Irish Warrior Finds His Stride in Del Mar Race

After chasing Candy Ride and Special Ring in his last two starts, Irish Warrior appreciated the softer company in Sunday’s $250,000 Del Mar Handicap.

With no such monsters lurking in the grassy Grade II, the 5-year-old Irish River horse and 3-1 second choice proved that he could handle 1 3/8 miles, beating 10-1 shot Continental Red by a head in 2:12.28.

Owned by Pat Coleman, Jim Thomson, George Basaro and trainer Wally Dollase, Irish Warrior, who was ridden by Alex Solis, won for the sixth time in 19 starts, but this was his first win in a graded stakes.

“They’ve got the right name for him,” said Solis, after his third win in the Del Mar Handicap and his 69th stakes victory here. “He was a warrior out there today.

“I had a great trip. Wally said when it was time to go, to go around. He said he would run better if I went outside. It worked out just that way. He’s a nice horse and he showed it today.”

With his runner-up performance, Continental Red inched closer to becoming a millionaire. The 7-year-old gelding has now banked $974,203 for owner-breeders Wes and Sharon Fitzpatrick.

Continuously, an 11-1 shot, was third, then came Ballingarry, Mont Saint Michel, Mister Acpen, the pacesetter and 5-2 favorite, a much-troubled Kim Loves Bucky, Like a Hero and Bonus Pack.

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Winning for the fifth time in nine tries at seven furlongs, Aldebaran, the 8-5 favorite, moved Bobby Frankel closer to the record for most Grade I wins by a trainer in a year.

Ending a slump that had seen him lose seven consecutive Grade I events after winning the Beverly D. with Heat Haze on Aug. 16 at Arlington Park, Frankel now has 19 for the year, three back of the record 22 Wayne Lukas won in 1987.

Taking advantage of a quick early pace and a dream, ground-saving trip under jockey Jerry Bailey, Aldebaran, the 123-pound highweight, beat 12-1 shot Najran by 4 3/4 lengths in 1:21.26.

Gygistar, the 9-5 second choice, finished third, nearly two lengths behind Najran, then came Sing Me Back Home, My Cousin Matt, Proud Citizen and Mike’s Classic.

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In a ceremony that was much shorter than the one at Hollywood Park on July 13, Del Mar honored Laffit Pincay Jr., the world’s winningest jockey who was forced to retire about four months ago, between the fourth and fifth races Sunday.

Pincay, who was joined in the winner’s circle by his family, the Del Mar jockey colony and assorted others, is the career leader in wins at Del Mar. He finished with 1,011. He’s also second in stakes victories with 96, trailing only Chris McCarron’s 134.

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Native Desert, who has won the $100,000 California Turf Championship Handicap three times, is back to try for another victory in the one-mile race today at Bay Meadows.

The 10-year-old gelding, who has won 21 of 71, has four wins and a second in five previous starts on the local grass, so maybe the change in scenery will help him turn things around. He’s winless in five starts in 2002 for owner Miguel Rubio and trainer Juan Garcia.

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Snow Big Deal ($53) won the $699,017 All American Derby at Ruidoso Downs.

Joe Badilla Jr. rode the 3-year-old This Snow Is Royal colt for I V in Texas Racing and Gene White and trainer C. Dwayne Gilbreath. Snow Big Deal ran the 440 yards in 20.94 seconds.