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Pat O'Brien Stakes Pacific Classic Day Rancho Bernardo Stakes Kings Plate Results Hall of Fame Inductions |
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 Joel Rosario celebrates aboard Iron Man Cal after winning the 2026 Pat O'Brien Stakes |
The feature race at Del Mar on Saturday was the $250,000 Pat O'Brien Stakes (G2) for older horses sprinting 7 furlongs on the main track and is a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" qualifier for the Dirt Mile at Keeneland on October 31. Conditions were excellent at the seaside oval with 10,735 fans in attendance under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 80's. Big City Lights was sent off as the 7-2 favorite in the field of 10 off a
 Iron Man Cal leads in the stretch |
Jockey Joel Rosario sent 8-1 Iron Man Cal to the lead exiting the chute through fractions of 22.51 and 45.11 while pressed by March of Time and stalked by 7-1 Stronghold. Turning for home Iron Man Cal opened a 1 1/2 length lead through 3/4 in 1:09.34, and held off late-running 11-2 fourth choice Moonlight to win by 1/2 a length in 1:22.02. It was another 1/2 length back to favorite Big City Lights third.
Pgm Horse Jockey Win Place Show 6 Iron Man Cal Rosario 18.40 10.20 5.40 7 Moonlight Espinoza 7.00 3.60 8 Big City Lights Kimura 3.80 Winning Time: 1:22.02 $1 Exacta 6-7 77.40 $2 Quinella 6-7 75.20 $1 Trifecta 6-7-8 451.30 $1 Superfecta 6-7-8-1 2,746.80Results Chart |
Left: Iron Man Cal in the winner's circle. Winning jockey Joel Rosario said, "Phil just told me we wanted to be near the front/ We were there for most of the trip. He ran good this horse; he was game. And he must have liked those new shoes!" Iron Man Cal lost his left front shoe in the paddock which was quickly replaced by a farrier.
Right: Iron Man Cal in the paddock before the race. Winning trainer Phil D'Amato said, "I told Joel break him like you're going to come running. If you're on the lead and no one wants it go with it; otherwise sit second or third or fourth. He broke running and went with it. I think his style of running fits the dirt better. Gelding took enough edge off him, and I just think – dirt. He's got that steady speed, and he doesn't have to quicken. When you're on the grass, you've got to have more of a turn of foot.”
Left: Second place finisher Moonlight in the post parade. The Peter Miller trainee improved his record to 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 3 thirds in 24 starts, earning $672,152 for owner Tom Kegele.
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Big City Lights in the paddock before the race. The Richard Mandella trainee improved his record to 9 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds in 18 starts, earning $741,960 for owner William Peeples.
 Test Score wins the Del Mar Handicap (G2) |
24-1 Old Pal was quickest away through an opening quarter of 24.18 before 29-1 Packs a Wahlop took over the lead through fractions of 48.26, 1:13.31, and 1:38.16 while pressed by Old Pal and stalked by 88-1 longest shot Santa Barbarian. Turning for home the pacesetters tired, as 12-1 Mondego, 7th early, gained the lead through 10f in 2:03.32 before also weakening. Test Score, 5th early under Juan Hernandez, came through to win by a neck over late-running Atitlan in 2:14.76. It was another 1/2 length back to 24-1 Atomic Age third, and a head more to favorite Gold Phoenix fourth.
Left: Test Score in the winner's circle. Alice Clapham, assistant to winning trainer Graham Motion said, "He's a little horse that will not give up. He'll fight. He's a true racehorse. I was a little worried around the bend when he had a lot of horses around him because when he gets going you don't want him to get stopped; but once he got clear and changed his lead he just kept going."
Right: Test Score in the paddock before the race. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, "I was waiting for the stretch. I swung out and I asked him. He came through and won the race. This is a very professional horse. He knows how to run; he knows how to win. I've ridden him before and that helped. He just runs his race. He doesn't pull; he just stays calm and goes about his business. He's a pleasure."
Left: Second place finisher Atitlan in the post parade. Trainer Richard Mandella said, "We only had the mile prep (in the Wickerr Stakes) He could have needed another (race).
Right: Third place finisher Atomic Age in the paddock before the race. The Phil D'Amato trainee improved his record to 2 wins, 0 seconds, and 1 third in 6 starts, earning $110,465 for owner James Downey.
Fourth place finisher and beaten favorite Gold Phoenix in the paddock before the race. Trainer Phil D'Amato said, "He could have gotten a little bit cleaner trip, but that's grass racing. They really walked the dog early and when that happens everybody's charging late and (jockey Hector Berrios) took a chance to go up in there. It got a little tight but once he got through he battled and we just got outrun."
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