Red Carpet Handicap 2015 at Del Mar

Las Vegas, NV – The Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap is on tap for Del Mar in the great state of California this Saturday, November 21. Fillies and mares three years old and upward will take to Del Mar’s turf track and race 1 3/8 miles searching for the winner’s share of the $100,000 purse.

A field of 11 plus one Alternate Entry have been confirmed for the Red Carpet Handicap – race 8 on Del Mar’s Saturday schedule. Post time is 4:00 PM. Here is a peek into the past performances of all 12 possible combatants for this Grade 3 stakes – many of which will be looking to snap long losing streaks.

Elektrum – Irish bred John Sadler trained filly won the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes three starts back – on this track August 8 and went on to a second in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita September 26. Last time out was a fourth as even money favorite in the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes on this track November 1. Elektrum has four wins, five seconds and two third place finishes in 17 career starts and enters this race in decent form. She looks like the one to catch as she steps down in class despite never racing at this distance. Victor Espinoza gets the call on the 122 pound highweight from post 9.

Three Hearts – defending champion in this race at 29-1 odds has 20 career starts for trainer Neil Drysdale with three wins, four seconds and five third place finishes. She followed up her win in this race with a third in the Grade 3 Robert J Frankel Stakes in December, a second in the Grade 2 Santa Ana Stakes and a third in the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes in April. She hasn’t been the same since however – failing to place in her last three starts overall. Last time out was a fourth in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes here November 7 after a seventh in the Grade 3 Starts and Stripes Stakes at Arlington in July and a ninth in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita in May. She is the only entry with a graded stakes win at this distance and should be competitive again Saturday. Three Hearts will be after her first win in a year and her first on-the-board result in four starts when she leaves from gate 2 with Joe Talamo guiding her.

Customer Base – Tom Proctor trained mare won the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at Santa Anita in December, 2013 but has placed in just two of 11 starts since. Last time out was a seventh in the minor Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita October 3 after a sixth in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap here in September, a fifth in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes in June and consecutive fourths at Santa Anita this past spring. She has failed to place in her last six starts ahead of this race – not the best form ahead of this weekend. Mike Smith has been tabbed with getting Customer Base back on track – from gate 8.

Personal Diary – won the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks in August, 2014 and also had a second in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes in June and a third in the Grade 1 QW II Challenge Cup in October of that year. She hasn’t been the same since – a third last time out in an Allowance at Keeneland October 23 followed a seventh in the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at Woodbine September 13, a fifth in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes here in August and consecutive sevenths in graded stakes action this past summer. She has just two wins in 18 career starts to go along with four seconds and four thirds and will be after her first win in 15 months Saturday. Corey Nakatani has the mount from gate 10.

Rusty Slipper – Graham Motion trained mare has five wins and two third place finishes in 16 career starts. The wins include the Grade 3 Violet Stakes at Monmouth Park in August, 2014 and the minor Glen Hill Farm One Dreamer Stakes at Kentucky Downs two starts back September 19. Other than that she hasn’t been great the last year – failing to place six of her last eight starts overall. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 Athenia Stakes at Belmont Park October 17 after the minor stakes score and three straight seventh place finishes in stakes action this past summer. Rusty Slipper had a glimmer of hope two starts back but hasn’t been all that impressive as of late. Jockey Silvestre de Sousa hopes to change all that Saturday from the outside post 11.

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Beat of The Drum – Irish bred mare had two wins and a third place finish in seven starts overseas including a win in the minor Pengxin National Breeder’s Cup at Mengjun Race Course in September 21 and a third in the minor Coolmore CECF Singapore Cup in October, 2014. She failed to place in two of her first three North American starts but has looked OK in her last two. A respectable third last time out in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes on this track November 7 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita October 9. Beat of The Drum has looked decent the last two months and hopes for a breakthrough performance Saturday – from gate 4 with Brice Blanc in the saddle.

Tiz Kissable – Tom McCanna trained filly finished second in the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes on this track in August, 2013 but has failed to place in eight starts since! Last time out was a fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita October 23 after a ninth in the minor Swingtime Stakes October 3 and another fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming – on this track August 23. Tiz Kissable hasn’t posted a victory since June, 2014 and hasn’t looked great ahead of this weekend. Tyler Baze has been tabbed with changing her fortunes around from post 3 Saturday.

Trophee – Christophe Clement trained French bred filly made her stakes debut last time out and finished an OK fourth in the Grade 3 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes at Keeneland October 18 after a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in September and an Allowance score at Saratoga August 19. Trophee has placed in seven of her last nine starts against lesser competition and hopes to make a statement Saturday from post 5 with James Graham in the irons.

Star Act – Art Sherman trained filly finished seventh last time out in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita September 26 – her worst effort in quite some time. Before that was a third in the minor CTT and TOC Handicap on this track August 21 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score here July 23. Star Act has just two wins, four seconds and four third place finishes in 15 career starts but has placed in six of her last seven starts ahead of this weekend. She chases her first stakes win from gate 6 with Rafael Bejarano in the reins.

Havana Belle – Irish bred Phil D’Amato trained filly has just two wins, a second and two third place finishes in 11 career starts. She finished fifth in her only graded stakes action to date – the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita in April and has placed in two of three starts since. An Allowance Optional Claiming score in May was followed by a third in the minor Sandy Blue Stakes here August 14 and a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track November 7. Havana Belle has been just OK in her career so far and will be after her first stakes score from post 7. David Charles Lopez has the mount.

Energia Fribby – Neil Drysdale trained Brazilian bred mare had five wins, three seconds and three third place finishes in 15 starts at home. She ahs just two starts in North America – a seventh last time out in the minor Kathryn Crosby Stakes ion this track November 7 followed an OK third in the minor Swingtime Stakes at Santa Anita October 3 – that race represented the only time Energia Fribby has placed in her last five starts. She looks for her first win in 14 months Saturday when she leaves from the rail with Gary Stevens aboard.

Soresca – Alternate Entry – Irish bred James Cassidy trained filly may make her stakes debut Saturday having posted five wins, three seconds and two third place finishes in 23 career starts. She did win a Starter Handicap four starts back and was second in a Claiming two starts ago but has mostly looked average at best against lesser competition.

Race 8 on Del Mar’s Saturday card with a Post Time of 7:00 PM.