Cindy’s Hero Breaks Through

Cindy’s Hero, second in the first two starts of her career, picked a good time to break her maiden.

Owned and bred by Elizabeth and Tom Baxter and trained by Dave Hofmans, the 2-year-old daughter of Sea Hero made her first victory a Grade I when she ran down favored Notable Career near the wire to win the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez, who had won the Pacific Classic with Skimming a week earlier, Cindy’s Hero trailed behind a quick early pace, then rallied wide to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:22 3/5 for the seven furlongs. She paid $14.80.

Notable Career, who had put away Euro Empire through :22, :44 2/5 and 1:09 3/5 splits, was five lengths clear of that filly at the wire. Sea Reel and Give Praise, the first two finishers in last month’s Sorrento Stakes, finished far back. Beauty And Style, who had defeated Cindy’s Hero in a maiden race Aug. 6, was scratched earlier in the day.

“Garrett did a great job,” said Hofmans, who had won another race earlier in the day with 2-year-old Mandola in his debut. “He didn’t panic back there and when he called on her, she was up to the task. We’ll stretch her out at Oak Tree.”

He mentioned the Oak Leaf Stakes as a possibility, and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs is also in the back of his mind. “Now that she’s broken her maiden, we can think about bigger and better things,” said Hofmans, who won the Debutante for the first time.

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Prime Timber, who has been more hype than performance throughout most of his career, is the 5-2 favorite to earn his first win of 2000 in the $250,000 Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap today.

Owned by Aaron and Marie Jones and trained by Eduardo Inda, the 4-year-old son of Sultry Song is winless in his last five starts and has won twice since the beginning of 1999.

Most recently, he finished second by eight lengths to Skimming in the San Diego Handicap. Chris McCarron will again ride Prime Timber, who should be helped by the anticipated fast pace in the Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

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City Zip made a little history and trainer Wayne Lukas had an enjoyable 65th birthday.

The 7-5 favorite, City Zip scored a narrow victory in the $200,000 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. It gave the 2-year-old son of Carson City a sweep of the Sanford, Saratoga Special and Hopeful, making him the first horse to do so since Dehere in 1993 and only the fourth in history.

Horse Racing Notes

Nine horses were entered in Monday’s $250,000 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on the turf. The 120-pound highweight in the field is Blueprint, who was sixth in the Hollywood Gold Cup in his first U.S. start.