HORSE RACING NEWS & RESULTS

www.delmarracing.com

PRECIOUS KITTEN SET FOR PALOMAR AS PRICE TAG IS SCRATCHED

Contrary to most expectations, trainer Robert Frankel scratched Price Tag from the Grade II, $250,000 Palomar Handicap and tapped John C. Mabee Handicap winner Precious Kitten to run.

Jockey Julien Leparoux, originally scheduled to ride Price Tag, will take the reins on Precious Kitten, replacing Isaias Enriquez. The original riding assignments made it seem that Precious Kitten would be withdrawn.

Humberto Ascanio, assistant to Frankel, said there was nothing wrong with Price Tag, the choice of the two being Frankel's. Ascanio said he thought Frankel might have believed that Precious Kitten was a little fitter because Price Tag had lost some training after being scratched from the Mabee.

Price Tag's defection leaves the race with nine runners going 1 1/16 miles on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Here's the revised morning line: Shermeen, 20-1; Clinet, 8-1; Black Mamba, 5-1; Precious Kitten, 4-5; Dream's, 8-1; Andrea, 10-1; Branca Como Neve, 30-1; Kris' Sis, 6-1, and I Can See, 30-1.

DISAPPOINTED IN LA JOLLA, CECIL HAS WORLDLY CONFIDENCE

Expressing disappointment over a loss to Medici Code in the Grade II La Jolla Handicap, trainer Ben Cecil also exuded confidence in Worldly's prospects for winning Sunday's 63rd Grade II, $400,000 Del Mar Derby on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

"I thought my horse's chances were compromised quite a bit by a slow pace and a six-pound weight difference in Medici Code's favor," Cecil said of the 1 1/16-mile La Jolla. "We were pretty far back behind a slow pace and he [Medici Code] got first run on my horse."

The Derby's 1 1/8-mile distance at level weights of 122 pounds works in favor of Worldly this time, Cecil believes. Worldly is reunited with regular rider Victor Espinoza, who rode The Tin Man in the Arlington Million while Worldly ran in the La Jolla, and Cecil sees that as a plus for the Derby, also.

As for Medici Code, trainer Darrell Vienna said the La Jolla winner has been training very well for this race and he expects a big effort.

Cecil is concerned about a couple of new shooters -- European imports Stoneside, owned by Marsha Naify and trained by Julio Canani, and Bleu Intense, owned by Gary Tanaka and running from the Robert Frankel barn. "There may be a question of distance for Canani's horse since he's never run beyond a mile, and Mr. Tanaka's horse looks like he's improving," Cecil said.

Canani acknowledges that he can't say whether or not Stoneside can get the 1 1/8 miles because he's never been that far, but he said the horse has been training very well since coming to his barn at the beginning of the Del Mar meet.

"He's doing everything right," said Canani, who is looking for his fifth victory in the Derby, including three in the past nine years with Ladies Din, Val Royal and Blackdoun, of which Naify was co-owner. Canani won his first Del Mar Derby with Silver Circus in 1988.

"Every time he works," Canani said of Stoneside, "he does it right. Corey Nakatani has been working him and he's going to ride. Even though he's never run a mile and an eighth, the way he gallops out after he works makes it look like he won't have any trouble with the extra eighth."

Canani said that like most European horses, Stoneside is a stalker with a good finishing kick.

With Stoneside, Worldly and Medici Code leading the way, the 10-horse field includes Oceanside division winners Knockout Artist and Vauquelin, Augment, Bleu Intense, Souvenir Slew, Unusual Suspect and Warning Zone. Four horses are on the also-eligible list: Ten a Penny, the third Oceanside divisional winner; Star Inside, Yario, who is in a Saturday optional claiming/allowance race, and Karazi, in that order of preference.

CLASS VS. CONSISTENCY APPEARS TO BE KEY FOR TORREY PINES

The class of Romance Is Diane and the consistency of Silver Swallow seem to be at the center of what could be a crucial clash in Sunday's 30th edition of the $125,000 Torrey Pines Stakes for 3-year-old fillies going a mile on the main track.

Though winless in four starts this year, Romance Is Diane has a class resume that includes a Grade I win in the 2006 Hollywood Starlet and a second-place finish in the Grade I Las Virgenes Stakes this year.

Phil D'Amato, assistant to trainer Mike Mitchell, warned: "The filly definitely is rounding into form. She needed that last race [third place in Del Mar's Fleet Treat Stakes July 22].

"Mike has been pointing for this race for the whole meet. Everything is right on track now. She loves the track."

D'Amato said Romance Is Diane does most of her training at Hollywood Park because it's quieter and calmer there than at the busy Del Mar oval. She does better under those conditions, he said, but added that the filly has been at Del Mar for several days preparing for Sunday's date in the field of 11.

As for Silver Swallow, who comes to the race from three straight runner-up finishes, trainer Bruce Headley lauded her consistency. "She's an honest filly and she always tries," the veteran trainer said. "I think she's ready to run a good race. Now it just depends on Lady Luck.

"She's been working well and she's raced all year. She's shown a remarkable record of consistency."

MULLINS TIGHTENS UP TRAINER STANDINGS; ONLY THREE BEHIND

Jeff Mullins is trying to reprise his closing kick in Hollywood Park's latter stages of its spring-summer meet to squeeze into a tie or perhaps the lead in the Del Mar trainer standings.

He trails defending champ Doug O'Neill by three wins after posting one Friday while O'Neill drew a blank. He was behind O'Neill for much of the Hollywood Park meet, but rushed up in the final week to tie O'Neill for the title.

The numbers are not in Mullins' favor, however, especially on Saturday's card where O'Neill will saddle runners in four races and Mullins one.

