Adare Manor rules in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1)

2023 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

Adare Manor after winning the 2023 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

Date: 8/5/2023

The highlight race at Del Mar on Saturday was the $400,000 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) for older fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles on the main track, looking for automatic entry into the Breeders’ Cup Distaff under the Challenge Series program. Conditions were excellent in San Diego County with cloudy skies and temperatures in the low 70s for the 12,654 fans in attendance. Just 5 made final entry with Adare Manor sent off as the 3-5 favorite off wins in the Santa Maria (G2) and Santa Margarita (G2) at Santa Anita. In to challenge her included 5-2 second choice Fun to Dream, second in the Beholder Mile (G1) after winning the Santa Monica (G2), and 11-2 third choice Desert Dawn, 3rd in the Santa Margarita.

Adare Manor rallies down the stretch in the Clement L. Hirsch Stakes

Jockey Ricardo Gonzalez sent 18-1 longest shot Elm Drive to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.31, 46.68, and 1:11.30 while pressed by Adare Manor and stalked by Fun to Dream. Turning for home, Elm Drive continued to lead but Adare Manor moved out 3 wide for room and rallied by to win by a length over late-running Desert Dawn in 1:43.33. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to pacesetter Elm Drive third.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey       Win    Place Show
 3   Adare Manor        Hernandez     3.20  2.80  2.10
 5   Desert Dawn        Rispoli             4.40  2.60
 1   Elm Drive          Gonzalez                  3.80

Winning Time:  1:43.33

$2 Quinella 3-5               8.40
$1 Exacta 3-5                 5.70
$1 Trifecta 3-5-1            42.00

Left: Adare Manor in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Bob Baffert said, “I was hoping to be on an easy lead. I knew (Elm Drive) is a really fast filly; you want to stay close to her. Sort of took our filly out of her game a little bit. He had to keep riding her the whole way but, at the end, she’s a big long jumping filly and she just got going there at the end. We’re happy with the win; we got a Grade 1.”

Right: Adare Manor in the paddock. Winning jockey Juan Hernandez said, “She (won) the last three races and today was four. She’s been improving a lot. I just have to help her out of the gate because she was a little slow out of the gate today, but by the first turn she found a nice rhythm. I let her be quiet a little bit and save her energy. At the quarter pole I asked her to pick it up and she exploded again to the wire. She is a big filly; sometimes it takes a couple jumps to keep her momentum. She is the best. She was faster than me and so I sit quiet saving my horse till the last stretch. She (stays on) pretty well; she is really kind.”

Left: Second place finisher Desert Dawn in the paddock before the race. The Phil D’Amato trainee improved her record to 2 wins, 3 seconds, and 5 thirds in 15 starts, earning $776,525 for owner-breeder H & E Ranch, Inc.

Right: Third place finisher Elm Drive in the post parade. The Phil D’Amato trainee improved her record to 5 wins, 0 seconds, and 3 thirds in 11 starts, earning $480,140 for owner Little Red Feather Racing.

Immediately before the Clement Hirsch, a field of 10 California bred or sired older horses contested the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. 19-1 Jimmy Blue Jeans was quickest away through fractions of 23.20, 47.45, and 1:11.29 while pressed by 9-10 favorite Kings River Knight and stalked by 4-1 second choice Bally’s Charm. Turning for home Jimmy Blue Jeans tired allowing Kings River Knight to inherit the lead through 1 mile in 1:35.15 but 11-2 fourth choice and last year’s winner Carmelita’s Man, 6th early under Tiago Pereira, came out 4 wide into the lane and rallied to win by 3/4 length over Kings River Knight in 1:41.00. It was another 1 1/2 length back to late-running 15-2 fourth choice None Above the Law third.

Results Chart

Carmelita’s Man in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Dean Peterson said, “The end result is what we were hoping for that’s for sure. I was a little worried around the turn. He was in between horses and it looked like he was backing up a little bit but once he got him outside and in the clear it was good. He’s still got it, I guess. He just very reliant on pace. We got a little help today and he’s still willing to do it.”

Winning jockey Tiago Pereira said, “Yes, this is the first time I ride this horse. I worked him last week and I got off and said ‘I love this horse.’ Dean told me to put him in the race. We got a good spot and he was running well. Then I chirped to him and he really went. We were winners all the way.”

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