Catapult Wins Del Mar Mile on Van Dyke's Big Day
Image:
Description:
Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Jockey Drayden Van Dyke and Catapult after their victory in the Del Mar Mile
They didn't do all of their winning together, but the $200,000 Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2T) Aug. 19 put an exclamation point on quite a weekend for trainer John Sadler and jockey Drayden Van Dyke.
A day after Sadler won the TVG Pacific Classic (G1) with Accelerate, Woodford Racing's Catapult and Van Dyke closed with a rush in the stretch to pass Fly to Mars late and win the one-mile grass test by a half-length.
"I'm having a dream meet," said Sadler, who also won the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) with Catapult, the San Diego Handicap (G2) with Catalina Cruiser, and the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) with Yuvetsi during the summer session at Del Mar. "We're winning these big races and getting good trips, and I can't ask for more."
It was the fifth of seven victories for Van Dyke on the 10-race Del Mar card Sunday. The seven wins from eight mounts (his only loss was aboard Allaboutaction, who finished second) tied the Del Mar record for most wins in a day. Victor Espinoza also won seven races in a day at track in 2006. Van Dyke also won for Sadler aboard first-time starter Tantara in the fifth race, a maiden special weight turf sprint for fillies 3 and older.
"I had a day up at Santa Anita recently, where I won the first four races, including a grade 1, and that was the best. But I think today goes past it," Van Dyke said.
Fly to Mars, who led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to run in the Del Mar Mile,crossed the line second but was disqualified to third by the Del Mar stewards for interfering with third-place finisher Sharp Samurai. Fly to Mars and jockey Tyler Gaffalione came into the path of Sharp Samurai in the stretch, which forced jockey Gary Stevens to check sharply between horses. Sharp Samurai was elevated to second place.
"That not only cost me the place. It cost me the win," Stevens said. "I don't think Drayden is going to get by me if I don't get stopped."
Early in the Del Mar Mile—as grade 1 winner What a View set a pace of :23.25, :46.71, and 1:10.09 through six furlongs—Catapult saved ground after a break from the inside post and had to wait for traffic to clear late in the second turn, but once in the clear on the outside in the stretch, surged to victory.
"It was a little hairy there turning for home. I had to wait for room," Van Dyke said. "But then he got out and just went."
Catapult, a 5-year-old son of Kitten's Joy who was a stakes winner on the East Coast before he moved to Sadler's barn for the 2018 season, now has 6-3-1 record from 15 starts and $621,384 in earnings. He was bred in Kentucky by Breffni Farm, out of the Storm Cat mare Gata Bella.
"He ran a good race in the Eddie Read and I wasn't sure I was going to bring him back here," Sadler said. "But I figured that, since he's so good on this turf course, I wanted to run him twice here. We're hoping he'll end up in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1T)."
Behind Sharp Samurai in the Del Mar Mile came Big Score, B Squared, Hunt, Caribou Club, Le Ken, What a View, True Valour, Bowies Hero, Next Shares, and Om, to complete the order of finish.