Beautifully rated on the lead by Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux, Uzziel led from start to finish to win Sunday’s featured Grade II $200,000 Goldikova Stakes for older fillies and mares.
The four-year-old Harlington filly, winner of the CERF Stakes at six furlongs on the main dirt track last summer, displayed her versatility as she transferred her speed to Del Mar’s infield grass course and was a handy two and one-quarter length winner of the Goldikova Stakes at one mile.
Uzziel, flying the silks of James and Tammy McKenny and trained by Keith Desormeaux, brother of the rider, accomplished the distance in 1:34.77 to garner the $120,000 first prize. It was the filly’s sixth victory in 20 starts and boosted her bankroll to $457,488.
Queen of the Sand, with Mike Smith up, rallied to be second, nosing out third-place Gender Agenda, with even-money favored Elektrum another head back in fourth place in the field of six runners.
Uzziel returned $15.40, $6 and $5, Queen of the Sand paid $6 and $2.60, and Gender Agenda returned $3.60 to show.
With a carryover of $59,754 from Saturday, $509, 975 was wagered on the Pick Six Sunday for a total pool of $569,729. There were 31 perfect tickets and each was worth $16,609.
Sunday’s attendance was 3,369.
KENT DESORMEAUX (Uzziel, winner) – “Keith (his brother and Uzziel’s trainer) told me that the way to win with her today was to just let her roll. To just come away from there and keep on going. Her demeanor today was so much better than last time. She let me ride her today; she was an angel. Other times she gets too aggressive; she wants to fight you. But today she just did it. She tries every time. You’ve got to love her for that. The only way they beat her is to be better than her. But today it was her day.”
(Kent Desormeaux dismounted from Uzziel outside the winner’s circle following the race. “She tripped on me just after the wire, then she seemed to be limping (on the gallop out). I erred on the side of caution here. After that incident, she seemed fine. She was walking OK and she got on the van (horse ambulance) fine. I think they’ll get her back to the barn and find out she’s fine. But I just didn’t want to take any chances.”
MIKE SMITH (Queen of The Sand, second) – “The race didn’t set up for her at all. But she still ran really well. This one ought to set her up nicely for the next time.”
TYLER BAZE (Gender Agenda, third) – “She ran good. She’s a nice filly. She tries hard every time.”
JOASIN DIEGO, assistant to Keith Desormeaux (Uzziel, winner) – “Keith talked to Kent about the race, but the only way she wins is from the front. When she broke in front, I thought, ‘We got it.’ After the race she was just a little (overheated). She’ll be all right.”
FRACTIONS: :23.66 :47.55 1:11.45 1:23.11 1:34.77
This is the first time the Goldikova Stakes has been run at Del Mar.
The stakes win was rider Desormeaux’s 72nd at Del Mar, ninth best of all jockeys.
The stake win was trainer Desormeaux’s third at Del Mar.
The winner’s owners, James and Tammy McKenney, are from Clovis, CA.