Meet Starts With Oceanside

One of the certainties of opening day at Del Mar is that the Oceanside Stakes will be run in divisions.

There’s nothing different in 2005 as the seaside track begins its 43-day meet this afternoon. The Oceanside, a one-mile race on the turf for 3-year-olds and the first prep for the $400,000 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 5, attracted 17 entrants -- there were two scratches -- meaning the ungraded race will be split for the 17th consecutive season. The last time the Oceanside wasn’t run in divisions was 1988 when Silver Circus was the winner.

In the first division, which is the sixth race on the card, Eastern Sand will try to end a streak of seconds when he takes on eight opponents. Owned by a partnership and trained by Jeff Mullins, Eastern Sand, a 3-year-old Line In The Sand gelding, has been the runner-up in his last five races -- once in Florida and four times in California.

Alex Solis will ride Eastern Sand, who will break from the rail, and the jockey also will be aboard the unbeaten El Roblar in the second division. A War Chant colt, he has won both of his races on dirt around one turn, so the Oceanside will mark his turf and two-turn debut. He is trained by Richard Mandella for Stonestreet Stables LLC.

Race of the day: Mambo Slew, who has competed in almost nothing but graded stakes since the middle of last year, will get some class relief in today’s eighth at Belmont Park. The 4-year-old Kingmambo filly will be ridden by Edgar Prado, who has already clinched the riding title for the spring-summer meet, as she tries to end a seven-race losing streak in the $58,000 optional claimer at one mile on the turf. Mambo Slew, who is owned by Frank Manganaro and trained by Patrick Biancone, hasn’t won since taking the Sands Point, a Grade III stakes, on June 13, 2004.

One for the road: Yippee Tomboy adds Lasix in her third start and shouldn’t miss against $40,000 maiden claimers in the first at Woodbine. Patrick Husbands will ride the 3-year-old daughter of Commendable for Team Valor and trainer Mark Casse in the 1 1/16 -mile race.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Eastern Sand, Legal Precedent and Leo Getz in the sixth, Da Stoops in the seventh, In Excelsis, Juliesugardaddy and El Roblar in the eighth and Pepper Trail, El Gordo Sam, Good Cop Bad Cop and Jack’s Silver in the ninth.

Winners (Final totals from Hollywood Park): Previous day/meet total: 1/164. Money: Previous day/meet total: $3.60/$877.70. Total money bet: $1,108.