‘Funky Is Big Surprise in Biggest Race

Beaten in the first two legs of Del Mar’s turf series for 3-year-olds, Get Funky got the money in the final and richest event.

Claimed out of a $62,500 maiden claimer nearly five months ago at Santa Anita, the son of Straight Man posted a 6-1 surprise in the $400,000 Del Mar Derby on Sunday.

In the process, Get Funky gave trainer John Sadler his second stakes upset in two days. On Saturday, Sadler won the El Cajon with Cindago, beating a field that included Bob And John and Brother Derek.

Owned by Keith Abrahams, Get Funky, who took the blinkers off Sunday after wearing them in four previous starts, was ridden by Jose Valdivia Jr. and ran the 1 1/8 miles in the Grade II stakes race in 1:46.39.

The win was the second in four starts on the grass for the Florida bred.

His other turf victory came in an optional claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs June 18 at Hollywood Park in his first race after being claimed.

Obrigado rallied from last to finish second and Union Avenue, the 23-1 winner of last month’s American Derby at Arlington Park, was third. Favored Porto Santo finished fourth.

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Earlier in the card, Sip One For Mom, the longest shot in the field at 19-1, upset heavily favored Moscow Burning by a nose to win the $134,000 Solana Beach Handicap.

David Cohen rode the 4-year-old Bartok filly for owner Benjamin Warren and trainer Jorge Gutierrez to her second consecutive victory on the Del Mar turf course. She had won an optional claimer at 7-1 on Aug. 3.

This was the fourth time in five starts on the Del Mar grass that Moscow Burning, the 1-5 choice, finished second.

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Appealing Zophie, a 9-2 shot, took command shortly after the start and was never challenged in winning the $250,000 Spinaway on Sunday at Saratoga.

On a day where early speed dominated on the main track, the 2-year-old Successful Appeal filly won for the second time in three starts for owner Bill Heiligbrodt and trainer Scott Blasi. Ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, she ran the seven furlongs in the Grade I race in 1:23.79.

“She did everything well,” Bridgmohan said. “I knew once they were coming, she would get back into it and do some running.

“When I asked her at the top of the stretch to go on with her business, she did.”

Cotton Blossom, the 2-1 favorite who had won the Schuylerville on July 26, finished second, a head in front of 2-1 second choice X Star.

One race earlier, Rock Lobster, an 8-1 outsider, beat 6-1 shot Devil’s Preacher by a neck in the $113,900 Saranac.

Owned by Daniel and Louis Milazzo and trained by Michael Dickinson, the 3-year-old Mt. Livermore colt won the Grade III race under jockey Eibar Coa in 1:57.36 for the 1 3/16 miles on turf. Amigoni, the 2-1 favorite, finished eighth in the field of nine.

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bob.mieszerski@latimes.com