In a display of unusual tenacity, Wasted Tears, the
even-money favorite, staved off the strong stretch challenge of longshot Lilly
Fa Pootz to win Sunday's featured
$250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes by a nose before 18,046 fans.
With Rajiv Maragh in from the East Coast for his first mount
ever at Del Mar, Wasted Tears extended her winning streak to seven in a photo
finish with a determined rival, Lilly Fa Pootz, who went postward at 12-1 under
jockey Joel Rosario.
A close-up third, only another half-length back, was Gotta
Have Her, with Princess Haya fourth in the field of seven older fillies and
mares. Highly-regarded Gozzip Girl, third choice at 7-2, was a disappointing
sixth. Withdrawn from the original field was Oui Say Oui.
Wasted Tears, bred, owned and trained by Bart Evans of
Midland, Texas, led from the start
and ran the mile and one-eighth on
the infield Jimmy Durante Turf Course in 1:47.35, returning $4.20, $3.40 and
$2.40 with her eleventh triumph in 16 starts over-all. The five-year-old Kentucky-bred
daughter of Najran earned $150,000 to increase her bankroll to $708,598.
Lilly Fa Pootz paid $8.20 and $3.60, while Gotta Have Her
returned $2.40 to show.
Well-traveled in her career, Wasted Tears has won races at
Lone Star Park in Texas, Gulfstream Park in Florida and Keeneland in Kentucky.
She arrived at Del Mar from Texas a week ago and was stabled with the horses of
trainer Richard Mandella.
The Mabee Stakes is a "Win and You're In," race, qualifying
the winner for a berth in the filly and mare division of the Breeders' Cup in November at Churchill
Downs.