Del Mar Week 4 Highlights

Del Mar Week 4 gave racing fans a glimpse into the future with two stakes races for two-year-olds and continued to provide thrills in the Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) and La Jolla S. (G3). Week five begins with a Pick 6 carryover of $1,127,460 as the meet builds towards the Pacific Classic (G1) on Aug. 21. Here’s a roundup of the seaside oval’s happenings.

FRESHMEN STEP FORWARD

Two-year-olds took center stage in two stakes races last weekend. In the Sorrento S. (G2) for fillies, Elm Drive edged out Eda by a head while the rest of the field finished over thirteen lengths behind. Trainer Philip D’Amato indicated the Del Mar Debutante (G1) is her next target.

Pappacap took the Best Pal S. (G2) in a daylight score, finishing 4 3/4 lengths ahead of the field for trainer Mark Casse, who was inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame at Saratoga Springs a day earlier. The son of Gun Runner could make his next start in the Del Mar Futurity (G1).

PRINCESS GRACE RULES IN YELLOW RIBBON H. (G2)

Fillies and mares went 1 1/16 miles on the turf in the Yellow Ribbon H. (G2), and Princess Grace ruled. The four-year-old now has five wins and a second in six career starts over six different racetracks. Trainer Michael Stidham also conditioned her mother, Masquerade.

ZOFFARELLI COMES FROM ENGLAND TO WIN LA JOLLA S. (G3)

Weekend stakes action concluded with the La Jolla S. (G3) for three-year-olds on turf, a contest where Zoffarelli was moved up to first after the disqualification of Sword Zorro for bumping in the stretch. Zoffarelli arrived from England a week earlier. He was ridden by Drayden Van Dyke for trainer Jeff Mullins. 

A LOOK AT THE LEADERBOARD

Jockey Flavien Prat remains at the top despite spending three days at Saratoga last weekend for major riding assignments, where he won the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame S. (G2) aboard Public Sector. He has 21 Del Mar wins. The competition for second place is tighter. Juan Hernandez has 14 wins, Abel Cedillo has 13, and Umberto Rispoli has 12.

Peter Miller, whose 2020 summer meet title was his seventh at Del Mar, leads with 10 wins. Mark Glatt has eight, and Bob Baffert has seven.

UPCOMING STAKES

This weekend features a pair of stakes races on turf for fillies and mares: the CTT & TOC S. for fillies and mares on Saturday and Sunday’s Solana Beach S. for Cal-breds.

Week 6 features seven graded stakes and two Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge races anchored by the Pacific Classic (G1) on Saturday, Aug. 21.