Twelve days after finishing fourth in the Kathryn Crosby Stakes, Linda’s Gift led wire-to-wire Thursday afternoon to win the Grade III Red Carpet Stakes kicking off Del Mar’s two-weekend Turf Festival.
Jockey Tiago Pereira said the difference in the filly’s performance was the jockey.
“The last time I rode Linda’s Gift, I was a bad jockey,” said Periera. “In the paddock before this race, I told the assistant trainer (Tyler Cambra) that I was going to be a good jockey.”
This time, Linda’s Gift never gave up the lead in the 1 3/8-mile turf marathon for older fillies and mares. The 4-year-old daughter of Arrogate finished three-quarters of a length ahead of Musical Rhapsody, who ran second for the entire , near 1 ½ laps. Favorite Sister O’Toole was another three-quarters of a lap back in third.
Even for a marathon, the pace was slow. The winning time of 2 minutes, 17.8 seconds was more than 6 1/2 seconds off the track record.
“I liked the looks of it all the way,” said trainer Richard Mandella, who ranks fourth in Del Mar history with 75 stakes wins. “I didn’t think the early fractions were real. It’s hard to gallop Linda’s Gift that slow. She looked like she was comfortable. I always thought she was good enough and she rose to the occasion.”
“They left me alone out there,” Periera said of the competition. “She was a runner all the way.”
Trainer Phil D’Amato ran second with Musical Rhapsody but had two other winners — Standing O (Antonio Fresu, $20.20) in the fourth race and Cliquish (Ramon Vazquez, $4.40) in the seventh race — to tie Bob Baffert for the fall meeting’s training lead at six wins apiece.
Juan Hernandez won the first (Practically Broke, $18.00) and last (Asada Fries, $5.00) to move into a tie with Flavien Prat for the jockey lead. Each has 10 wins. J.G. Torrealba also had two wins Thursday with Big Novel ($4.40) in the second and Stay in Line ($24.80) in the fifth.
The other Thursday winner was Nokie (Umberto Rispoli, $6.00) in the third.
Two horses with eastern roots will be the favorites Friday when the two-weekend Turf Festival continues with the $200,000, Grade II Hollywood Turf Cup — a 1 ½-mile test for older horses.
Trainer Graham Motion will have Speaking Scout as the slight, 5-2 morning-line favorite in the field of eight. Juan Hernandez will ride the 4-year-old gelding, who is winless since taking the Grade I Hollywood Derby at Del Mar last Dec. 3. Juan Hernandez returns as Speaking Scout’s jockey at Del Mar.
And trainer Chad Brown, who has shipped in 13 Turf Festival winners since 2016, has sent Francesco Clemente west from Aqueduct.
Francesco Clemente, who will have Umberto Rispoli in the saddle, will be making his third American start after beginning his career with five races in England. After winning his first three starts, Francesco Clemente lost by a neck in the Goodwood last May in his 2023 debut. He was shipped to Aqueduct in June after finishing 12th in the Wolferton Stakes at Ascot.
“Del Mar is a long way to go, but there were no other races for Francesco Clemente on the East Coast right now,” said Brown. “I’m very pleased with how he’s going and this distance should suit him.”
Speaking Scout returned to the East Coast after his Del Mar victory last December, but returned to Southern California seven weeks ago to finish third in the Grade II John Henry Turf Classic at Santa Anita. Speaking Scout has remained in Southern California since.
“I do think the firmer, California-style turf course is probably something that suits him,” said Motion said of Speaking Scout, who will be racing at an eighth different track this year.
Others to watch are Balladeer, Astronaut and Lukka.
Balladeer (Victor Espinoza) ran ninth in the Breeders’ Cup Turf after beating Speaking Scout to win the John Henry. Astronaut (Mike Smith) won the 2021 Grade II Del Mar Handicap. This will be the 6-year-old’s first start since returning to the barn of trainer John Shirreffs. Lukka (Ramon Vazquez) will be making his American debut coming off two straight Grade I wins in Chile.
Saturday will feature the running of the Grade II Seabiscuit Handicap at 1 1/16 miles for older horses. The eight-horse field includes defending Seabiscuit champion Hong Kong Harry — who had two wins and a second at Del Mar in 2022 and is coming off a September victory in the Grade II City of Hope at Santa Anita. Trainer Phil D’Amato has Hong Kong Harry, Balnikhov and Easter in the race.
