Collusion Illusion Shifts to Turf for Green Flash

Eight fast sprinters will give the Del Mar lawn a trim Aug. 22 when they match up in the 19th edition of the $100,000 Green Flash Handicap (G3T).

Likely favorites in the five-furlong dash are the two topweights—Dan Agnew, Jerry Schneider, Rodney Orr, and MyRacehorse's Collusion Illusion , who'll be trying turf for the first time and will carry 124 pounds, and Slam Dunk Racing, Old Bones Racing Stable, and Michael Nentwig's Gregorian Chant , who rarely runs on anything but the grass and will tote 123.

Collusion Illusion, trained by Mark Glatt and to be ridden by Del Mar's leading rider, Flavien Prat, won the Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) on the Del Mar main track last summer at age 3. The colt by Twirling Candy   has five victories in nine starts and $474,751 in earnings. He has recorded several quick local drills leading up to his first start since December.

A minor hoof injury incurred late last month prevented Collusion Illusion from a title defense in this year's Bing Crosby July 31.

"He got a little off schedule when he was supposed to run in the Bing Crosby, and we had talked about running him on turf at some point," Glatt said. "Given his level of fitness and what races were available to us in the near future here, the Green Flash was the only one that made sense.

"It's time to try him on the turf and see how he does. If it works out, this could open up a whole new avenue (of racing) for us to consider."

Gregorian Chant, a 5-year-old gelding by Gregorian , has found a niche as a turf sprinter after traveling around two turns for most of his early career. The gray, trained by Phil D'Amato and to be ridden by Juan Hernandez, is 3-for-4 this year, only losing when seventh last out in the Jackpocket Jaipur Stakes (G1T) at Belmont Park in June.

Other horses pegged at or below 6-1 odds include Texas Wedge , Lieutenant Dan , Little Juanito , and Give Me the Lute .

Texas Wedge is a grade 2 stakes-winning Colonel John  gelding who specializes in turf sprints. He's a six-time winner of $482,615 who has a win and a second in three tries on the Del Mar lawn.

Multiple stakes winner Lieutenant Dan is an ultra-steady sort who has finished in the top three in 13 of his 14 starts, banking $483,740. The California homebred by Grazen  won an allowance optional claiming sprint on the turf at Del Mar at this distance July 23 in his most recent outing.

Little Juanito has won four turf sprints—three of them at Del Mar—and will be stepping up to stakes company for the first time Sunday.

Give Me the Lute was a winner on the grass in an overnight stakes at Golden Gate Fields June 12 in his first start in seven months.

Entries: Green Flash H. (G3T)

Del Mar, Sunday, August 22, 2021, Race 8

• Grade IIIT
• 5f
• Turf
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up
• 5:30 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	Kneedeepinsnow (KY)	Drayden Van Dyke	118	Shelbe Ruis	-
2	Texas Wedge (KY)	UMBERTO RISPOLI	121	Peter Miller	-
3	Lieutenant Dan (CA)	Geovanni Franco	120	Steven Miyadi	-
4	Collusion Illusion (FL)	Flavien Prat	124	Mark Glatt	-
5	Chasin Munny (MD)	Jose Valdivia, Jr.	119	Mark Glatt	-
6	Little Juanito (KY)	Ricardo Gonzalez	118	Victor L. Garcia	-
7	Give Me the Lute (CA)	Kent J. Desormeaux	120	Andy Mathis	-
8	Gregorian Chant (GB)	Juan J. Hernandez	123	Philip D'Amato	-