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Del Mar Stable Notes

ONE-TIME RACE COMEBACK AWAITS FORMER JOCKEY JEFF BLOOM

Jeff Bloom, a San Diego native who rode his first race as an apprentice jockey in 1982 at Del Mar, is planning a one-race comeback, also at Del Mar later this meet, making his debut and bow-out Del Mar events.

Bloom, who is vice president of western operations for West Point Thoroughbreds, has been working toward the "comeback" by galloping some West Point horses at Hollywood Park and at Del Mar.

The plan was hatched by one of Bloom's friends, horse owner Mike Shustek, and Bloom embraced it whole-heartedly. "I thought it would be a nice thing for my kids to be able to see me ride," Bloom said. "Obviously, they weren't born while I was riding. They're pretty excited about it, and so am I as it gets closer." His daughters are Hannah, 14, and Ashley, 12.

Bloom thinks the race in which he will ride Shustek's filly Nefarious will come in about three weeks.

Bloom rode mostly at tracks in western Canada and finished his riding career early in 1990.

10 JUVENILE FILLIES SET TO GO IN CAL-BRED STAKES RACE

Ten 2-year-old fillies will go to the post Friday in the 57th running of the $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes with Hi Ho Yodeler, trained by Mike Harrington, as the morning-line favorite at a lukewarm 7-2.

The original field included Cayanna and Seethe Girlgo, who have been scratched.

EX-CHAMP VALENZUELA GETS GREEN LIGHT TO RIDE AT DEL MAR

Patrick Valenzuela, a five-time leading jockey at Del Mar, is coming back to ride at the seashore once again. He was cleared to ride on a "probationary license" Thursday by the California Horse Racing Board.

The CHRB revoked his California license on September 18, 2008. Valenzuela, 47, has been competing in Louisiana, where he is third leading rider at Louisiana Downs.

Tom Knust, who will handle his riding assignments at Del Mar, said Friday morning that Valenzuela will be driving west from Louisiana beginning Friday. The agent is expecting him to arrive Monday or Tuesday, and is hopeful of having him named on horses for Wednesday's card.

"I've had good response from a number of horsemen," Knust said. "I'm looking forward to booking rides for Patrick. I'm excited about it and so is he. He knows it's tough down here, but he believes he's riding really well, and he's confident he'll do well here," Knust, adding, "But, then, confidence has never been a problem for Patrick."

This will be the third time Knust and Valenzuela have been together as jockey and agent.

MILLIONAIRE BOLD CHIEFTAIN SET FOR CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'

There's little doubt that Bold Chieftain is a solid candidate to achieve a dream stalking trip in Sunday's fifth edition of the $100,000 California Dreamin' Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

That particularly would be the case if the Donald Warren-trained Acclamation, who is entered in Saturday's Grade I, $300,000 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the turf, scratches from the Read and runs Sunday instead. But if the 4-year-old colt owned by E.W. and Judy Johnston chooses to run Saturday, there still appears to be enough speed in the field to let Bold Chieftain sit in behind horses and make his patented run to victory.

The 7-year-old warrior, trained by co-breeder and co-owner Bill Morey, will be shooting for his third win in four tries in the California Dreamin', having won in 2007 and 2008. Overall, the son of Chief Seattle, has 17 wins, seven seconds and four thirds in 37 lifetime starts and gets all-time leading rider Russell Baze in the saddle. That usually translates to victory, though Bold Chieftain was nipped by a head in Golden Gate Fields' Grade III Berkeley Stakes in his most recent outing.

Prior to that, Bold Chieftain, who has earnings of $1.5 million, posted three straight wins, starting with the Sunshine Millions Classic at Santa Anita January 30.

From the rail: Colgan's Chip, 115, Tyler Baze; Stormy Seattle, 114, Pedro Arambula; Swift Winds, 115, Rafael Bejarano; Acclamation, 124, Christian Santiago Reyes; Bold Chieftain, 124, Russell Baze; Triumphant Flight, 116, Victor Espinoza; Cayamba, 116, Joel Rosario, and Bruce's Dream, 117, Joe Talamo.

PICTURE TELLS A TALE OF DISAPPOINTMENT FOR SOME

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words.

But in Thursday's third race, three words told the whole story: Number Eight Won.

