Wickerr and Osunitas Stakes

2024 Wickerr Stakes Day

Mike Smith celebrates aboard First Peace after winning the 2024 Wickerr Stakes.

Date: 07/21/2024

The feature race on the first Sunday of the Del Mar summer meet was the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes for older horses going 1 mile on the Jimmy Durante turf course. Conditions were excellent at the seaside oval with sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70’s for the 10,431 fans in attendance. Almendares was sent off as the 11-4 favorite in the field of 11 off his third place finish in the Daytona (G3) after just missing in the Mathis Mile (G2). In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Conclude, winner of the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September but disappointing 10th last out in the Shoemaker Mile (G1), and 7-2 third choice First Peace, second in the Daytona before finishing third in an allowance.

Down the stretch in the Wickerr Stakes.

29-1 Noble Reflection was quickest away through an opening quarter of 22.16 before 14-1 Air Force Red took over on the clubhouse turn through a half in 45.04 and 3/4 in 1:09.59 while pressed by Noble Reflection and stalked by 19-1 Cabo Spirit. Turning for home the pacesetters tired, as First Peace, 4th early under Mike Smith, came out 3 wide to take over the lead through 7f in 1:21.84. Kept to task by Smith, First Peace drew off to win by 1 1/4 lengths over late-running 22-1 Astronomer in 1:33.81. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to 18-1 Flashiest third, while favorite Almendares failed to rally and finished 5th beaten 4 1/4 lengths.

Pgm  Horse              Jockey          Win  Place   Show
 4   First Peace        Smith          9.60   5.80   6.80
11   Astronomer         Kimura               19.60  12.40
 7   Flashiest          Hernandez                   10.20

Winning Time:  1:35.32

$1 Exacta 4-11                80.80
$2 Quinella 4-11              93.00
$0.50 Trifecta 4-11-7        591.45
$0.10 Superfecta 4-11-7-8    937.79

Left: First Peace in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Mark Glatt said, “He got a perfect set up today. No doubt about it. It helps when three horses blast-off away from you. They got away from him enough to where it probably helped Mike (Smith) settle him back a little. That was extremely impressive. I’m looking forward to what the future holds for him going a little farther.”

Right: First Peace returns after the race. Winning jockey Mike Smith said, “You know if you notice his last two sprints, he was acting like he wanted to rate himself a little. I think he is telling us he wants to go farther! He was great, and that was the key. Other than that I put the weight on him. This is my fourth mount on him, but we are learning a lot about him as he is getting older; he is getting more mature and he is learning how to relax. He was very aggressive as a 2- and 3-year-old, now at four he is really growing up. The sky is the limit for him.”

Left: Second place finisher Astronomer in the paddock. The Simon Callaghan trainee improved his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds, and 0 thirds in 12 starts, earning $235,800 for owner-breeder Alice Bamford and co-owner Michael Tabor.

Right: Third place finisher Flashiest in the post parade. The Leonard Powell trainee improved his record to 4 wins, 4 seconds, and 3 thirds in 27 starts, earning $322,072 for owners Wachtel Stable, Gary Barber, Nicolas Drion, and Mathide Powell.

Fifth place finisher and beaten favorite Almendares in the paddock. The Phil D’Amato trainee has a record of 4 wins, 2 seconds, and 3 thirds in 12 starts, earning $207,195 for owners CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz, Michael Nentwig, and Ray Pagano.

Ag Bullet wins the Osunitas Stakes

An hour before the Wickerr Stakes, the $100,000 Osunitas Stakes featured a field of 8 older fillies and mares also going 1 mile over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Monrovia (G3) winner Ag Bullet was sent off as the 7-5 favorite off her 9th place finish in the Churchill Distaff Turf Mile (G2). In to challenge her included 5-2 second choice Hang the Moon off an allowance win, and 5-1 third choice Justique, 7th last out in the Gamely (G1) after finishing second in the Royal Heroine (G3).

Jockey Umberto Rispoli sent Ag Bullet to the lead first time by through fractions of 23.69, 47.80, and 1:12.02 while pressed by 17-2 Lunar Impact and stalked by 31-1 Ascendancy. Turning for home Ag Bullet opened up a 4 length lead through 7f in 1:23.27, and cruised to a 3 1/2 length win over late-running Hang the Moon in 1:34.73. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Ascendancy third.

Results Chart

Left: Ag Bullet in the winner’s circle. Winning trainer Richard Baltas said, “She made the lead easily and (Rispoli) got her to relax. I think she’s good going six furlongs to a mile. A mile worked out today. I thought she could get it. I think she’s relaxing more. I think she was in good form in Kentucky. It was raining, she broke a step slow and it was better company.”

Right: Ag Bullet in the paddock before the race.

Left: Second place finisher Hang the Moon in the paddock before the race. The Phil D’Amato trainee improved her record to 3 wins, 1 second, and 1 third in 10 starts, earning $157,913 for owner CJ Thoroughbreds.

Right: Third place finisher Ascendancy in the walking ring. The O.J. Jauregui trainee improved her record to 8 wins, 4 seconds, and 4 thirds in 25 starts, earning $281,890 for owners Jauregui Racing Stables, Dan Barrett, David Crossley, David Foran, Daniel Preiss, Angel Valadez, and Graham Witherall.

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