choice, Freya Stark, Cat’s Air, Orlanova and As If.

Houston, who has never lived up to trainer Wayne Lukas’ expectations, was among 11 sprinters entered Sunday morning for Wednesday’s $109,525 Pat O’Brien Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Winner of four of his first five starts, the 4-year-old Seattle Slew colt has lost five of his last six. Away for 10 months, Houston returned to action June 20 and finished last at 3-5 in an overnight handicap at Belmont Park. More recently, he was sixth of nine in a sprint at Saratoga Aug. 16.

Also scheduled to run in the seven-furlong O’Brien are Sensational Star, Frost Free and Timeless Answer, who finished 1-2-3 in the shorter Bing Crosby July 29.

Flying Continental, who won the San Fernando and Charles H. Strub before finishing third in the Santa Anita Handicap, will be making his comeback. The son of Flying Paster has worked well for Jay Robbins and will carry topweight of 121 pounds.

The rest of the field includes Sam Who, who has had his troubles at the gate recently and is stuck on the rail; Earn Your Stripes, Movinglikeawinner, Due To The King, Jet Ski and Trebizond.

Chris McCarron will ride Kansas City in the $1 million Molson Export Challenge Sept. 9 at Woodbine. Corey Black had been riding the 3-year-old son of Habitony, but he is scheduled to remain here to ride Flying Continental in the Del Mar Budweiser Breeders’ Cup.

Slew Of Pearls is owned by the Royal Lines stable of David and Elizabeth Whelan, who saw their Tsunami Slew win the 1984 Del Mar Derby. “It’s a real thrill to see a Del Mar Derby winner I own become the father of a Del Mar Oaks winner,” said David Whelan. “This is his first crop of 3-year-olds. He just had his first 2-year-old winners in England and France.”

Horse Racing Notes

Pat Valenzuela and Kent Desormeaux each had three winners Sunday and Martin Pedroza had two. Valenzuela now has 44 victories, 14 more than Desormeaux. . . . Snipledo went wire-to-wire in the $250,000-added Longacres Mile, which was simulcast between Del Mar’s sixth and seventh race. In winning his fifth in a row, the former claimer, who was ridden by James Corral, returned $26.40 locally and $15.80 at Longacres. Adventuresome Love, a 50-1 shot at Del Mar, was second and Kent Green and Captain Condo finished in a dead heat for third. Nowhere to be found were Southern California shippers Annual Date, the even-money favorite here, Abergwaun Lad and T.V. Screen.