Horse racing newsletter: Last day of Del Mar meeting

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome to our horse racing newsletter as we follow up on the Kentucky Derby and go through some stewards’ rulings.

Saturday’s win by Authentic was certainly another shot in the arm for California racing. This state has been the home of six of the last nine Kentucky Derby winners. The Churchill Downs notes team caught up with Bob Baffert and his crew on Sunday morning. Here are some highlights.

--Both Authentic and Thousand Words appear to be headed to the Preakness. They will hang out in the barn of Wayne Lukas for a few weeks rather than shipping back to California and back to Baltimore. Baffert: “So, I have an assistant trainer, this D. Wayne Lukas guy here. So, they’re going to be in Wayne’s barn. We’re going to run them out of here. If they’re working well and all going well, they’ll go to the Preakness. I didn’t want to take them all the way to California and back. I want to give them every opportunity.”

--Assistant Jimmy Barnes was back in the barn on Sunday morning despite the need for surgery on his right wrist. Baffert thought he needed eight screws in the wrist.

--Barnes on his evening: “We won. What a great race. I was in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. I was watching it on a phone. I would have wanted to stay, but I wanted to get out of there also. I didn’t want to prolong the situation. I knew what I was in for. I was probably going to be at the ER, I thought I’d be there a lot longer than I actually was. They put me out, reset it, wrapped it up, so I had to wait, because they won’t just release you once they do that.”

--Authentic wasn’t even tired on Sunday morning according to Baffert.

--Baffert: “I was so emotional [Saturday] because I wanted [Barnes] to be there. To me, that was most emotional Derby I’ve ever been involved in because of what happened during that little time frame. It was the most crazy 30 minutes I’ve had in racing. … Before May, I was looking so strong and then everything just went wrong. And to pull it off like that was really exciting. Winning the Kentucky Derby is the biggest moment in a trainer’s life. When you win it, it erases everything that has gone bad.”

--The other Southern California horses, Honor A.P. and Storm the Court, are headed back to California.

Stewards’ rulings

Got just a few rulings, but there is one involving ear buds, which I don’t think we’ve seen before.

--Jockey Ruben Fuentes was fined $200 for using his riding crop five time in succession without letting his mount, Kazansky, respond during the seventh race on Aug. 21. Kazansky finished third, earning $2,280. The standard jockey’s share from that would be $228. This was Fuentes second violation in the last 60 days.

--Jockey Jose Valdivia Jr. was suspended four days (Aug. 29, 30, 31 and Sept. 4) for failing to keep a straight course in the stretch and causing interference while riding Miss Flawless in the first race on Aug. 21. We’ll let the stewards explain the situation, with some slight editing from the stewards’ minutes. “Jockey [Brice] Blanc (aboard No. 2 Clearly Gone) entered a tight opening between horses inside the 1/16th marker. No. 1 Miss Flawless, who was leading at the time, drifted in slightly. There were different opinions between the stewards as to who initiated the contact. There was also a disagreement between these two reins men during the course of this informal hearing. On race day, Miss Flawless was disqualified from third to sixth. It was a majority decision with steward Grant Baker voting for a warning. It was Valdivia’s second offense in the last 60 days. He was issued a three-day suspension on July 26. (Cherwa note: Reins men means jockeys.)

--Veterinarian Sarah Birch was fined $300 for failing to fill out a CHRB Veterinarian Confidential report after administering medication to a horse on Sept. 17, 2019. She administered Lasix to an unidentified horse. It was the third ruling against her in the last 365 days.

--Exercise rider Gregory Hendricks was fined $50 for galloping a horse while wearing earbuds and listening to music. Safety steward David Nuesch issued a violation notice after having previously warning him in the spring. Nuesch explained that he needed to pay attention in case the warning siren went off because of a loose horse. According to the stewards, Hendricks was respectful and honest and said he didn’t think Nuesch was working Del Mar this summer. So, he thought he would enjoy some music while galloping horses for trainer Simon Callaghan.

