DEL MAR : Mane Minister Turns to the Turf, Finishes Last in La Jolla Handicap

Mane Minister’s streak of thirds came to an end in Sunday’s $106,400 La Jolla Handicap.

Only it wasn’t the ending owners Trudy McCaffery and John Toffan and trainer Juan Gonzalez had in mind.

After finishing third in all three Triple Crown races, Mane Minister finished last at 11-10 in his first start on the turf.

Track Monarch, who bled when fourth in the second division of the Oceanside Stakes, outran Soweto to win the 1 1/16 mile La Jolla by a little more than a length in 1:41 4/5.

Second to longshot Persianalli for most of the trip, Mane Minister started to falter after jumping track marks near the half-mile pole. The 3-year-old Deputy Minister colt did the same thing when he worked over the course last week and several other horses have done so during races. The marks, which are clearly evident from a distance, apparently are a remnant of the recent Del Mar Fair.

“After he jumped the track marks, he was dull,” jockey Alex Solis said of the favorite. “He just loped around there after that. His work was good and he handled the turf fine. I don’t think he hurt himself. He felt fine.”

Well-positioned by Pat Valenzuela, Track Monarch rallied inside of Soweto when called upon and won for the fourth time in eight starts.

The victory didn’t surprise trainer Darrell Vienna nor did the fact Soweto ran second. He had trained the runner-up until he was claimed for $80,000 by Robert Marshall July 6.

“I expected him to win the Oceanside, and I think he would have, but he bled,” Vienna said. “The Lasix made the difference. I was a little concerned about running him back so fast, but he was very fit.

“I knew Soweto was the one I had to beat. He’s genuine. He’s worth $250,000. I was really surprised to lose him. I wasn’t concerned about Mane Minister. His hard campaign in the Triple Crown took a lot out of him.

“The (Del Mar) Derby (Aug. 18) is the obvious race to look at, but it might be too quick; we’ll have to see.”

Most of the way in the Oceanside, which was won by Stark South, Valenzuela thought Track Monarch, a son of Track Barron, was going to get the job done.

“At the eighth pole (in the Oceanside), he just quit running,” the jockey said. “Darrell scoped him and found he bled. It didn’t surprise me because I thought he should have run better that day.

“Today, he ran super and he’s a pretty good colt. He’s got a nice future ahead of him.”

Chris McCarron, Soweto’s rider, offered no excuses for the gelding. Persianalli, who opened up a four-length lead after six furlongs, was third, a half-length in front of Nijinsky’s Prince, the longest shot in the field at 27-1. Then came Quaglino and Mane Minister.

“The plan was to go for it,” said Kent Desormeaux, Persianalli’s rider. “But, he was a little rank on the lead. If he learns to settle, he’ll get some of those.”

Best Pal, the only 3-year-old who will start in Saturday’s $1-million Pacific Classic, worked seven furlongs in 1:23 Sunday morning for trainer Gary Jones.

“I would have liked it a little slower in the beginning and then see him finish strong,” Jones said. Best Pal went the first three-quarters of a mile in 1:11 1/5. “He’s a tough horse to work. Last time he went too slow (six furlongs in 1:16) and this time he went too fast. We went a day earlier than normal with him just in case he went too quick.”

Unbridled, who was a 6 1/2-length winner of an allowance race Saturday at Arlington Park, is scheduled to fly to California Wednesday for a start in the Classic. Other probables for the 1 1/4-mile race are Festin, Farma Way, Twilight Agenda, Itsallgreektome, Roanoke, Louis Cyphre, Anshan and Stalwart Charger.

Trebizond, an easy winner of Saturday’s seventh race, became the highest-priced claim in Del Mar history when he was taken for $100,000 by trainer Noble Threewitt for the Jawl brothers.

A 5-year-old son of Lypheor, Trebizond was taken for $40,000 by his former trainer, Robert Marshall, from John Russell in Feb., 1990. By his own calculations, Marshall figures he made about a $270,000 profit on the horse.

Turbulent Kris, a full-brother to Prized, was most impressive breaking his maiden in the meeting’s first two-turn race for 2-year-olds.

Treated with Lasix for his second career start, Turbulent Kris won even though he nearly bolted on the first turn and into the backstretch. Ridden by Pat Valenzuela and trained by David LaCroix, he covered the mile in 1:38 and appears the early horse to beat in the closing-day Del Mar Futurity.

Burnished Bronze, who disappointed as the heavy favorite in the Hollywood Juvenile, will try to bounce back against five rivals in Wednesday’s $79,350 De Anza Stakes at six furlongs.

Eddie Delahoussaye will again ride Burnished Bronze, who won his first two starts before finishing third behind Scherando and Prince Wild in the Juvenile. The other entrants are Overstock, Roan Shark, Monarch’s Pride, Waki Warrior and Top Twenty.

Through 11 days, Pat Valenzuela and Gary Stevens top the rider standings with 16 victories apiece.