Mokat Surges to San Clemente Victory

J K Racing Stable's triple stakes-placed Mokat put it all together for her stakes breakthrough July 23 at Del Mar, bursting past rivals nearing the home turn and galloping away to win the $200,000 San Clemente Handicap (gr. IIT) by a comfortable margin. 

A daughter of current leading second-crop sire Uncle Mo  , Mokat was one of two graded stakes winners Saturday for her sire, who stands at Ashford Stud near Versailles, Ky. Son Front Pocket Money,raced by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, captured the $100,000 Jersey Shore Stakes (gr. III) for 3-year-olds earlier in the day at Monmouth Park. Uncle Mo's 2016 tally of stakes winners stands at 13, six of which are graded winners.

Ridden by Kent Desormeaux for trainer Richard Baltas, Mokat won the one-mile turf contest for sophomore fillies by 3 3/4 lengths over Lady Valeur, with Stays in Vegas third, another 1 1/4 lengths back. 

Belvoir Bay went out to set the early opening quarter-mile fraction of :23.14 with Lady Valeur and Jade Princess in pursuit and Mokat relaxing in fifth. The half went in :47.06 before Lady Valeur took over midway on the turn, but Desormeaux found he had a ton of horse as Mokat unleased a powerful acceleration to dispatch that rival and secure the win before entering the stretch.

Mokat finished the trip in 1:35.23 on firm turf while improving her record to 2-2-2 from nine career starts. Two starts back, the filly was third to champion Songbird in the Santa Ysabel Stakes (gr. III) March 5 at Santa Anita Park and second to that unbeaten opponent in the Santa Anita Oaks (gr. I) April 9 before finishing sixth to Cathryn Sophia in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) May 6 at Churchill Downs in her previous start. Last year, she was runner-up in the Jimmy Durante Stakes (gr. III) at Del Mar. 

Mokat paid $16,40, $7.40,and $4.80, Lady Valeur returned $9.60 and $5.60, and Stays in Vegas paid $3.80 to show.

Be Mine, the 2-1 favorite was fourth, with Jade Princess, Corps de Ballet, Gone to Bali, Mirage, Princess Princess, and Belvoir Bay completing the order of finish.

Mokat was bred in Kentucky by Dr. Charles Giles from the unraced Premiership mare Flashy Frolic, a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner Smok'n Frolic, dam of Canadian champion Hunters Bay. Flashy Frolic is also the dam of grade II winner and stakes producer Frolic's Dream (Smoke Glacken) and stakes winner Frolicing (Royal Academy), who is grade III-placed.