Spendarella Much the Best in Del Mar Oaks

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Photo: Benoit Photo
Spendarella powers clear to win the Del Mar Oaks at Del Mar

Spendarella  knows how to travel, whether it's across the country, across the ocean, or down the racetrack. She has won in Florida and Kentucky, finished second at Royal Ascot, and now captured her first top-level score by traveling to California and sweeping up the Del Mar Oaks (G1T) in a textbook performance.

It's not easy to ship into Del Mar, especially when a powerhouse on the turf like trainer Phil D'Amato awaits with an army of Irish-breds. But trainer Graham Motion knows which horses will thrive from such a trip. He shipped Summer Soiree  out to win the Del Mar Oaks in 2011, and this time he even picked up the CTT and TOC Stakes. In that race the day before the Oaks, Sister O'Toole, a multiple graded stakes-placed 5-year-old mare Motion sent out with Spendarella, scored by a half-length under jockey Umberto Rispoli.


In the 1 1/8-mile Oaks, Spendarella and jockey Tyler Gafflione faced a field of 12 rivals after the scratch of Rhea Moon , one of D'Amato's four entrants. D'Amato still had the first three finishers in the July 23 San Clemente Stakes (G2T): Bellabel , Sixteen Arches , and Island of Love . Though Bellabel received serious consideration, going off as the 7-2 second choice, bettors believed in Spendarella, sending her off as the 6-5 favorite.

She didn't disappoint them.

When the gate opened, Gracelund Gray , who won two stakes last year at Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada, by a combined 37 1/4 lengths, went to the lead. Cairo Memories , who won back-to-back graded races this spring at Santa Anita, raced in second on the rail, just a head back. 

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Gafflione let Spendarella lope along in third behind early fractions of :23.82 and :47.05. He had her in a perfect spot to watch the leaders and yet keep an eye out for the rest of the field.

"I had a terrific trip," said Gafflione. "She broke alertly and we took up a good spot behind the speed. When we cleared the chute, she dropped the bit and relaxed."

Cairo Memories took over from a fading Gracelund Gray around the final turn. As Gracelund Gray began backing up, Gafflione angled Spendarella out slightly around her. From there, Spendarella easily caught Cairo Memories entering the stretch. It was immediately obvious that no one was going to catch the invader, and Spendarella cruised home to win by 4 1/2 lengths in 1:47.09.

Bellabel bumped with a rival early and then settled into fifth. She made up some ground at the end, passing Cairo Memories to get second by 1 1/4 lengths, but she was not going to catch Spendarella. Cairo Memories held onto third by a neck over Tezzaray .

Alice Clapham, assistant to Motion, saddled Spendarella for the trainer. 

"When he got the nice spot coming in the bend and she relaxed it was like, if she's good enough, she's going to win," said Clapham. "And then when she kicked for home and left them, that was pretty incredible."

Clapham said that Spendarella had done well on the flight out to California and that she had a couple of gallops over the Del Mar track.

"She's very laid back and everything," Clapham said, "so the traveling, so far, doesn't seem to affect her. She seems to take it all in stride."

Gainesway Stable’s Spendarella and jockey Tyler Gaffalione make easy work of the G1 $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, Saturday, August 20, 2022 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, CA.
Photo: Benoit Photo
Spendarella's connections enjoy the trophy presentation for the Del Mar Oaks

Motion trains New York-bred Spendarella for owner-breeder Gainesway Thoroughbreds. Unraced at 2, Spendarella debuted at Gulfstream Park Feb. 2, winning a maiden race by 2 3/4 lengths. She followed that with victories in the Hercomesthebride Stakes (G3T) at Gulfstream and the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T) at Keeneland. Gaffalione rode her for the first time in the Keeneland race.

At Royal Ascot, Spendarella and jockey William Buick finished second, but it took a monster daughter of Frankel  named Inspiral  to beat them. Inspiral went on to run second in the July 8 Tattersalls Falmouth Stakes (G1) against older fillies and mares at Newmarket before defeating males in a fine performance in the the Aug. 14 Prix du Haras de Fresnay Le Buffard Jacques Le Marois (G1) at Deauville.

Spendarella is a daughter of Gainesway stallion Karakontie  . She is out of the California-bred Unusual Heat  mare Spanish Bunny , who broke her maiden at Del Mar in 2010.

Gainesway purchased Spanish Bunny in foal to Sundarban  for $130,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency at the 2015 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Spanish Bunny is also the dam of 2015 American Oaks (G1T) and Honeymoon Stakes (G2T) winner Spanish Queen , a daughter of Tribal Rule  who was voted that year's champion California-bred 3-year-old filly, and Spanish Loveaffair , a multiple stakes-winning full sister to Spendarella. The mare has a 2-year-old filly by Destin  named Spanish Destiny and a 2022 colt by Uncle Mo  .

Video: Del Mar Oaks (G1T)