--Jockey Mike Smith was suspended three days (Aug. 30, 31 and Sept. 4) for altering course without sufficient clearance and causing interference while aboard Peachtree Road in the first race on Aug. 22. According to the stewards’ minutes, Peachtree Road broke in front in the 5 ½ furlong race, then dropped back to third. Then Peachtree Road drops in suddenly causing Shanghai Grove to clip heels and stumble badly. Smith said he didn’t know the whereabouts of Shanghai Grove and it was discussed if the horse was “hanging in a bad spot.” Peachtree Road finished fourth but was disqualified to seventh. Steward Luis Jauregui dissented on the majority opinion blaming the horse after a lead change.

Del Mar review

There were three stakes at Del Mar on Sunday, so let’s review them.

$75,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf: This 1 1/8 mile race started with Madone stumbling on the break but keeping up through the backstretch. She moved near the front entering stretch, running four wide and went on to win by half-a-length. Nimbostratus crossed second but was moved back to third for interference.

Madone paid $5.20, $3.00 and $2.40. Ivy League was second and Nimbostratus. Simon Callaghan was the winning trainer and Flavien Prat was the jockey.

Grade 1 $250,000 Del Mar Debutante: This seven-furlong race was the main event with two headliners. Princess Noor was the favorite from the Bob Baffert barn and My Girl Red was the hot-shot from Keith Desormeaux’s barn. It all ended at the break when Princess Noor, breaking outside of My Girl Red, took a hard left into the filly. Flavien Prat, aboard My Girl Red, tried to steady the horse and kept going but an awkward step near where the chute joins the backstretch caused Prat to pull up his filly just to be safe. She jogged back to the barn safe.

All of which left Princess Noor an easy path to winning the race by an impressive 6 ½ lengths. She paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10. Forest Caraway followed by Illumination, Get On the Bus, Roll Up Mo Money and My Girl Red.

Here’s what the winning connections had to say.

Bob Baffert (winning trainer): “We knew going in she was a special filly. She showed so much brilliance at the sale, that’s why she cost so much, and we got what we expected to see [Sunday]. She broke a little off kilter and was behind horses, but Victor [Espinoza] didn’t really push her, especially at the end. We’re happy to get the win. We’ll run her back at Santa Anita and then go from there.”

Victor Espinoza (winning jockey): “Yes, she’s a little green. Only her second time. Coming away from there she went in a bit and I tried to get her off as quickly as I could. You try to control the babies as best as you can, especially at the break. The other filly (My Girl Red) came out on me. My filly was OK from there. I really don’t know how good she is, because I haven’t let her run yet. It’s nice to be back at Del Mar and riding good horses.”

Grade 2 $200,000 Del Mar Derby: Trainer Michael Stidham shipped in Pixelate for this 1 1/8 mile turf race and with Umberto Rispoli in the saddle, the 3-year-old colt didn’t disappoint. He has a ground-saving trip just off the lead and when he needed a kick in the stretch, he pushed forward to win by a head.

Pixelate paid $5.00, $3.20 and $2.80. Margot’s Boy was second and Dominant Soul finished third.

Here’s what the winning connections had to say.

Gary Mandella (filling in for Stidham) “My dad (Richard Mandella) and Michael have been friends for a long time. Michael sends his horses here to my dad’s barn and dad sends his horses back east to Michael. I’m happy to help him win a big race. The horse arrived Thursday, galloped a couple days and he was ready to go. We didn’t do anything. My instruction to (jockey Umberto Rispoli) was ‘Did Mike call you? Yes? Then good luck.’”

Umberto Rispoli (winning jockey): “I talked to Mike [Stidham] this morning and we both agreed that we had the best horse in the race. I said I wanted to ride him up closer than normal for him. I told him this is a smaller tighter course, not like Churchill [Downs]. He said: ‘You ride him like you want to.’ I had a great trip and he fired when he had to. I’m very happy.”

