Dreaming of Alys conjuring the win paying $125.20. (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Calif.—Agave Racing Stable and partners’ Dreaming of Alys came running late and drove clear at the wire to pull off a $125.20 upset in Saturday’s Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at the shore oval.
The daughter of the Flatter stallion Upstart bounced back from a poor showing in the Sorrento Stakes three weeks ago and switched from dirt to turf to find the key for her major score. She was ridden by Diego Herrera and is trained by Phil D’Amato.
“Alys” covered the mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course in 1:37.71 and earned a check for $60,000 from the $103,000 purse. She now has earnings of $88,700.
“I talked to my agent during the week when I saw that she was running. Phil (D’Amato) saw I was working early mornings, and he gave me a shot. Last time when she ran in the Sorrento, she got a lot of kick back and so this time I just tried to keep her covered up. I was just following the horses in front of me, and she was travelling a little faster once we got to the top of the stretch,” remarked Herrera.
“Down the lane I think she could go further; I felt like I had a lot of horse underneath me. After the wire she didn’t show any signs of weakening. I was really excited that we were able to get the job done, especially with her odds being so big. Horses don’t read odds, and neither do I. I just ride my horse with a lot of confidence.”
Finishing second in the test was Qatar Racing’s Pentle Bay, who had three-quarters of length on Glenn Sorgenstein and WC Racing’s Hypergamy.
“I really liked her in the Sorrento (Stakes) and it threw me for a loop when she climbed all the way in there. So, I thought to eliminate the climbing and dirt in her face let’s throw her on the grass. I put some grass works into her and against some really good horses she held her own,” said D’Amato.
This was the 14th running of the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf.
The stakes win was the first of the meet for rider Herrera and his first in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies. He now has two stakes wins at Del Mar.
The stakes win was the eighth of the meet for trainer D’Amato and his third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies. He now has 73 stakes wins at Del Mar.
The winning owners are a group headed by Agave Racing Stable headed by Mark Martinez of San Antonio, TX.
