Photo: Benoit photo
Ultra consistent Evening Jewel, worse than second only once in an
eleven-race career, asserted her superiority in the stretch to win the featured
Grade II $150,000 San Clemente Handicap for three-year-old fillies today at Del
Mar.
With Victor Espinoza in the saddle, the California-bred daughter of
Northern Afleet rallied to the lead in the upper stretch and went on to score
by three-quarters of a length over City to City, with 27-1 longshot Weekend
Magic another length away in third place. Crisp, troubled by traffic, rallied
to be fourth in the field ten fillies.
Evening Jewel, owned by Braly Family Trust, capped a big weekend for
Espinoza and trainer Jim Cassidy who also combined with another
California-bred runner, The Usual Q.T., to win Saturday's Grade I Eddie Read
Stakes.
Evening Jewel, highweighted at 123 pounds, went postward the 8-5
favorite and returned $5.40, $3.20 and $3.60 after running the mile on the
infield turf course in 1:35.36 for her fifth victory. First money of $90,000
increased her earnings to $696,943.
Previously, this year she won the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, was
beaten a nose by division leader Blind Luck in the prestigious Kentucky Oaks
and won the Honeymoon Handicap at Hollywood Park.
City to City, who was piloted by Rafael Bejarano, paid $7.20 and
$5.40, while third-place Weekend Magic returned $10 to show.
The San Clemente Handicap is a prelude to the Grade I $300,000 Del
Mar Oaks on Saturday, August 21, and Evening Jewel figures to be a solid
favorite to add that race to her list of successes.
In a supporting feature on the nine-race program, talented Bruce's
Dream scored his fifth win in six starts with a come-from-behind triumph in the
$100,000 California Dreamin Handicap for older horses.
Bruce's Dream, piloted by Joe Talamo, won by a head over 19-1
outsider Colgan's Chip, who was nipped in the final stride. Cayambe was third.
Veteran stakes campaigner Bold Chieftain, a two-time winner of the stakes, was
a disappointing sixth and last as the 6-5 favorite under Russell Baze.
Bruce's Dream, a son of Atticus owned by Corwin Racing and trained
by Mike Puype, ran a mile and one-sixteenth over the grass and paid $5.80 as
second choice.
With a one-day carryover of $184,880, $1,337,008 was wagered today
for a grand total in the Pick Six pool of $1,521,888. There were four
perfect Pick Six tickets and each was worth $231,784.
Today's attendance was 23,277. Racing resumes Wednesday with the
first race at 2 p.m.