Mohaymen Filly Elm Drive Holds Off Eda in Sorrento

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Mohaymen Filly Elm Drive Holds Off Eda in Sorrento
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Elm Drive (inside) holds off Eda to win the Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar

Little Red Feather Racing's Elm Drive  held off Bob Baffert-trained Eda  to win the $201,500 Sorrento Stakes (G2) Aug. 6 at Del Mar, becoming the first black-type winner for her sire Mohaymen  .

The six-furlong event pitted eight 2-year-old fillies against each other in a prep for the Sept. 5 Del Mar Debutante (G1).


When the gate opened, 6-5 favorite Smash Ticket  broke poorly, came away in last, and then bumped with Eda. Elm Drive broke fastest of all from post 7 under jockey Juan Hernandez, but then longshot First Promise  went to the front, with Eda tracking the pacesetter in second on the rail.

Making just her second start, Elm Drive raced in third outside of the two leaders, as First Promise completed the first quarter in :22. Into the turn, Elm Drive drew even with First Promise, who began to fade.

Eda also made her move on the turn, coming alongside of Elm Drive. Those two fillies fought for the lead throughout the stretch, and for a moment it looked as if Eda would get the better of Elm Drive. But the Little Red Feather filly refused to yield, edging Eda by a head in 1:10.64.

That stretch battle took Elm Drive and Eda far ahead of the rest of the field. Smash Ticket tried to overcome her trouble early in the race and did manage to finish third, but she finished 13 1/4 lengths behind Eda.

Elm Drive, the third choice behind Smash Ticket and Eda, paid $6.60 on a $2 win ticket.

"When we turned for home and the other filly came up outside us, my filly got real brave," said Hernandez. "She dug in. She's not afraid to fight. She's a good one."

Phil D'Amato trains Elm Drive. He was winning his second Sorrento, following Spectator  in 2017, and this was his 30th all-time stakes win at Del Mar.

D'Amato called Elm Drive "the epitome of class, very professional." He noted that Elm Drive should like more distance and that he will point her for the seven-furlong Debutante.

Little Red Feather managing partners Billy Koch and Gary Fenton celebrated with others in the ownership group in the Del Mar winner's circle. Little Red Feather had named Elm Drive for the street on which Koch grew up in the Los Angeles area.

Kenneth D'Oyen bred Elm Drive in Kentucky out of the Indian Charlie  mare Lets Dance Charlie . On the advice of bloodstock agent John Dowd, Little Red Feather purchased the filly for $165,000 from consignor Paul Sharp at this year's Ocala Breeders Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. D'Amato unveiled her in a June 26 maiden event going five furlongs at Los Alamitos, where she led throughout to score by eight lengths.

Elm Drive is a half sister to Mother of Dragons , winner of the 2018 Camilla Urso Stakes at Golden Gate Fields and the 2020 California Governor's Handicap at Pleasanton.

Mohaymen, a son of Tapit   out of the Dixie Union mare Justwhistledixie , stands at Shadwell Farm near Lexington where his 2021 fee was advertised at $7,500. To date he has had seven first-crop 2-year-old winners, four of them upon debut.

Video: Sorrento S. (G2)