Del Mar preview

Final day of the Del Mar meeting has its usual monster 11 races but starting at the more sensible 1 p.m. There are a couple of graded stakes, including a Grade 1 that offers a peek into next year’s Triple Crown run. Can’t believe we are saying this when all of this year’s TC races haven’t been run yet. Anyway, the field sizes are fantastic outside of the Grade 1, where there are only six horses. Five of the races are on the turf, there are a couple of allowances and four maiden specials. All in all, a very good closing day card. Let’s look at the stakes.

$100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf. This is a one-mile race and you can tell the rest by the name. Not sure how tree scratches changed the complexion of this race, but there are no clear favorites. The tepid favorite, at 9-2, is Rombauer, who won his only start by a half-a-length with a late charge from sixth to first for trainer Michael McCarthy and jockey Juan Hernandez.

Get Her Number is the second choice, at 6-1, for Peter Miller and Abel Cedillo. He won his only race by half-a-length. Flavien Prat rode him the first time but elected to go with Caisson, who scratched from the race. Post is around 5 p.m.

Grade 1 $250,000 Del Mar Futurity. This is a seven-furlong race that has launched the careers of many horses that have gone on to the Triple Crown trail, including American Pharoah and Nyquist. It’s the shortest field on the card with only six horses but the favorite is Dr. Schivel for Luis Mendez and Flavien Prat. He broke his maiden on his third try with a 5 ¾ length win at Del Mar on Aug. 8.

Bob Baffert has the second favorite, Spielberg, at 2-1. He finished second to Dr. Schivel in his only race. In that race Drayden Van Dyke rode, but he’s riding Weston, who won his first two races including the Grade 2 Best Pal. Weston, according to morning-line maker and substitute announcer John Lies, is 6-1. Abel Cedillo rides Spielberg.

Here are the field sizes, in order: 10, 9, 10 (2 also eligible), 12 (2 ae), 11, 10, 12 (1 ae), 7, 10, 6, 12 (2 ae).

Sorry to report

Los Alamitos had its 25^th racing or training death since the race meet started on Dec. 27 when Billy the Hott suffered a catastrophic injury during the eighth race on Saturday night. The 5-year-old gelding was near the lead in a 1,000-yard allowance race when he was pulled up by jockey Barrington Harvey. He was vanned off the course and later euthanized with an unspecified injury. For more, just click here.

Bob Ike’s Dmr pick of the day

FIRST RACE No. 4 Moonoverthebayou (6-1)

Restricted claimers going one mile on the main track and let’s try to kick off the start of closing day with a winner. This Bob Hess-trained gelding broke a step slowly, clipped heels after the start to trail early, then saved ground into the stretch and finished well to be fourth. He’s never been around two turns but may take to the route game after two easy works since raced.

Sunday’s result: It took Pixelate ($5.00) nearly every step of the nine furlong Del Mar Derby to get up but he finally got there near the wire.

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here’s a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Ciaran Thornton’s Dmr pick of the day

FOURTH RACE: No. 1 D K’s Crown (20-1)

D K’s Crown has Edwin Maldonado back and with that trainer Luis Mendez moves back to dirt. There is another sharp workout for the race Monday as well. This trainer is two-of-six second off the layoff for a big flat-bet profit. Mendez takes the blinkers off, stretches the horse out and also drops multiple classes. Interesting tactics but the 20-1 value is too great to ignore in a wide-open race. King Parker is 12-1 and Flavien Prat re-rides. He is in a tight jockey title race so any move he makes now we watch. He is two of six for this trainer and the horse is raised in class. Interesting race for the value bettor. Spread in your pick 5 wagers.

Thank you for reading my plays for the Del Mar meet. My full card for the closing day is free to all L.A Times newsletter readers at this link https://californiapick4.com/del-mar-pick-4/

Sunday’s result: Greg’s Diva stumbled out of the gate, recovered, eventually got to the front but got outran in the stretch by her stablemate to finish second by half-a-length.

