2012 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

Joe Talamo and Include Me Out after winning the 2012 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

The feature race on Saturday at Del Mar was the $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles over the Polytrack, and is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Ladies' Classic (G1). 33,142 fans came out to the seaside oval under sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 70's. Include Me Out, winner of the La Canada (G2), Santa Margarita (G2), and Marje Everett (G2) handicaps was sent off as the 8-5 favorite in the field of 8, exiting a second place finish in the Vanity Handicap (G1) at Hollywood. In to challenge her included 2-1 second choice Amani, making her U.S. debut after winning the Alberto Solari Magnasco (G1) and St. Leger Cristal (G1) in her native Chile, and 5-2 third choice Switch, winner of the A Gleam Handicap (G2) at Hollywood.

Include Me Out leads down the stretch

20-1 Great Hot was quickest away through an opening quarter of 23.19 before Switch took over on the backstretch, opening up a 1 1/2 length advantage through a half in 46.65 and 3/4 in 1:10.63. Favorite Include Me Out, who stalked the pace in 4th early, easily passed the tiring Switch at the 3/16 pole, getting the mile in 1:35.45. 9-1 Star Billing, 6th early, put in a strong late rally but Include Me Out was up to the task, holding her off by a neck despite drifting out from the whip to get the win in 1:41.96, just 0.48 seconds off Zenyatta's track and stakes record set in 2008. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to late-runnng Amani third.

Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 1 Include Me Out Talamo 5.20 3.20 2.60 7 Star Billing Bejarano 6.20 3.60 4 Amani Gomez 3.40 Winning Time: 1:41.96 $1 Exacta 1-7 17.50 $2 Quinella 1-7 25.40 $1 Trifecta 1-7-4 61.30 $1 Superfecta 1-7-4-3 135.90 Results Chart

Left: Include Me Out in the winner's circle. Winning trainer Ron Ellis said, "I thought the race went perfect. Then she drew out by a couple lengths and you know she pulls herself up when she gets on the lead. I guess Joe likes to work hard trying to carry her home. I think she tolerates the synthetic tracks, but she's a much better filly on dirt. She doesn't seem to want to pull herself up as much. She just kind of does what she has to, and then when she gets to that lead, she thinks it's over with. Anyway, Joe gave her a good ride, got a very good trip and really worked hard carrying her home. I've been thinking about (the BC Ladies' Classic) since she won at Santa Anita. We're really excited she's in good form right now and she'll have a couple months before she has to run again at Santa Anita. We're very excited about that."

Right: Include Me Out in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Joe Talamo said, "Oh, she's nice. Yeah, she started to do it again (pull herself up after she made the lead). But just a bit. When (Star Billing) came to her, she fought on. I almost had too good a trip today. I didn't want to go to the front that soon, but every hole opened up for her. I had no choice but to go. I love the opportunity to ride a horse like this. Ron and his crew have done a wonderful job with her."

Left: Second place finisher Star Billing in the paddock before the race. Jockey Rafael Bejarano said, "She ran great. I thought I was going to get there. But the winner was the best horse today. She's good."

Right: Third place finisher Amani in the paddock. Jockey Garrett Gomez said, "Been a while for her (last start 8 months ago in Chile) and, that considered, she ran good today. She was coming. And she's been running farther. This was probably a little short for her. She handled the track OK and came running. Give me another 50 yards and you might have seen a different finish. She's going to be fun."

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