Om, whose previous claim to fame was that he won the maiden race last summer in which future Triple Crown champion American Pharoah made his career debut and finished a lackluster fifth, greatly enhanced his reputation Sunday with a wire-to-wire victory in the 71st running of the Grade II $250,000 Del Mar Derby.
On an afternoon during which one of the highlights was a public parade between races by American Pharoah, Om responded to the masterful rating of Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens to score by two and one-quarter lengths in a quick 1:47.79 for the mile and one-eighth over Del Mar’s infield grass course.
Royal Albert Hall, a 30-1 longshot ridden by Flavien Prat, closed well to be second, defeating the 1-5 favored Prospect Park by two and one-half lengths for the runner-up spot in a field of seven three-year-olds. Prospect Park, most impressive in winning the La Jolla Handicap this summer but a disappointment Saturday, was two and one-half lengths ahead of fourth-place Crittenden.
Prospect Park stalked the pacesetting Om from shortly after the start until early stretch but had no response when called upon by jockey Kent Desormeaux.
Om, a son of Munnings owned by the Sareen Family Trust and trained by Dan Hendricks, earned a prize of $150,000 with his third victory in seven starts for a career bankroll of $274,500. Runner-up to Prospect Park in the La Jolla Handicap, beaten more than four lengths, he went postward at 6-1 in the Del Mar Derby and returned $15, $7.20 and $3.20.
Royal Albert Hall paid $20.20 and $4.40, while Prospect Park returned $2.10 to show.
In Sunday’s co-featured Grade II $200,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for older fillies and mares, She’s Not Here under Mike Smith outdueled three-year-old Prize Exhibit in the stretch to win by a half-length in 1:41.66 for the mile and one-sixteenth on turf.
Prize Exhibit, the lukewarm 3-1 favorite under Santiago Gonzalez, was a length in front of the fast-closing Lady Pimpernel, with Blingismything fourth in the line-up of ten fillies and mares.
She’s Not Here, a four-year-old filly by Street Cry owned by Humphrey and St. George Farm and trained by Vickie Foley, was scoring her fifth win in 16 starts. First money of $120,000 boosted her earnings to $276,569. Sent off at 6-1, She’s Not Here paid $14.80, $7.20 and $5.40. Runner-up Prize Exhibit, winner of the San Clemente July 19, returned $5 and $3.20, while Lady Pimpernel returned $4.40 to show.
She’s Not Here is a three-quarter sister to the great Zenyatta, being by the same sire
Street Cry. Her dam is Where’s Bailey whose mother, Vertigineux, is the dam of Zenyatta.
Street Cry. Her dam is Where’s Bailey whose mother, Vertigineux, is the dam of Zenyatta.
There were no perfect tickets in Sunday’s Pick Six so the Labor Day Monday program on closing day of the 40-day meeting will feature a carryover of $142,691 with a mandatory payout. Post time for the first of ten races will be 2 p.m.