Rye © Benoit Photo

 

Providing jockey Kent Desormeaux and trainer Bill Morey with their third victories of the afternoon, 9-2 shot Rye swept to the lead in the stretch and went on to score a handy triumph in Del Mar’s feature race Friday at a mile and three-eighths on the grass.

 

Always well-placed in the distance affair, Rye drew off in the final sixteenth to score by two and one-half lengths in 2:15.58. Getting up for second was Site Read, a head in front of longshot Oscar Dominguez, with Fritz Johansen fourth in the field of ten runners. Danas  Best, the lukewarm 7-2 favorite in a wide-open contest, was sixth.

 

Rye, a California-bred son of English Channel owned by the Joseph P. Morey, Jr. Revocable Trust, was timed in 2:15.58 and returned $11.20, $5.20 and $3.60. Runner-up Site Read paid $5.20 and $3.40, while Oscar Dominguez returned $6.60 to show.

 

Morey’s earlier winners were Resky Business in the second ridden by Norberto Arroyo, Jr. and  Interrogator in the third under Desormeaux. The latter also took the fifth race on Cynthiana. Thus, Desormeaux won all three races run on grass Friday.