Cordiality Dominant in Solana Beach at Del Mar
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Cordiality wins the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar
A drop in class and a perfect trip did the trick for Cordiality Aug. 10 in the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar.
The 5-year-old Papa Clem mare, who was a $32,000 claim by trainer Mark Glatt out of a race at Sacramento in July of 2016, earned her second stakes win with a stalking trip behind pacesetter Princess Roi.
After they raced in second through much of the trip, Cordiality and jockey Tyler Baze pulled alongside the frontrunner late in the final turn of the one-mile grass test for Califorina-bred fillies and mares and ran unopposed to the wire to win by 2 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:34.14.
"She just gives you confidence getting on her," Baze said. "She's relaxed, but she's serious. The older she's gotten, the better she's gotten. She's a sweetheart."
Queen Bee to You, who had stalked the pace in third, held second by a length over Cheekaboo.
Cordiality—who is owned by Lee Drummond, Glatt, and John Xitco—placed in the June 24 Wilshire Stakes (G3T) last time out at Santa Anita Park, which followed her first stakes victory May 19 in the Fran's Valentine at Santa Anita.
"It was a great trip and she's just getting good," Glatt said of the nine-time winner from 23 starts who now has $413,595 in earnings. "She ran a respectable finish in (the Wilshire) last time against open company. She's a diamond and they don't come around very often.
"It's hard to claim a horse that ends up being a stakes horse. We all know it doesn't happen very often, but it happens. We were just the fortunate ones to have gotten her."
Cordiality was bred by Ed Allred, out of the Unusual Heat mare Warmth.