Las Vegas, NV – Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, California will be the scene of the Grade 2 San Clemente Handicap on Saturday, July 19. A purse of $200,000 will be on the line for three year old fillies willing to go one mile on Del Mar’s turf track.
A large field of 12 will line up in the San Clemente – race 9 on Del Mar’s Saturday card. Post time is 6:00. Let’s take a glance into the past performances of all 12 entries for this Grade 2 stakes – a major prep for the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.
Sandiva – Dual group III winning Irish bred filly makes her North American debut Saturday after eight starts at home yielded four wins and a second place finish. She did win the Group 3 Prix du Calvados last August and did win the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes (Eng-III) at Newmarket in April but has failed to place in her last two starts overall – last time out was a fifth in the group 1 Coronation Stakes at Ascot in June after a ninth in the Qipco One Thousand Guineas (Eng-I) in May. A well hyped Sandiva will have Martin Garcia in the irons from post 7 looking like one of the ones to beat.
My Conquestadory – Mark Casse trained filly was scratched out of the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational July 5 but is coming off a second by a nose in the Grade 3 Selene Stakes at Woodbine May 18 – her only start of 2014. Before that was an OK fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies Turf. Her other two starts produced wins in impressive style – the Grade 2 Summer Stakes against the boys by over three lengths at Woodbine September 14 and the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades as favorite by two lengths. She will have Victor Espinoza in the saddle as 122 pound highweight from the outside pos as she attempts to snap a two race losing streak.
Diversy Harbor – Tom Proctor trained filly has five career starts with two wins, two seconds and a third place finish. Last time out was a good second behind Room Service in the Grade 1 American Oaks May 31 at Santa Anita after a third behind Nashoba’s Gold and Sweet Bliss in the Grade 2 Honeymoon Stakes May 4 and a second in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes April 5. She started her career with two wins including the minor China Doll Stakes at Santa Anita March 8. Diversy Harbor has been competitive ever time out, will be looking for her first graded stakes score and will have the terrific Mike Smith aboard this time from post 4.
Sheza Smoke Show – Peter Eurton trained filly is coming off a terrific win at 10-1 odds in her graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita June 28 after a fifth in the minor China Doll Stakes March 8 and two wins (a MSW and an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita). She has three wins and a third place finish in six career starts and hopes to carry some momentum from her Senorita score. Joe Talamo gets the call from gate 10.
San Clemente Handicap betting online at Del Mar Race Track with OffTrackBetting.com
Istanford – was a bit up and down to start her career and has been up and down since – a seventh last time out in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes June 14 followed a terrific win – over males in the Grade 3 Arlington Classic in May, a second in the minor Edgewood Stakes three weeks earlier, an ugly eleventh in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes and a good second in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks in March. She hopes to cure her inconsistencies Saturday with Rafael Bejarano aboard from gate 8.
Tiz the Key – had three starts in 2013 with just a third place finish to show for it. But she started 2014 very well – two straight wins – an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita May 18 after breaking maiden April 4. Last time out was a fourth in her graded stakes debut – the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita May 31. She does have one other stakes start under her belt – a seventh in the minor Surfer Girl Stakes here in October. Tiz the Key now has six career starts with two wins and a third place finish and will be looking to bounce back into the winner’s circle this weekend. Tyler Baze has the mount from the rail.
Morning Fix – Jerry Hollendorfer trained filly has looked good in her six career starts – three wins and two third place finishes. Last time out was an OK third in her graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita June 28 after an Allowance Optional Claiming score and a third in a similar race – both of those results at Golden Gate. Elvis Trujillo will be in the saddle from post 9 Saturday.
Tiz Kissable – Tim McCanna trained filly will race for the sixth time Saturday off an Allowance Optional Claiming score June 1 at Golden Gate. Before that was a seventh in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita in April and consecutive thirds in minor stakes action – the China Doll Stakes in March and the California Oaks in February. She has two wins and two thirds so far and hopes to break through in graded stakes company for the first time with Dennis Carr aboard from post 11.
Tepin – Mark Casse trained filly finished her 2013 campaign with a very nice win in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Princess Stakes in November but has not looked great in 2014 – two starts and two eighth place finishes. Last time out was in the Grade 3 Regret Stakes at Churchill Downs June 14 which followed the minor Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico May 16. She has two wins and a third place finish in six career starts and will be looking to prove that she is much better than her 2014 results suggest. Stewart Elliot rides from post 2.
Miss Machiavelli – Keith Desormeaux trainee has seven career starts with two wins but has failed to place in three races this year. Last time out was a fifth in her graded stakes debut – the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita June 28 after a sixth in an Allowance Optional Claiming May 18 and a seventh in the minor Edgewood Stakes at Churchill Downs May 2. She does have one stakes score under her belt – in the minor Pike Place Dancer Stakes at Golden Gate in October. She hopes to get back on track this week with Kent Desormeaux in the saddle from post 3.
Concave – Doug O`Neill trained filly made her first start of 2014 July 12 and finished sixth in the Grade 2 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos Thoroughbred after seven months away. She won the Grade 1 Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar August 7 after a MSW score in her debut but had some disappointments after that including ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies. She ended 2013 with another disappointment – an eighth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet in December after a third in the Grade 3 Delta Downs Princess Stakes in November. Concave has failed to place in her last two starts and hasn’t won since her second career start last August. Mario Gutierrez gets the call from post 5.
Sushi Empire – has 10 career starts for trainer Eoin Harty with a win, two seconds and two third place finishes. She won the minor Blue Norther Stakes January 1 after a third in the Grade 3 Miesque Stakes at Hollywood Park November 30 and a second in a MSW three weeks earlier on that same track but hasn’t been great since. Last time out was a sixth in the Grade 3 Senorita Stakes at Santa Anita June 28 after a third in the minor Ultrafleet Stakes in May, a second in an Allowance Optional Claiming in March and a sixth in the minor China Doll Stakes in February. She looks for her first graded stakes score and her first win since January from post 6 with Corey Nakatani aboard.
