Duke Of Green Favored in La Jolla Handicap

Duke Of Green, who won the stronger division of the opening-day Oceanside Stakes, is the 2-1 favorite against eight rivals in today’s $150,000 La Jolla Handicap.

The second leg of Del Mar’s turf series for 3-year-olds, the La Jolla is run at 1 1/16 miles and attracted five others who ran in the Oceanside.

Generations and Truly Believe exit the division won by Duke Of Green while Safarando, Jekyll And Hyde and Loyal Tartare chased second-division winner Stormy Jack.

Heading the new faces is Purely Cozzene, a multiple stakes winner who has been training exceptionally well for trainer Bob Baffert. Purely Cozzene, who has won five of 12 for owners Ed and Natalie Friendly, is the 5-2 second choice and the one to catch.

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Del Mar will honor Laffit Pincay, the world’s winningest rider, in a ceremony between the fifth and sixth races today. . . . A crowd estimated at upward of 500 attended a memorial service in the Del Mar paddock Friday morning for Walter Greenman, a trainer for more than 40 years. Greenman, 60, died Sunday after a yearlong battle with cancer.