Cali Cat © Benoit Photo
OCEANSIDE STAKES LAUNCHES 2025 STAKES PACKAGE
It’s been the traditional Opening Day feature at Del Mar since 1977 and the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes is back again in 2025 with a solid 10-horse field. Some notable horses have used the race as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. There was Hawkster in 1989; Ladies Din in 1998; Twirling Candy in 2010, and Conclude in 2023.
Last year, Formidable Man took the Oceanside, then the Del Mar Derby and then the Hollywood Derby in the fall.
Trainer John Sadler has won the Oceanside Stakes five times and he’ll bring Cali Cat to the race this year. The Cal-bred son of American Pharoah has been runner-up in his last two races, the $100,000 John Shear turf sprint and the $125,000 Snow Chief, both at Santa Anita.
“He’s been running well,” Sadler says. “Last time might have been just a little far at a mile and an eighth but I think a mile is a pretty good distance for him. We know he likes this course. He broke his maiden here last summer. He’s sharp and we’ve been kind of pointing for it.”
Cali Cat drew the inside post in the one-mile turf event restricted to 3-year-olds. He’ll be facing Iron Man Cal from the Philip D’Amato barn. The son of Collected was runner-up to Henri Matisse in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf last November at Del Mar. After a brief time off he made his 3-year old debut on Derby Day at Churchill Downs and ran sixth in the G1 American Turf.
“He’s doing really good,” D’Amato notes. “He ran a credible race in the Breeders’ Cup and I think he needed a race off the bench at Churchill. Granted it was a really accomplished group of horses there. So, second off the bench on a turf course we know he likes, I think he’s poised to run a big race.”
D’Amato will also saddle Lyle the Crocodile, an Irish-bred who ran fourth in his U.S. debut up at Santa Anita in June. He was beaten that day in the entry level allowance race by two other horses running in the Oceanside - Day and Age won the race and Game Warrior was third.
Game Warrior is one of two horses for trainer Peter Miller, who also has entered Kale’s Angel, a colt who won stakes races at Turfway and Oaklawn Parks this winter.
“He doesn’t have any conditions after he won those three stakes,” Miller says. “There are no races for 3-year-olds sprinting out here so we’re giving him a shot going long again.”
The last time Kale’s Angel went two turns he finished a credible third in the $250,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn in January. That was on the dirt. He did break his maiden sprinting on the turf at Del Mar last summer.
The Oceanside Stakes is Race #8 on the Friday card. Probable post time is 5:30 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with jockeys and morning line odds: Cali Cat (Vincent Cheminaud, 12-1); Incanto (Tiago Pereira, 15-1); Iron Man Cal (Antonio Fresu, 9/5); Lyle the Crocodile (Umberto Rispoli, 6-1); Artislas (Juan Hernandez, 4-1); Kale’s Angel (Armando Ayuso, 12-1); Game Warrior (Hector I. Berrios, 8-1); Day and Age (Mike Smith, 6-1); Mala (William Antongeorgi, 20-1), and Bodi Zafa (Kazushi Kimura, 15-1).
MARQUEE HORSES EYE POSSIBLE STARTS AT DEL MAR THIS SUMMER
Del Mar has always been known for its lineup of top-name horses and judging by the early nominations this year, there will be no shortage of talent running at the seaside oval this summer.
The parade of heavy hitters starts opening day in the Oceanside Stakes where the popular runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf, Iron Man Cal, is expected to go off as the favorite in the one mile turf event for 3-year olds.
The following weekend features the G2 San Diego (July 26) where one of the top horses in the nation is expected to run. Nysos, from the Bob Baffert arsenal, returned from a year away from racing and nearly won the G1 Churchill Downs Stakes on Derby Day. The son of Nyquist followed his impressive 2025 debut with a win in the G3 Triple Bend at Santa Anita at the end of May.
“We’re just keeping our fingers crossed that he stays healthy,” Baffert explains. “He’s an exciting horse. He ran a big race at Churchill. It was disappointing he didn’t win that one but it was a tough race.”
Nysos may end up butting heads with last year’s Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold in the San Diego.
The next day, Sunday July 27, trainer Tim Yakteen is pointing his grass superstar Johannes to the G2 Eddie Read. Another son of Nyquist, Johannes was runner-up in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf after winning four graded stakes in a row. He developed some bone bruising after his victory in the G2 San Gabriel in December and Yakteen gave him some time off to recuperate.
Johannes could face D’Amato’s Gold Phoenix, winner of the G2 Del Mar Handicap last year, or Formidable Man, winner of the G1 Kilroe Mile at Santa Anita this spring.
The G1 Clement Hirsch on August 2 is shaping up to be another must-see race of the meet, especially if Kopion goes in the ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Trainer Richard Mandella has not yet committed his star filly, who had her three-race win streak snapped last out in the G2 Great Lady M at Los Alamitos.
