Journalism (inside) working in company © Zoe Metz
JOURNALISM, NYSOS PUT IN SOLID WORKS SATURDAY AT DEL MAR
Two prospects for this year’s 34th running of the Pacific Classic were out on the track Saturday morning putting in works two weeks before the big race. Journalism and Nysos both left their conditioners happy with their efforts.
For Journalism it was his second time out since his last race, a thrilling victory in the G1 Haskell Invitation at Monmouth Park last month. The son of Curlin went four furlongs in :48.00. That’s compared to last week’s work of four furlongs in :48.40.
“He worked very well,” trainer Michael McCarthy said afterward. “He got into a nice rhythm and showed good energy throughout. We had a horse keep head-to-head company with him and we got pretty much what he’s been doing for the last year. That was good today.”
Primary owner Aron Wellman agreed.
“We were just turning up the dials on him,” he noted. “Had some company to his outside that kept him honest to the wire. Good to see him running through the wire because the best part for him in a work is the gallop out. The farther he goes, the better he gets.”
For jockey Umberto Rispoli, it was business as usual.
“Very good,” he stated. “A nice work, nothing changed. Very simple.”
Nysos worked just before Journalism, right after the 7:30 renovation break. He came surging out of the chute and caught trainer John Sadler’s Mbagnick in the turn. He went seven furlongs in 1:24.60. Just what trainer Bob Baffert was looking for.
“He’s getting closer,” the Hall of Fame conditioner concluded. “I wanted a strong work out of him so we gave it to him. He needed it and he’ll benefit from that.”
Nysos has been pointing to the Pacific Classic since his win in the G2 San Diego here last month. The son of Nyquist has also put in two works since that race on July 26.
Journalism is still a question mark. Both McCarthy and Wellman keeping their cards close to the vest as to whether they will stay here and run in the Classic, head east next week and run in the G1 Travers at Saratoga, or skip those races and wait for a fall campaign leading up to the Breeders’ Cup here at Del Mar in November.
TYLER GAFFALIONE DROPS IN FOR A WEEKEND OF RACING AT DEL MAR
One of the many nice things about having a top level racetrack like Del Mar in your neighborhood is that you get to see the best of the sport. The elite horses, the top trainers and the best jockeys. This weekend fans at the seaside oval will get to see one of the top five riders in the country when Tyler Gaffalione comes to town.
He arrived at Del Mar Thursday, the first time he had been back to Del Mar since last fall’s Breeders’ Cup when he had mounts in eight of the 14 races. He rode one race Thursday, three more on Friday and he has six mounts on Saturday before he flies back to his base at Ellis Park in Kentucky on Sunday. The primary purpose for this trip is to ride Lush Lips for trainer Brendan Walsh in the G1 Del Mar Oaks but he says he likes to get out to Del Mar every chance he gets.
“I try to come every year whether it’s the summer or the fall,” Gaffalione says. “It’s one of my favorite racetracks to come visit. I love the turf course and the dirt is always fair. The people and the atmosphere is amazing. It’s top three on my list.”
Since 2020, Gaffalione has ranked right up there with the Ortiz Brothers and Flavien Prat in both wins and earnings nationwide.
“It’s just a lot of support from the horseman,” Gaffalione notes. “My agent (Matt Muzikar) does a great job finding me the right mounts, the right horses to ride. A lot of love to be honest.”
It also helps to have the talent and experience that Tyler brings to every ride.
“I’ve been doing this 10 years professionally now,” Gaffalione states, “but I’ve been riding horses since I was eight years old. This is all I’ve ever wanted to do and I’m just happy to do it.”
He calls his victory in the 2019 Preakness aboard War of Will the highlight of a career that also includes an Eclipse Award for Top Apprentice Rider in 2015 when he won 217 races and posted earnings of over $5.6 million, a number that pales in comparison to the $29.9 million he earned in 2023, a career high. Gaffalione averaged 265 wins between 2020 and 2024.
His numbers are down this year due to a broken ankle that put him out of commission for four months. He returned July 19 at Ellis Park.
“I feel great,” Gaffalione contends. “I’ve been riding three or four weeks now and getting stronger every day, getting better. Everything’s good right now.
“It was my first serious injury,” Gaffalione points out. “It took a lot more time than expected to heal. It was a lot more of the tendons not being used that took the longest time to strengthen. After working with P.T. specialists and others we were able to get it on track and I feel comfortable with it right now.”
Gaffalione served notice that everything was returning to normal when he put up a six-win day at Ellis Park last week.
“It felt amazing,” Gaffalione says. “It was one of those deals where I had a lot of confidence going into the day. My agent did a great job lining up the horses. I was really looking forward to riding that card and everything just fell into place. It was one of those days where I got into a rhythm and everything happened the way I needed it to.”
He’s hoping for similar results on Saturday. Maybe not a six win day but a victory in the G1 Del Mar Oaks would make the trip worthwhile.
“I’ve always been really high on this filly,” Gaffalione says of Lush Lips, his mount in the Oaks. “Brendan’s loved her since he first got her in the barn. We were very excited about her in the spring and she ran some really good races.
“The first time I rode her she showed a lot of speed and she did the same thing at Tampa (in the Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs),” Gaffalione adds. “She got a little bit tired that day but it seems like she’s learned to relax now and is starting to show a different dimension. She’s tactical but if she relaxes she’s got a real good kick. We like our chances.”
It’s safe to assume Gaffalione will be back to Del Mar this fall for the Breeders’ Cup along with his friends Irad, Jose and Flavien.
