Desert Dawn's Presence Lights Up Torrey Pines

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Photo: Skip Dickstein
Desert Dawn trains May 4 in advance of a third-place finish in the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs

Desert Dawn , second against older fillies and mares in the Aug. 6 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, is back with fillies in her own 3-year-old age group in the $125,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) Sept. 4.

On the strength of that effort, as well as other fine races this year—such as a win in the Santa Anita Oaks (G2) and a third-place finish in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) for trainer Phil D'Amato—the H & E Ranch homebred Cupid   filly is the 9-5 morning-line favorite in the Torrey Pines. She faces threats in the seven-horse mile race from a trio of talented prospects trained by Bob Baffert, including a graded-winning pair in Under the Stars  (5-2 odds) and Grace Adler  (3-1 odds).

Umberto Rispoli, aboard Desert Dawn throughout 2022, returns aboard the favorite.

"She ran a great race here against older last time in the grade 1," D'Amato said. "This time we're going to run against fellow 3-year-old fillies, and it should be a good spot for her."

Under the Stars, owned by the Coolmore-affiliated Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith, has twice scored in grade 2s, including last out in the June 12 Summertime Oaks (G2) at Santa Anita Park, when she left Desert Dawn in her wake. A start earlier, Desert Dawn defeated Under the Stars in the Santa Anita Oaks.

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"She got a little sick on me, and I missed a couple of weeks with her," Baffert said, explaining her short summer break. "She's one more work away (from top condition), but she has the class."

Willow Grace Farm and Michael Lund Petersen's Grace Adler has performed at a high level locally, notching two wins and a second in five main track starts, a record that includes a romp in the TVG Del Mar Debutante Stakes (G1) last year.

Most recently, she was runner-up to older New Mexico-bred standout Slammed  in a fast six-furlong allowance optional claiming race July 28, a race in which Baffert's third Torrey Pines entrant, Midnight Memories , ran third. Slammed validated the strength of the July 28 race by running a close second to Edgeway  in the Aug. 28 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3).

Neither Grace Adler nor Midnight Memories is established around two turns. Though by distance sire Curlin  , Grace Adler's best performances have come in sprints. Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman's Midnight Memories (Mastery  ) sheds blinkers after a one-race experiment with the equipment and now routes for the first time.

The Torrey Pines goes off as Sunday's fifth race, four races before the Green Flash Handicap (G3T), a five-furlong turf sprint that offers a Breeders' Cup Challenge berth into the Nov. 5 Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) at Keeneland.

The 125-pound high weight in the Green Flash is last year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner-up, Nick Alexander's Lieutenant Dan , who hasn't raced since he finished 1 1/4 lengths behind Golden Pal  in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint last year at Del Mar when chasing him throughout.

That was his sole defeat in four starts last year for trainer Stephen Miyadi. Also in 2021, the sprinter won an allowance optional claimer at Del Mar, the Green Flash, and the Eddie D Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita.

Lieutenant Dan and jockey Geovanni Franco win the G2, $200,000 Eddie D. Stakes, Friday, October 1, 2021 at Santa Anita Park, Arcadia CA.
Photo: Benoit Photo
Lieutenant Dan wins the 2021 Eddie D Stakes at Santa Anita Park

He enters Sunday's race following three consecutive slow five-furlong breezes but is a horse that has typically fired fresh, including capturing his 2021 bow after a 13-month hiatus. Juan Hernandez rides the California-bred 6-year-old Grazen  gelding.

Coulthard , Dubai Key , Lane Way , Whatmakessammyrun , and Maven  are other top Green Flash win candidates.


Entries: Green Flash H. (G3T)

Del Mar, Sunday, September 04, 2022, Race 9

  • Grade IIIT
  • 5f
  • Turf
  • $150,000
  • 3 yo's & up
  • 5:10 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Dubai Key (ARG) Hector Isaac Berrios 120 Amador Merei Sanchez 3/1
2 2Yes He Can (KY) Kyle Frey 118 Philip D'Amato 15/1
3 3Super Ocho (CHI) Armando Ayuso 118 Amador Merei Sanchez 6/1
4 4Lane Way (KY) Mike E. Smith 118 Richard E. Mandella 15/1
5 5Nero (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Ryan Curatolo 118 Neil D. Drysdale 15/1
6 6Chasin Munny (MD) Abel Cedillo 119 Mark Glatt 20/1
7 7Barristan The Bold (GB) Joe Bravo 118 George Papaprodromou 15/1
8 8Coulthard (IRE) Ramon A. Vazquez 119 Philip D'Amato 15/1
9 9Lieutenant Dan (CA) Juan J. Hernandez 125 Steven Miyadi 5/2
10 10Whatmakessammyrun (KY) Umberto Rispoli 120 Mark Glatt 5/1
11 11Maven (KY) Edwin A. Maldonado 117 Ryan Hanson 8/1


Entries: Torrey Pines S. (G3)

Del Mar, Sunday, September 04, 2022, Race 5

  • Grade III
  • 1m
  • Dirt
  • $125,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 3:05 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1Desert Dawn (AZ) Umberto Rispoli 124 Philip D'Amato 9/5
2 2Kirstenbosch (KY) Tyler Baze 120 John W. Sadler 15/1
3 3Midnight Memories (KY) Ramon A. Vazquez 120 Bob Baffert 3/1
4 4Malibu Marie (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Jose Valdivia, Jr. 120 Paula S. Capestro 15/1
5 5Under the Stars (KY) Juan J. Hernandez 124 Bob Baffert 5/2
6 6Cinnamon Cat (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Abel Cedillo 120 Michael W. McCarthy 10/1
7 7Grace Adler (KY) Mike E. Smith 120 Bob Baffert 3/1