Ciaran Thornton is the handicapper for Californiapick4.com, which offers daily full card picks, longshots of the day, best bets of the day.

Big races review

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 on Sunday.

Woodbine (5): $108,700 allowance optional claiming, 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winner: Lookin to Strike ($9.40)

Monmouth (8): $100,000 Sapling Stakes, 2-year-olds, 1 mile. Winner: Waist Deep ($6.20)

Woodbine (8): $126,800 maiden special weight, fillies, 2-years-old, 6 ½ furlongs. Winner: Souper Munnings ($5.40)

Saratoga (9): Grade 1 $250,000 Spinaway Stakes (Lasix free race), fillies 2-years-old, 7 furlongs. Winner: Vequist ($15.20)

Woodbine (9): $123,200 maiden special weight, 3 and up, 7 furlongs. Winner: Ready Soul ($7.70)

Saratoga (10): Grade 2 $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap, fillies and mares 3 and up, 6 furlongs. Winning: Come Dancing ($4.70)

Del Mar (9): $250,000 Del Mar Debutante Stakes, fillies 2-years-old, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Winner: Princess Noor ($3.40)

Del Mar (10): Grade 2 $200,000 Del Mar Derby, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Winner: Pixelate ($5.00)

Big races preview

A look at graded stakes or races worth $100,000 or more on Monday. All times PDT.

10:40 Kentucky Downs (2): $100,000 allowance optional claimer, 3 and up, 6 ½ furlongs on the turf. Favorite: High Crime (9-5)

11:40 Laurel (5): $100,000 All Along Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 1/8 miles on turf. Favorite: Nay Lady Nay (2-1)

12:10 Laurel (6): $100,000 Laurel Dash Stakes, 3 and up, 5 ½ furlongs on turf. Favorite: We Your Whistle (8-5)

12:29 Woodbine (6): $101,200 allowance, 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Striking Moon (5-2)

12:40 Laurel (7): $100,000 Federico Tesio Stakes, 3-year-olds, 1 1/8 miles. Favorite: Happy Saver (1-2)

1:01 Woodbine (7): $126,800 maiden special weight, 2-year-olds, 6 ½ furlongs. Favorite: Threefiftyseven (2-1)

1:10 Monmouth (8): $100,000 Sorority Stakes, fillies 2-years-old, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Invincible Gal (3-1)

1:10 Laurel (8): $100,000 Henry S. Clark Stakes, 3 and up, 1 1/16 miles on turf. Favorite: Irish Strait (3-1)

1:40 Laurel (9): $100,000 Weber City Miss Stakes, fillies 3-years-old, 1 1/16 miles. Favorite: Grand Clu Classe (2-1)

1:55 Kentucky Downs (8): $500,000 Mint Juvenile Fillies Stakes, fillies 2-years-old, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Plum Ali (5-2)

2:28 Kentucky Downs (9): $300,000 One Dreamer Stakes, fillies and mares 3 and up, 1 mile and 70 yards on turf. Favorite: Passing Out (5-2)

2:50 Saratoga (13): Grade 1 $250,000 Hopeful Stakes (Lasix free), 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Jackie’s Warrior (7-5)

3:01 Kentucky Downs (10): $500,000 More Than Ready Juvenile Stakes, 2-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Dreamer’s Disease (5-2)

3:32 Kentucky Downs (11): $750,000 Tourist Mile Stakes, 3 and up, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Spectacular Gem (4-1)

5:00 Del Mar (9): $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf, 2-year-olds, 1 mile on turf. Favorite: Caisson (7-2)

5:30 Del Mar (10): Grade 1 $250,000 Del Mar Futurity, 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs. Favorite: Dr. Schivel (9-5)

Now, the stars of the show, Sunday’s results and Monday’s entries.