Prize Exhibit Rolls Late to Take San Clemente
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For the second time in three weeks, DP Racing’s Prize Exhibit swung wide and went last to first to claim a Southern California graded turf stakes in the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT) July 19 at Del Mar.
The 3-year-old daughter of Showcasing trailed the field through much of the mile turf race carrying the co-high weight of 122 pounds, went three wide in the stretch, and sprinted past rivals late, besting 8-5 favorite Sunset Glow by 1 1/2 lengths. Longshot Paulina's Love (12-1) was three-quarter lengths back in third.
Prize Exhibit won the June 27 Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita Park in similar fashion, closing from ninth for a clear win with return rider Santiago Gonzalez.
LEWYN: Prize Exhibit Last to First in Senorita
“I had no special instructions before the race,” Gonzalez said of his first stakes win at Del Mar and his third of four wins on the 10-race Sunday card. “Just to ride her like I had before. She felt good all the way around. I knew I had horse under me. I waited until the quarter pole and then I let her run.”
Prize Exhibit sat in last, as many as 5 1/4 lengths behind early leader Spirit of Xian, as the leading filly set fractions of :23.27, :47.25, and 1:11.76 through six furlongs. Sunset Glow took command at the top of the stretch, but only held the lead momentarily, as Prize Exhibit rallied past on the outside and hit the wire at 1:36.05 over a turf course rated good, softened by a steady, afternoon-long rain.
Although Prize Exhibit won comfortably, winning trainer Jim Cassidy said after the race that his filly is far from perfect in the mornings.
“You have no idea how tough this filly is to train,” said Cassidy, who also indicated the filly will point next to the Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) Aug. 15. “She doesn’t care. One work she started at the five-eighths pole, pulled up at the half, jogged to the three-eighths, galloped a little bit to the quarter pole, then took off and went all the way back to the five-eighths.
“But you look at her today and she wasn’t even trying to run off. If you looked at her today and didn’t know she was quirky, you’d think she was very professional.”
The winner paid $9.20, $4.20, and $3.20 across the board. Sunset Glow brought $3 to place and show, while Paulina’s Love returned $4.80.
Spirit of Xian faded to finish fourth, followed by Screaming Skylar and Her Emmynency to complete the order of finish. Campionessa Dolce, Moyo Honey, and Pammy Whammy were scratched.
Bred in Great Britain by Mrs. R. F. Johnson Houghton from the Inchinor mare Roodeye, Prize Exhibit has $332,050 in earnings and a 5-1-1 record from 15 career starts.