Holmby © Benoit Photo
By Talla Racing’s Holmby, the 3-10 favorite in a short field of five in the Desi Arnaz Stakes at Del Mar Saturday, broke smartly, lay up close through the early going in the seven-furlong testing, then powered through the lane to score by two and a quarter lengths.
Ridden by top rider Juan Hernandez and trainer by Hall of Fame conditioner Bob Baffert, Holmby, a juvenile daughter of 2-year-old champion Corniche ran the distance in 1:23.89 and paid $2.60 for $2.
It was the third victory in five starts for the chestnut miss bred in Indiana and the $60,000 winner’s share of the purse pushed her bankroll to $286,000. It was her second stakes victory after having captured the Grade III Sorrento Stakes here on August 9.
Finishing second in the Arnaz was the winner’s stablemate, Sea’s No Joke, who is owned by MyRacehorse and Spartan Equine Racing. She was five and a half lengths better than the show horse, Ruis Racing’s Grammy’s Gal.
The Arnaz was named after the former bandleader and actor, who was the husband of the comedy star Lucille Ball. Arnaz subsequently divorced Ball, but stayed on in Del Mar at a home on the beach and became a noted owner and breeder of Thoroughbreds.
Racing will resume at Del Mar Sunday with first post at 12:30 p.m.
JUAN HERNANDEZ (Homby, winner) – “She felt good. I think she’s gotten better since I rode her here this summer. Here race today was well done. She broke good and then she just kept on going. She’s a good one.”
BOB BAFFERT (Holmby, winner) – “It’s nice when you turn for home and you know you’re going to win. I’m glad they both showed up. Sea’s No Joke will probably be better around two turns but I think Holmby liked that one turn, that distance. She’s so hard knocking. She’s never run a bad race and she always shows up. She’s been a lot of fun for Michael Talla (owner).”
FRACTIONS: :22.52 :45.15 1:10.33 1:23.89
The stakes win was the second of the meet for rider Hernandez and his second (Nothing Like You, 2023) in the Desi Arnaz.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for trainer Baffert, but his fifth in the Desi Arnaz.
The winning owners are By Talla Racing of Michael Talla.