Baffert has also hinted at running Richi in the Clement Hirsch. The talented Chilean-bred won last out in the G2 Santa Maria at Santa Anita.
Trainer Doug O’Neill hopes to defend his crown in the G2 Pat O’Brien with last year’s winner Raging Torrent, who went on to take the G1 Malibu at Santa Anita before shipping overseas to win the Godolphin Mile on Dubai World Cup night then returned stateside and took the G1 Met Mile at Saratoga on Belmont Stakes Day.
Last year’s Horse of the Meet, Iscreamuscream, is expected to return and could make her 2025 debut in the G2 John Mabee at Del Mar on September 6.
And as if that isn’t enough, there’s this bay colt by Curlin who will be hanging out in the Michael McCarthy barn this summer. Journalism is in New Jersey this weekend to run in the G1 Haskell Invitational, but will return to Del Mar next week where McCarthy says “all options are on the table” when asked if his star colt might run in the Pacific Classic.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: UPDATES ON LAST YEAR’S EQUINE CHAMPIONS
As we get ready to kick off the 86th season of Thoroughbred racing at Del Mar, let’s look back at last year and how the top horses from the 2024 summer meet have fared since they left the seaside oval last September.
Iscreamuscream – Horse of the Meet – Top 3-year-old filly: After winning both the G2 San Clemente and the G1 Del Mar Oaks, the undefeated daughter of Twirling Candy ran fourth in the G2 Rodeo Drive in October and hasn’t raced since. She was off for six months and returned to the worktab on May 18.
Gold Phoenix – Top Grass Horse: The Irish-bred from the Philip D’Amato barn won last summer’s G2 Del Mar Handicap for an unprecedented third consecutive year. He followed the feat with a fifth-place finish in the G2 John Henry, then ran a respectable fourth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He’s run twice in 2025, a third in the G3 San Luis Rey at Santa Anita and a fourth in the G1 Turf Classic on Derby Day at Churchill Downs.
Mixto – Top Older Horse: After his shocker in the G1 FanDuel Pacific Classic last summer, the son of Good Magic trained up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic and ran 11th in a field of 14. Three weeks later he returned and ran third in the G3 Native Diver at Del Mar. This year he ran fourth in the G1 Pegasus World Cup at Gulfstream Park and then nearly pulled-off another shocker when he ran second to fellow American Hit Show in the Dubai World Cup.
Adare Manor – Top Older Filly or Mare: Was going so good coming into and out of her triumph in the Clement Hirsch, trainer Bob Baffert pointed her toward a start against the boys in the Pacific Classic. But days before the race, she ‘tied up’ and was scratched. Weeks later the decision was made to retire the prized daughter of Uncle Mo.
The Chosen Vron – Top Sprinter: He defended his title in the G1 Bing Crosby, then ran second to Raging Torrent in the G2 Pat O’Brien. Trainer Eric Kruljac decided to train his champion up to the Breeders’ Cup but days before the race, the son of Vronsky was forced to scratch from the race and a couple of months later was retired from racing. Ironically, his loveable trainer followed suit and also retired earlier this year.
Muth – Top 3-Year-Old: The son of Good Magic is another one who has been retired from racing and is standing at Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky. He followed up his win in the $125k Shared Belief at Del Mar with a sixth-place finish against older horses in the inaugural G1 California Crown Stakes. Baffert decided to run his colt in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and he finished seventh.
Gaming – Top 2-Year-Old: Following his win in the G1 Futurity at Del Mar, the son of Game Winner ran second to stablemate Citizen Bull in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He opened up his 2025 campaign with a runner-up finish in the $200k Hot Springs Stakes at Oaklawn then ran third in the G1 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. He returned to the west coast and won the $100k Affirmed Stakes last month at Santa Anita.
Tenma – Top 2-Year-Old Filly: A month after winning the G1 Del Mar Debutante, the daughter of Nyquist ran third in the G2 Oak Leaf at Santa Anita prompting Baffert to skip the Breeders’ Cup. Instead, she won the G1 Starlet at Los Alamitos in December before opening her 3-year-old season with wins in the G3 Las Virgenes and the G2 Santa Anita Oaks. They took a shot at the G1 Kentucky Oaks and ran fourth.
COOLING OUT: It was a lot busier on the track Thursday morning with over 60 horses putting in official works, nine of them on the turf course which was open for the first time. Notable works on dirt: Gandalf (4f, :46.60); Tesouro de Pirata (4f, :46.60); Splendora (5f, :59.60); Sumter (5f, 1:01.20); Runamileinmyshoes (5f, :59.40). On the turf: Geometry (4f, :48.60).