Dramatic Gold Gives Hofmans Weekend Sweep

The final weekend of the meeting was a memorable one for trainer David Hofmans and owners John and Betty Mabee.

Less than 24 hours after Yearly Tour scored a comeback victory in the Palomar Handicap, the Hofmans-Mabee connection struck again when Dramatic Gold upset stablemate Alphabet Soup in the $200,000 Del Mar Budweiser Breeders’ Cup Handicap Sunday.

Using the same tactics as Yearly Tour, who won after being away for nearly eight months, Dramatic Gold went right to the front under Kent Desormeaux, set slow fractions, then held off the 3-5 favorite to win by a neck in 1:34 3/5 for the mile.

Prominent in the early portion of the Pacific Classic, the 5-year-old Slew O’Gold gelding wound up fourth in that race, beaten by 18 1/2 lengths, but he came out of the race strong.

In three drills following the Aug. 10 race, he worked five furlongs in 59 3/5, six furlongs in 1:11 2/5 and five furlongs in 58 2/5. Hofmans was confident he would run well Sunday in a race that included only four other starters.

“I’ve been touting this horse all week,” said Hofmans, who also trains Alphabet Soup. “I thought he would be dangerous. He came out of the Pacific Classic just great. I don’t know what it is about being down here. Maybe it’s the sea air. He seems rejuvenated.

“He can run with anybody at a mile. Beyond that and he’s a little suspect.”

In winning for the sixth time in 26 starts, Dramatic Gold paid $6.60 as the 2-1 second choice and earned $125,650 for his owners. John Mabee is Del Mar’s chairman of the board.

“This race just set up tactically too well for my horse,” Desormeaux said. “They just weren’t going to beat him. He got to gallop along up front [23 2/5, 47 1/5 and 1:11 for six furlongs] and you aren’t going to beat him if he does that.

“[When Alphabet Soup] came to me at the quarter pole, I had no doubt I was going to be the winner. He was just pricking his ears and wanting to run.”

Losing for only the second time in six tries on the Del Mar main track, Alphabet Soup finished 2 1/2 lengths ahead of 9-2 third choice Savinio, then came the entry of Cezind and Powerful Punch.

“When we turned for home, my horse fired,” said Chris Antley, Alphabet Soup’s rider. “But so did the winner. But what I could I do? I knew he was getting away with an easy lead, but I couldn’t go take him by the head. Then I would have had no chance. [Dramatic Gold] had himself an easy lead and he was the winner because of it.”

Horse Racing Notes

Jockey Pat Valenzuela, who appealed a five-day suspension recently, was handed another one, beginning Thursday, for his disqualification from first to second on Fearless Pirate in last Friday’s I’m Smokin’. . . . Fans who received a rain check for a free cap on Pacific Classic Day (Aug. 10) can redeem it for a free cap and free general admission today and Wednesday, the meeting’s final day.