Fiji Is the Latest to Run Into an Odd Situation

Saturdays are becoming a sinkhole for odds-on favorites at Del Mar. A week ago, Silver Charm ran last at 3-10 odds in the San Diego Handicap, and this time it was Fiji’s turn to tumble as the 4-year-old filly, at 2-5, finished third in the $300,000 Ramona Handicap.

The first two horses to the line in the Ramona were 13-1 and 18-1, respectively. See You Soon outfinished Sonja’s Faith by half a length to give jockey Corey Nakatani his third win of the day and trainer Bobby Frankel his third win in the grass stake. Nakatani also has won three Ramonas, one aboard the Frankel-trained Possibly Perfect in 1995.

Frankel acknowledged that Fiji’s 125-pound impost may have been a factor. Neil Drysdale, Fiji’s trainer, thought the weights were unfair and talked all week about possibly not running. See You Soon, a French-bred filly, carried 114 pounds in getting her first stakes win in the United States and breaking the record for the 1 1/8-mile Ramona with a time of 1:47 2/5. The old record, 1:48 1/5, was posted four times, most recently by Flawlessly in 1993 and 1994.

This was the worst race of Fiji’s career. She had won her only two races in England before arriving at Drysdale’s barn last fall, and in California she had won five of six, including the last five in a row. Before Saturday, Fiji’s lone defeat was by a nose to Sixy Saint in an allowance at Santa Anita last Dec. 27. She was six lengths behind See You Soon.

See You Soon was fifth on July 4 as Squeak and Sixy Saint ran 1-2 in the Beverly Hills Handicap at Hollywood Park, but Frankel was hoping she’d run back to her solid third in last year’s Del Mar Oaks. She did, tracking the leaders early and outkicking Sonja’s Faith in the final yards.

Meanwhile, Fiji was seventh early in the eight-horse field, and by the time she made a wide move under Kent Desormeaux, the first two were well clear.

Horse Racing Notes

Neil Drysdale will try to do better today when he saddles Labeeb and Hawksley Hill, the two favorites in the Eddie Read Handicap. Subordination, winner of the Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont Park in June, ships in from New York. He won the Hollywood Derby last November. . . . Trainer Nick Canani is three for three at the meet after winning twice Saturday. . . . Jersey Girl won her seventh in a row, beating Brave Deed by a length in The Test Stakes at Saratoga.