Michael House’s Big John B successfully defended his title in Saturday’s $250, 750 Del Mar Handicap (G2), rallying wide on the turn from last, taking command a sixteenth from home and winning going way by a length and a half. It’s the second straight graded stakes win for the 6-year-old Florida-bred gelding by Hard Spun, whose half sister by Broken Vow, Hip No. 191, sells this Tuesday in the OBS Selected Yearling Sale. After breezing an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show, he was sold by Flying Fish, Agent, for $30,000 at the 2011 OBS June Sale. Trained by Philip D’Amato, he’s now 34-14-5-4 with earnings of $717,175. watch his under tack video
Gary and Cecil Barber’s Appealing Tale set the pace from the start of Del Mar’s $235,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2), fought off a stretch challenge from fellow OBS graduate Wild Dude (April ’12, October ’10), and beat him to the wire by half a length. It’s the first graded stakes win for the 5-year-old gelding by Tale of the Cat, second in the San Diego Handicap (G2) and Triple Bend Stakes (G1) in his two previous starts. Trained by Peter Miller, he’s now 24-5-6-6 and has earned $533,222 to date. After working an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 prior to the 2012 OBS March Sale, he was purchased by Mr. Miller for $95,000 out of the Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds consignment. watch his under tack video
Sheep Pond Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bradley Thoroughbreds’ lightly raced Delightful Joy picked up her first stakes win on Saturday in the $111,000 Monmouth Oaks (G3). Well back in the early going, the 3-year-old daughter of Tapit circled horses on the turn, reached the leaders inside the sixteenth pole and ran past them late to win by a length and three quarters. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2014 OBS April Sale, she went to Bradley Thoroughbreds, Agent, for $105,000 after speeding a quarter in :21 3/5 at the Under Tack Show. Trained by Chad Brown, she’s now 5-3-0-1 and has earned $139,200 to date. watch her under tack video
Michael Whieldon’s Morning Coffee took charge of Hastings Park’s $50,000 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes leaving the backstretch and never looked back, cruising to a 2-1/4 length victory. It’s the second straight stakes win for the 3-year-old filly by Quiet American, who worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat before being purchased for $190,000 by Dennis O’Neill out of the Grassroots Training & Sales consignment at the 2014 OBS April Sale. Trained by Rosann Anderson, she’s now 12-5-0-0 and has earned $138,549. watch her under tack video