Titanic Thompson © Benoit Photo

Off as the 8-5 favorite in a field of eight, Nick Alexander’s homebred Titanic Thompson kicked clear of the field to win by 2 ¾ lengths in Friday’s $62,500 allowance feature for California-bred or sired three-year-olds and up going five furlongs on turf at Del Mar.  

Pressing pacesetter Andtheomofthebrave (5-1) up the backstretch, Titanic Thompson with Armando Ayuso up, took the lead at the turn for home and put away the rest of the field by the sixteenth pole. With Umberto Rispoli up, Check’s On the Way (9-2) tracked in mid pack and kicked on passing the quarter pole to hold second by a neck over a well-meant Clever Clover (22-1). Ridden by William Antongerogi III, Clever Clover rallied from last, went four wide into the turn to beat Jaguar John (6-1) and Tyler Baze by a nose for the show.

After a series of unsuccessful tries on dirt this summer, trainer Steve Miyadi put Titanic Thompson back on the turf in his last start and was a close third by a neck going six furlongs on Oct. 4. Titanic Thompson broke his maiden six starts back in a six-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight for statebreds at Santa Anita on May 17.

The three-year-old colt by Grazen is now 9-2-3-1 and has increased his earnings to $124,300.  

Titanic Thompson returned $5.20, $3.00, and $2.40 to his backers. Trained by Simon Callaghan, Check’s On the Way returned $5.60 and $3.80, Clever Clover trained by Sean McCarthy paid $6.00.

Fractions on the race were 22.95, 45.87 and 57.02.