Prize Exhibit Tries Top Level in Del Mar Oaks

DP Racing's Prize Exhibit will look to claim her third straight graded turf victory in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT) Aug. 15.



Trained by James Cassidy, the 3-year-old daughter of Showcasing has been building to her second grade I try—her first was a fourth-place finish in last year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (gr. IT)—with back-to-back wins in the Senorita Stakes (gr. IIIT) at Santa Anita Park June 27 and the San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar July 19. Santiago Gonzalez was aboard for both victories and will ride again in the Oaks.



BALAN: Prize Exhibit Rolls Late to Take San Clemente



The only grade I winner entered in the 1 1/8-mile Oaks is second-place San Clemente finisher Sunset Glow, who was 1 1/2 lengths behind Prize Exhibit. The Exchange Rate   filly, owned by Ten Broeck Farm and trained by Wesley Ward, last visited the winner's circle at Del Mar last summer, when she won the Sorrento Stakes (gr. II) and Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. I) back to back. Since then, Sunset Glow has finished second three times and third once in four races, including the Juvenile Fillies Turf, when she was second, 3 1/4 lengths ahead of Prize Exhibit.



Two other San Clemente runners—Paulina's Love and Her Emmynency—are also heading back to the Del Mar grass for the Oaks. Paulina's Love, a Louisiana-bred owned by KM Racing and trained by Richard Baltas, was third in the San Clemente, but came into that contest off a two-race win streak at allowance and maiden levels. Her Emmynency, trained by Michael Stidham, was sixth in the San Clemente and was a neck behind Sunset Glow in last year's Del Mar Debutante.



Stidham also has undefeated but lightly-raced Zipessa entered for her stakes debut. The daughter of City Zip   won her May debut over Arlington International Racecource's synthetic surface by 6 3/4 lengths and impressed over Del Mar's turf in a allowance/optional claimer July 17, winning by 2 3/4 lengths.



Experienced graded stakes-placed runner Sharla Rae, and allowance winners Majestic Heat and Rattataptap, complete the field.