That was enough to stun and disappoint jockey Jose Verenzuela and his agent, former trainer Frank Monteleone, because the two of them believed the Marcelo Polanco-trained Pink Diamond hit the wire first after a furious stretch run. Instead, the photo finish showed Sister Dawn, down on the inside, hitting the wire a nose in front.

Verenzuela, a native of Caracas, Venezuela, is new in Southern California but not new to the sport, having 18 years under his belt, including riding in Saudi Arabia and Dubai for the past 10 years. He rode a lot for trainer Jerry Barton in Arabia and booted Big City Man to victory in the 2009 Golden Shaheen on Dubai World Cup Day. Barton was an assistant to D. Wayne Lukas before going on his own in New York. He's been training in Saudi Arabia for a few years.

Prior to heading to the Middle East, Verenzuela rode successfully in Florida, Louisiana and various tracks on the East Coast.

SUNDAY HANDICAPPING CONTEST LOOKING LIKE A WINNER

Del Mar will host a new "Sunday $50 Handicapping Contest" this season with weekly cash prizes and the chance to earn a spot in the $1-million Daily Racing Form/NTRA National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas in January.

The weekly contest at the track requires a $20 entry fee and a $50 live-bankroll buy-in on a Player Card issued at sign-up booths on Sundays. Contestants must bet five Del Mar races ($5 win, $5 place on each race), and the player earning the most money wins a weekly prize of $1,000. Second place is worth $500 and third $250. All winnings are the player's to keep.

The top 10 finishers each week will be invited back to the final contest on the closing Sunday of the meet -- September 5 -- where those 60 players will get a $50 free bet voucher. That day's winner will earn admission, travel and room accommodations to the National Handicapping Championship January 28-29 at the Red Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

First prize in that event is $500,000.

TYLER BAZE HEADS JOCKEY LEADER BOARD; 4 TRAINERS SHARE TOP

With a pair of wins Thursday, Tyler Baze took over the lead in the jockey standings with four victories over the first two days.

Rafael Bejarano, Del Mar's 2008 champion jockey, rode three winners Thursday to attain a tie for second in the standings with Victor Espinoza, who had a triple on opening day, Wednesday, and 2009 riding champ Joel Rosario, whose two wins Thursday made his total three.

Among trainers, the top spot is shared by defending champ John Sadler, former titlist Doug O'Neill, Jerry Hollendorfer and Patrick Gallagher, who have scored one win each of the first two days.

FUND-RAISER SET FOR GROUP AIDING RESCUED THOROUGHBREDS

After the Finish Line, a non-profit group supporting other groups financially who rescue Thoroughbreds after they are finished racing, has scheduled its annual charity fund-raising reception, dinner and auctions for Thursday, August 5, at the Hilton Hotel in Del Mar across from the racetrack.

The event will be held from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

The group was founded in 2007. For ticket information, Dawn Mellen can be reached at (858) 945-1571 or on line at www.afterthefinishline.org.

SHORE LINES -- Eight horses whose names begin with "Warren's" worked 5 furlongs this morning for trainer Jorge Gutierrez. They all are owned by [Benjamin] Warren Thoroughbreds. They were just part of a busy work schedule which saw 192 horses covered by the Del Mar clocking team ... The first of the season's regular weekend features, "Daybreak at Del Mar," kicks off Saturday from 7:30 to 9:30 trackside in the popular Clubhouse Terrace Restaurant and will be reprised on Sunday. "Daybreak" gives race fans a chance to eat hardy while watching Thoroughbred athletes go through their morning drills ... The first of two "Donuts at Del Mar" features will play out Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Seaside Terrace at the west end of the Grandstand.  The morning will feature horses during their regular exercise period and interviews with returning champion trainer John Sadler and jockeys Alonso Quinonez and Joel Rosario, 2009 riding champion at the seashore ... San Diego-based Pinback opens the track's Friday concert series tonight following the last race of the day. The concert will be held at the Seaside Terrace at the west end of the Grandstand.

TRAKUS FACTS -- Thurs., July 22 -- Peak Speed: Race 6 (Polytrack) -- Liquid Asset -- 41.8 mph (first 1/8); Race 5 (Turf) -- Pasar Silbano -- 45.1 mph (first 3/16); Fastest Late Stretch Run: Race 6 (Polytrack) -- Comma to the Top -- 37.1 mph (final 1 1/16); Race 3 (Turf) -- Pink Diamond -- 40.8 mph (final 1/16).