Encouraged by the effort of Thirtyfirststreet in a third-place finish
in the La Jolla Handicap on August 13, trainer Doug O’Neill will send
out the Good Journey colt on Monday in a full field of nine for the
$250,000, Grade II Del Mar Derby. The 1 1/8-mile event over the Jimmy
Durante Turf Course usually determines the 3-year-old champion of the
meeting and it has attracted Burns and Lil Bit O’Fun, the 1-2 La Jolla
finishers.
A month after a forgettable 10th of 12 result in the
Virginia Derby, Thirtyfirststreet led for the first mile of the 1
1/16-mile La Jolla and was only three-quarters of a length behind at the
wire.
“We were so disappointed in his race in Virginia, but he bounced back
great and ran a good race against the same kind of company in the La
Jolla,” O’Neill said. “Obviously he’s got to move forward to win, but
he’s eating good and feeling good and we think he’s got a really good
chance.
“We’re pulling the blinkers off him and we’re trying to get him to
settle a little more. Whether that will be on-the-lead settled or not,
I’m not sure. But I think he can lay behind horses if it works out that
way. Alonso Quinonez is a patient rider and got to know him a little bit
ridng him last time, so if things work out we could shock the world at a
good price.”