Wacky Read Highlights Good Opening Week At Del Mar

The grade 1 Eddie Read Handicap at Del Mar this weekend had plenty to offer looking back at the important 1-1/8 turf race, including an upset at the wire and a quick right turn during an expected left turn.

As expected Thorn Song and jockey Mike Smith went to the lead early with heavy favorite Monterey Jazz stalking in second. As the field raced around the clubhouse turn, Thorn Song suddenly and unexpectedly bolted to the outside, nearly dismounting Smith. Jockey Tyler Baze just aboard Monterey Jazz just barely missed the erractic leader then suddenly began sprinting away from the field while jockey Corey Nakatani placed eventual winner Global Hunter into a comfortable and eventually stocking position.

No reason was given for Thorn Song's sudden departure from the race by trainer Mike Mitchell only to say that Randy Moss reported on the ESPN2 telecast that the grey had a history of sudden directional changes during morning trainer under previous trainer Dale Romans.

Awesome Gem got up to run second and Whatsthescript finished third in the Read.

Del Mar racing this weekend also featured the emergence of a highly anticapted 2-year-old in Tiny Woods. In Saturday's seventh race Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert unleashed Tiny Woods to win a $53,000 Maiden race in his first try. It was the first win for the ownership team of Thoroughbred Legends who also have horses with trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Nick Zito. Tiny Woods is the eighth winner of his freshman Sire Roman Ruler and was purchased for $180,000 at Keeneland September as a yearling. He shot right to the lead and held off a late challenge of second-place finisher Sidney's Candy.

Sire Medaglia d'Oro, who has had a banner year with is daughter Rachel Alexandra, finished off yet another a big week. The 10-year-old stallion started the week on a high note with his yearlings bringing top prices at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky select yearling sale including the sale including a sale topping $425,000 filly.

The on Saturday another 3-year-old daughter, Tasty Temptation, won the $232,000 Wonder Where Stakes at Woodbine near Toronto to give the Jonabell Farm resident his 10th stakes winner of the year.

Medaglia d'Oro is the leading second-crop sire in North America, meaning it is his second oldest crop that is now racing as 2-year-olds. So far this year his progeny have earned $5,851,043 from 50 winners.

That has already been an important statistic in the yearling market this year and will be something to look for in the upcoming auctions at Saratoga and Keeneland.

The remaining top 10 second crop sires and their 2009 progeny earnings are:
2. Tapit - $5,764,899
3. Birdstone - $3,982,081
4. Lion Heart - $3,954,033
5. Speightstown - $3,948,752
6. Candy Ride (ARG) - $3,875,537
7. Chapel Royal - $2,936,461
8. Even the Score - $2,081,621
9. Peace Rules - $2,034,492
10.Congaree - $1,981,928
(Through 7-25. Source Bloodhorse.com)

Belmont Stakes winner Summer Bird had his final serious morning work at Monmouth Park Sunday morning as he and jockey Kent Desormeaux went five furlongs (5/8 mile) in 1:01.80 over a muddy track.

Although the work was not the fastest of the morning breezes at that distance, trainer Tim Ice was pleased with the effort. "Everything went great," Ice said. "It was a good strong work and he galloped out strong. I couldn't be happier."

Summer Bird will face Blackberry Preakness winner Rachel Alexandra and five other confirmed starters in the $1.25 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park Aug. 2 including Arkansas Derby winner and Kentucky Derby fourth-place finisher Papa Clem, local hero Atomic Rain and Iowa Derby winner Duke of Mishchief.

Big Drama, who is headed to the West Virginia Derby to take on Kentucky Derby winner Mine That Bird on Saturday, also worked Sunday at Monmouth. He was caught in 49 seconds, the fastest of seven half-mile breezes.

Rail Trip Headed For Del Mar

Trainer Ron Ellis said his TVG/Betfair Hollywood Gold Cup winner Rail Trip will be shipping to Del Mar to training for the grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic there Sept. 1. Ellis made the comments while serving as a commentator for TVG Sunday while also mentioning that he has plenty of options should Rail Trip not train up to par on the Del Mar surface. Ellis went on to say that he has many options for Rail Trip but that the Breeders' Cup Classic in November was the ultimate goal.

The 4-year-old gelded son of Jump Start has now won 6 of 8 career races with his only losses coming in runner-up finishes in the Mervyn Leroy Handicap in May and the Californian Stakes in June at Hollywood Park. He won the Gold Cup by tracking pacesetter Tres Borrachos then taking command at the top of the stretch and winning going away by some four lengths. Tres Borrachos rain a good second more than three lengths ahead of the filly Life is Sweet in third.

Sunday at Hollywood Park, the year of the female continued as trainer Doug O'Neil sent out the impressive filly Necessary Evil to win the grade 3 Hollywood Juvenile Stakes over four other colts. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Necessary Evil went straight to the lead and was never threatened by second-place finisher Zip Quick or Classical Slew in third. The good looking bay filly is bred to take that talent much further being by Harlan's Holiday, a multiple grade 1 winner at 1-1/8 miles.

A few races later at Hollywood Park, O'Neil took the $100,000 Landaluce Stakes for fillies with Repo who also ran a carbon copy of her stablemate's race while winning wire-to-wire.

Atomic Rain gave himself an invitatin to the $1 million Haskell Invitational with his impressive victory in the $175,000 Longbranch Stakes at Monmouth Park Saturday. The 3-year-old son of Smart Strike will have the homefield advantage and more in the Haskell on Aug. 1 as Monmouth Park is the base of trainer Kelly Breen who is the leading trainer at the current meeting. Atomic Rain was 16th in the Kentucky Derby presented by Yum Brands.


Arkansas Derby winner and Kentucky Derby four-place finisher Papa Clem finished a well beaten third in the Longbranch after battling second-place finisher Despite the Odds down the stretch.