GRAND SLAM SMILE RETURNS WITH CAL-BREDS IN SOLANA BEACH
A few weeks ago Kings River Knight ran off with the California Dreamin’ Stakes at Del Mar, laying claim to the best Cal-bred on the grounds. If there were a queen of the Cal-breds to go along with the King it could be Grand Slam Smile.
She gets a chance to prove her reign Sunday when she heads a field of 11 runners in the $150,000 Solana Beach, a one mile test on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
The 4-year-old daughter of Smiling Tiger is back with her Cal-bred friends following two tries in open company; a win in a second-level allowance race at Los Alamitos in June and then a runner-up finish to Medoro in last month’s Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar.
“She came out of that race in good shape,” trainer Sean McCarthy notes. “Her last two works have been very good. She’s going into the race as well as we can ask of her.”
Those pair of races were her first of 2025 and the first two with McCarthy after she spent the bulk of her 13-race career in the barn of veteran Northern California trainer Steve Specht, who retired from the sport last year.
“It’s a tough race,” McCarthy adds. “There are 11 in there. There’s some good fillies in there and obviously a lot of speed.”
The Champion Cal-bred 2-year-old filly back in 2023 has turned into a versatile filly. She can run on the dirt like she did at Los Al or the grass like she did last out in the Osunitas.
“It’s fantastic,” McCarthy says. “She can sprint she can route. She can turf she can dirt. It’s a privilege to have one like that, certainly.
“It comes up this way because it’s the only Cal-bred filly and mare stake left at the meet,” McCarthy continues. “If it were on the dirt we would run on the dirt. I keep in touch with Steve Specht pretty closely and (he thinks) maybe she’s more effective on the grass here at Del Mar than she would be on the dirt here at Del Mar.”
Grand Slam Smile’s competition will come from several directions. Last year’s Solana Beach winner is back to defend her crown. Moment’s Pleasure showed an affinity toward the Jimmy Durante Turf Course winning both of her races at Del Mar last summer. This year she comes in off a five-month layoff.
“We had planned to run in this race and planned to get a prep race earlier in the meet and we got excluded from the race. So that didn’t help us. She’s not good in the morning, she doesn’t like to train. She’s like Allen Iverson was with the 76er’s, no practice, just game.”
The daughter of Clubhouse Ride last raced in the $100,000 Irish O’Brien at Santa Anita March 16.
Prancingthruparis won the Irish O’Brien, which was run on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita. She followed that race with a third-place finish in the $100,000 Fran’s Valentine, which was run at the same distance and on the same surface as the Solana Beach will be.
“I think her best thing is down the hill,” trainer Peter Eurton admits. “(She’ll get) a mile if she can get covered up which is always a challenge. She’s got a lot of speed on her outside and I like my draw.”
Prancingthruparis has drawn the #6 post in Sunday’s race.
One of the speed horses Eurton refers to is Sneaker, a daughter of Oscar Performance who won the Fran’s Valentine, going wire-to-wire, last out.
“She got the lead and got comfortable out there,” trainer George Papaprodromou says. “Hopefully we can do the same thing in the Solana Beach. Get the easy lead and go from there. I’d like to see her out there all alone where she gets all brave.”
The 32nd running of the Solana Beach is Race 7 on Sunday’s nine-race card. Probable post time is 5 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail out with the jockeys and morning line odds: Miso Phansy (Hector I. Berrios, 15-1); Hot Girl Walk (Drayden Van Dyke, 20-1); Moment’s Pleasure (Juan Hernandez, 7/2); California Rocks (Jose Valdivia, Jr., 30-1); Only One America (Giovanni Franco, 20-1); Grand Slam Smile (William Antongeorgi III, 5/2); Sneaker (Kazushi Kimura, 5-1); Dorie Miller (Diego Herrera, 15-1); Wink and a Grin (Umberto Rispoli, 12-1), and Cornelia Fort (Antonio Fresu, 10-1).
TOC HOLDS AWARDS MEETING AT DEL MAR
The Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) held a breakfast and awards gathering on the patio of the Veranda Cafe restaurant at Del Mar Saturday morning.
Among the morning’s award winners from 2024 were Rookie of the Year award (Dylan Eplin); J. Paul Reddam (Leading owner, purses won); Hronis Racing (Leading owner, races won); Owners with most stakes wins: Cuyathy LLC (raced Johannes); Sondereker Racing, J. Eric Kruljac and Robert S. Ketkin (raced The Chosen Vron). The 2025 Partnership Award (Great Friends Stables); TOC Chairmen’s 2025 Award: Hronis Racing.
COOLING OUT: Alpha Bella came out of her win in Friday’s CTT & TOC in good order according to trainer John Sadler. He says her next race will be at Santa Anita…Johannes is back at the Tim Yakteen barn after his trip back east to Saratoga. Last year’s runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Mile ran a disappointing ninth out of 10 in the G1 Fourstardave August 2. He’s had a few gallops on the main track at Del Mar but has yet to get back on the worktab since returning from New York…Sometimes they come in bunches. Trainer Andy Mathis scored his first win of the meet Friday when Just A Kiss crossed the wire first in Race 3. Two races later he scored again with Tiger Lady…Jockey Hector I. Berrios scored a hat trick Friday, winning Race 2 with Tennesseehoneybee, the stakes race with Alpha Bella and finally Race 8 with Nesso’s Lasthurrah…Notable works on Saturday: Roll On Big Joe (3f, :38.00); Formidable Man (4f, :50.20); Goal Oriented (4f, :46.60); Look Forward (4f, :47.60); Stay Hot (4f, :49.00); Express Train (5f, :59.60), and Citizen Bull (7f, 1:24.60).