Ceiling Crusher glistens in the Evening Jewel (Ernie Belmonte/Past The Wire)
Del Mar Stable Notes by Jim Charvat
DEL MAR, Calif.— It was supposed to be a clash of two top 3-year-old dirt fillies in Southern California in the G3 Torrey Pines Saturday. But trainer Bob Baffert has decided to scratch his filly Faiza, the 8/5 morning line favorite, saying the post was not to his liking. She had drawn post #9 in a 10-horse field.
So that leaves Ceiling Crusher to assume favoritism (2-1) in the one-mile Torrey Pines, one of four graded stakes races on the undercard for the $1,000,000 G1 FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic at Del Mar.
Ceiling Crusher is looking to bounce back from a head-scratching loss in the $175,000 Fleet Treat on opening weekend at Del Mar, the first defeat of her career. The Cal-bred daughter of Mr. Big, out of the Doug O’Neill barn, was making quite a name for herself coming into the Del Mar meet. She had won her first four races, the last two by a combined 32 ½ lengths. She won the $150,000 Evening Jewel by 15 ½ lengths and then the $150,000 Melair by 17 lengths, both Cal-bred stakes.
Ceiling Crusher was a heavy favorite in the Fleet Treat and finished third. She was boxed in and shuffled back early, then rode the rail into contention by mid-stretch only to fade late in the 7-furlong contest.
“I think she just had an unlucky trip,” O’Neill says. “She was coming off of a big race going long and it brought her back to one turn. She wasn’t as precocious leaving the gate so I think getting her back to two turns we should see a good effort.”
Ceiling Crusher will now break from post #9. She was the only horse to draw outside Faiza in the original lineup.
“She’s doing well,” O’Neill says. “Having the favorite scratch is good for all of us, right?”
John Shirreffs is bringing Justique to the dance. The 2-year-old sensation of the 2022 Del Mar summer meet has not been back to the winner’s circle since her victory in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz last fall at Del Mar. She ran fourth last out, beaten 1¾ lengths in a second level allowance race at Del Mar.
Ocean Club, runner-up to the brilliant Anisette in the G2 San Clemente, comes back on the dirt for the Torrey Pines for trainer Tom Proctor and Glen Hill Farms.
The G3 Torrey Pines is the eighth race on the 11-race Saturday card. Approximate post time is 5:07 p.m.
Here’s the field from the rail with the jockeys and morning odds:
1. Justique (Mike Smith, 5-1)
2. Infinite Diamond (Joe Bravo, 12-1)
3. Flying Connection (Umberto Rispoli, 12-1)
4. Coffee in Bed (Juan Hernandez, 6-1)
5. Olivia Twist (Scratched)
6. Anywho (Hector Berrios, 5/2)
7. Ocean Club (Drayden Van Dyke, 5-1)
8. Pink Ace (Ramon Vasquez, 12-1)
9. Faiza (Scratched)
10. Ceiling Crusher (Edwin Maldonado, 2-1)