Mullins' win in Saturday's second race with Redhotandrolling gave him 18 for the meet to O'Neill's 21. In 2006, O'Neill had 19 winners to 16 for Mullins.

Mike Mitchell, the newly minted No. 2 man in all-time wins at Del Mar, upped his career by two Friday, winning the fifth and sixth races with Sindy Jacobson and Honored Gold, respectively, to take third place in the standings. That gave him 12 wins for the season and 377 for his career at the beach.

Matters remained stable in the race for the jockey title, with Michael Baze remaining well ahead of Joe Talamo, 44-32. However, Baze hasn't been to the winner's circle since scoring three victories on Saturday, August 25.

The only real movement in the standings came when Corey Nakatani won the sixth race with Honored Gold and moved out of a tie with Martin Garcia and into sole possession of fourth place in the standings. His 27 wins put him one behind defending champ Victor Espinoza, in third place.

Here's the rundown on the two trainers for Saturday:

O'Neill -- Fifth race: Jinete, 3-1; Sixth: Artist's Tale, 8-1; Ninth: Branca Como Neve, 30-1; 10th: Golden Royal, 9-2.

Mullins -- Seventh race: Honouramongfriends, 8-1.

SHORE LINES -- Monday's fourth race has been designated Military Appreciation Day and a contingent of 150 Marines from Camp Pendleton will be the guest of honor of horse owners Bob Bone, Jim Robinson, Scott Guenther, Pablo Suarez and Ron Brewer in the Seabiscuit Skybox. A group of the Marines will appear in the winner's circle following the race to be recognized and small groups will be escorted to the paddock for each race ... The annual Party in the Paddock on closing day, Wednesday, September 5, will be free to fans with paid admission and will feature a concert by Super Diamond. The party begins after the final race of the day ... Monday's $85,000 Windy Sands Handicap for 3-year-olds and up going a mile on the main track is headed by multiple stakes winner Buzzards Bay, trying to get back on a win track with Jose Valdivia, Jr. in the irons. Also in the field of seven: Al Arz, with David Flores; Visa Parade, Michael Baze; Heatseeker, Joe Talamo; Wanna Runner, Tyler Baze; Plug Me In, Alonso Quinonez, and Cymila, Victor Espinoza. The Windy Sands is one of three stakes on Labor Day, joining the I'm Smokin Stakes and the Grade I, $250,000 Del Mar Debutante, which has drawn a field of 14 2-year-old fillies ... A Del Mar pint set will be given to each paid admission on Labor Day Monday ... The season's final Daybreak at Del Mar will be presented Sunday from 7:30 to 9:30, when fans can have breakfast in the Clubhouse Terrace Restaurant and watch Del Mar's equine athletes go through their training regimen.

TRAKUS FACTS -- Fri., 8/31 -- Peak Speed -- Race 3 (Polytrack) -- Glitterman's Fancy -- 43.7 mph (half-mile); Race 2 (turf) -- Redhotandrolling -- 45.0 mph (first eighth); Fastest Late Stretch Run -- Race 4 (Polytrack) -- Frank the Barber -- 36.1 mph (final 16th); Race 6 (turf) -- Lavender Sky -- 41.7 mph (final 16th).

DEL MAR COMBINED JOCKEY & TRAINER STATISTICS

Current Through Friday, August 31, 2007

Jockey -- Mts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won

Michael Baze -- 249 -- 44 -- 32 -- 39 -- 18% -- $2,271,670 Joseph Talamo -- 241 -- 32 -- 28 -- 35 -- 13% -- $1,771,104 Victor Espinoza -- 183 -- 28 -- 23 -- 21 -- 15% -- $1,646,928 Corey Nakatani --124 -- 27 -- 11 -- 11 -- 22% -- $1,660,196 Martin Garcia -- 156 -- 26 -- 18 -- 17 -- 17% -- $910,492 David Flores -- 136 -- 23 -- 30 -- 20 -- 17% -- $1,589,740 Aaron Gryder -- 168 -- 18 -- 18 -- 18 -- 11% -- $1,047,885 Alonso Quinonez -- 140 -- 17 -- 8 -- 15 -- 12% -- $589,213 Richard Migliore -- 131 -- 15 -- 18 -- 16 -- 11% -- $1,329,519 Tyler Baze -- 122 -- 15 -- 14 -- 12 -- 12% -- $660,594

Trainer -- Sts -- 1st -- 2nd -- 3rd -- Win% -- Money Won

Doug F.O'Neill -- 143 -- 21 -- 19 -- 25 -- 15% -- $973,620 Jeff Mullins -- 67 -- 18 -- 12 -- 6 -- 27% -- $687,170 Mike R.Mitchell -- 56 -- 12 -- 12 -- 5 -- 21% -- $684,813 John W.Sadler -- 76 -- 11 -- 15 -- 11 -- 14% -- $797,991 Craig Dollase -- 31 -- 11 -- 6 -- 2 -- 35% -- $921,380 Peter Miller -- 46 -- 10 -- 5 -- 4 -- 22% -- $360,467 Bob Baffert -- 53 -- 8 -- 6 -- 8 -- 15% -- $391,504 Art Sherman -- 47 -- 8 -- 6 -- 4 -- 17% -- $363,413 Rafael Becerra -- 26 -- 8 -- 3 -- 2 -- 31% -- $312,500 Vladimir Cerin -- 35 -- 7 -- 8 -- 3 -- 20% -- $857,896

Winning Favorites Report Current Through Friday, August 31, 2007

Winning favorites -- 105 out of 339 -- 30.97% Winning odds-on favorites -- 20 out of 39 -- 51.28% In-the-Money favorites -- 216 out of 339 -- 63.72% In-the-Money odds-on favorites -- 37 out of 39 -- 94.87%

www.delmarracing.com