Fillies Take Stage in San Clemente at Del Mar

by Patricia Woo | Jul 27 2009

A full field is shaping up for Saturday’s $150,000 San Clemente Handicap (G2), a one-mile turf event restricted to three-year-old fillies at Del Mar.

The race is a prep for the $350,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1) on Saturday Aug. 22, which is at nine furlongs on turf and looks like a great betting race.

The highweight is the Jeff Mullins trained Carlsbad, who has won six of seven career starts and will be making her first start on turf with regular rider Tyler Baze aboard.

The Arizona-bred filly is by Rocky Bar out of a Pine Bluff mare, and she has won two of her three starts in Southern California after starting her career by trouncing her competition at Turf Paradise.

She won her first four starts at the Arizona track by a combined 50 lengths.

In her last start, she took the field gate to wire to win the Hollywood Oaks (G2) over the Cushion Track surface.

Strawberry Tart comes into the race with a perfect record on turf, taking the Manhattan Beach and the Flawlessly Stakes in her last two outings.

She is four for five this year, the lone loss coming on Cushion Track three back in the Railbird (G3), where she checked in fifth.

Jeff Bonde, who will give Matt Garcia a leg up, trains the daughter of Atticus. Garcia was aboard for both of her turf victories.

She will carry 117 pounds, three fewer than Carlsbad, and the two figure to garner the most attention at the betting windows.

James Lloyd trains Hameildaeme, who comes into the race off a sharp win versus first level allowance foes at Hollywood Park on the turf. Dean Sorenson has the return call.

Trainer Bob Baffert, who will be inducted into the hall of fame later this summer at Saratoga, will send out Internallyflawless, who will be making her first start since last December where she finished a disappointing ninth at 4/5 at Santa Anita.

In her previous start, she was a solid second in the Miesque (G3), which was her first start against winners.

Garrett Gomez gets the call for Baffert, and the filly will carry 115 pounds.

Nan will be looking to rebound after getting outrun in her last two starts. She finished 14 ¼ lengths behind Gozzip Girl in the American Oaks (G1) last out and was more than 25 lengths behind Rachel Alexandra back in the Kentucky Oaks (G1).

Corey Nakatani will ride Nan for trainer Craig Dollase.

The Mike Mitchell trainee Oilgonewile opened up an eight-length lead in the Flawlessly before fading to finish ninth, beaten 9 ½ lengths for the top spot.

The filly has just one gear, and that is showing her early speed. She figures to be the pacesetter with jockey Joe Talamo aboard.

She has not seen the winner's circle since taking the Sweet Chant at Gulfstream Park in gate to wire fashion in January at 22/1.

Starlarks also exits the Flawlessly where she checked in fourth, making a four-wide run and missing third in a photo. She was beaten 2 ¼ lengths by the winner Strawberry Tart.

Patrick Gallagher trains the daughter of Mujahid, and the filly will be ridden by Alex Solis, who has been aboard her for her last four starts.

Rounding out the likely field for the San Clemente is Third Dawn, who is trained by John Sadler, who has not yet named a rider.

The filly was a pace factor in the American Oaks (G1) and faded to finish ninth. Two back she checked in third in the Hollywood Oaks, beaten 2 ½ lengths by the winner Carlsbad, the likely favorite in this race.

The co-feature on Saturday's card is the $250,000 San Diego Handicap (G2), a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" race. The winner earns a starting spot in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile this fall at Santa Anita.