The seaside grandstands at Del Mar were alive with a familiar sense of anticipation Saturday, as horses trotted out of their stalls with renewed energy after Friday’s rain closure. Trainer John Shirreffs couldn’t hide his relief as he watched his charges move freely across the shed rows and onto the track. “It’s like giving kids a day to run outside after being cooped up,” Shirreffs said with a grin. “They need the movement for circulation, for hydration—horses aren’t pets you just let wander. They require structure.”
Thursday night’s showers left puddles scattered across the infield, but racing resumed on the dirt without incident. With the track dried and ready, Del Mar returned to a full schedule, with paddock schooling and turf races, including Sunday’s feature—the G3 Red Carpet Stakes—set to highlight the weekend. Racing Secretary David Jerkens explained that the office had worked to recover races canceled by the rains, using four of Friday’s scheduled contests in Saturday’s card and filling Monday with a nine-race lineup.
Quick Turnaround for Nevada Beach in G3 Native Diver
The weekend also brought the 48th running of the G3 Native Diver Stakes, where five horses contested the 1 1/8-mile dirt test. Highlighting the field was Nevada Beach, fresh from a less-than-ideal seventh-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Classic three weeks ago. Trainer Bob Baffert remains optimistic. “He just didn’t get his chance in the Classic,” Baffert noted. “We’re looking for a return to the form he showed in the Goodwood.”
Nevada Beach, a son of Omaha Beach, had previously captured the G1 Goodwood at Santa Anita, breaking his maiden in April before claiming the Los Alamitos Derby. Owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman were eager to see him back in action.
Other notable entries included Indispensable, returning from a third-place finish in the G3 Ack Ack at Churchill Downs, and Westwood, a promising 3-year-old who had previously finished close to Nevada Beach in the Affirmed Stakes. British Isles, a Justify gelding, moves up from turf to dirt after a recent allowance win at Santa Anita, while Clouseau rounds out the lineup. The Native Diver is slated as Race 8 on Saturday, with a probable post of 4 p.m.
Demuro Dominates Jockey Standings
Italian jockey Mirco Demuro continues to make his mark on the Southern California circuit. After three weeks of the Bing Crosby Season, he remains atop the standings with ten victories, winning at a remarkable 45-percent clip. Antonio Fresu and Umberto Rispoli trail with eight and seven wins, respectively, while Hector I. Berrios and Armando Ayuso round out the top five.
Trainer standings see John Sadler and George Papaprodromou tied at six wins each. Sadler’s highlight was Revera’s victory in the Desi Arnaz Stakes, marking his second stakes win of the meet. Doug O’Neill, Steve Knapp, and Bob Baffert are all within striking distance, leaving the competition open as the season continues.
Weekend Features and Notes
Del Mar continues its fan-focused offerings with free handicapping seminars on the Hacienda Room patio Saturday and Sunday, led by industry veterans including Frank Scatoni and Dan Smith. Jockey Tiago Pereira made headlines recently with a three-race hat trick, demonstrating the depth of talent on display.
Preparations for upcoming Fall Festival stakes races continue, with turf works scheduled for Sunday. Notable dirt works from Thursday included Medoro (4f, :48.00), Stay Hot (4f, :49.00), and Test Score (4f, :50.40), all readying horses for the return to competitive racing after the rains.
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