Mo Forza Slated to Return in Del Mar Mile Handicap

Grade 1 winner Mo Forza, who has not raced since an off-the-board finish as the third betting choice in the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes presented by Runhappy (G1T) Jan. 25 at Gulfstream Park, is scheduled to make his racing return Aug. 23 in the $150,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2T).

Campaigned by Bardy Farm and OG Boss, Mo Forza closed 2019 with a flurry. After securing his maiden win in September—the sixth start of his career—the son of Uncle Mo  won three straight graded stakes in Southern California: the Qatar Twilight Derby (G2T) at Santa Anita Park, the Hollywood Derby (G1T) at Del Mar, and the Mathis Brothers Mile Stakes (G2T) back at Santa Anita.

Video: Hollywood Derby (G1T)

Trained by Peter Miller, Mo Forza is one of 11 horses entered in Sunday's handicap, where he's scheduled to carry 123 pounds in the mile turf race for 3-year-olds and older. Mo Forza has worked nine times since June 26, including eight works at Del Mar since July 2 to prepare for his return.

Miller also has entered the well-traveled The Black Album, who will be starting at a ninth different track in as many races Sunday after capturing the Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial Stakes July 8 on the turf at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino.

Highweight in the Del Mar Mile at 124 pounds is veteran Sharp Samurai, a four-time graded stakes winner who at 3 won the 2017 La Jolla Handicap (G3T) and Del Mar Derby (G2T) on this course. The now 6-year-old son of First Samurai  nearly nailed down a third graded stakes win on the course July 26 when he rallied from sixth to finish second in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), finishing a half-length behind United, who sits this one out in favor of the Aug. 22 Del Mar Handicap Presented by The Japan Racing Association (G2T), where he'll stretch out to 1 3/8 miles.

Trained by Mark Glatt, a victory in the Del Mar Mile Handicap has been just out of reach for Sharp Samurai as he finished second to Prince Earl last year and was placed second (moved up from third) to Catapult in 2018. 

Starting from the outside will be Zayat Stables homebred Bob and Jackie, a son of Twirling Candy , who enters off a narrow victory in the Wickerr Stakes July 11 on the Del Mar course. The runner-up from that race, Kiwi's Dream, who was just a neck behind the winner, also is entered Sunday, scheduled to break just to the inside of Bob and Jackie, from Post 10.

Racing Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella will send out Royal Ship, a group 1 winner in Brazil, for his North American debut. Now campaigned by Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm, Royal Ship, a son of Midshipman , picks up the services of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Mandella also has entered 2019 Wickerr winner Bombard, who figures to use his early speed from Post 2.

Entries: Del Mar Mile H. (G2T)

Del Mar, Sunday, August 23, 2020, Race 9

• Grade IIT
• 1m
• Turf
• $150,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 6:00 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1The Black Album (FR)	Abel Cedillo	120	Peter Miller	12/1
2	2Bombard (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	120	Richard E. Mandella	10/1
3	3Galilean (CA)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	120	John W. Sadler	9/2
4	4Mo Forza (KY)	Flavien Prat	123	Peter Miller	7/2
5	5Dreams of Valor (KY)	Edwin A. Maldonado	117	Craig Dollase	20/1
98	6Sharp Samurai (KY)	SCRATCHED	0	UNKNOWN	-
6	7Royal Ship (BRZ)	Mike E. Smith	121	Richard E. Mandella	5/1
7	8Restrainedvengence (KY)	Tiago Josue Pereira	120	Val Brinkerhoff	10/1
8	9Overdue (KY)	Juan J. Hernandez	119	Philip D'Amato	12/1
9	10Kiwi's Dream (AUS)	Ricardo Gonzalez	120	Victor M. Trujillo	8/1
10	11Bob and Jackie (KY)	Heriberto Figueroa	121	Richard Baltas	12/1