Flying Scotsman Dominates Cecil B. DeMille Stakes
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Flying Scotsman wins the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar
Flying Scotsman showed Nov. 25 why his connections thought to pre-enter him in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T).
The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained English Channel ridgling and half sibling to graded/group winners Leigh Court and King of Sydney didn't get into the race at Churchill Downs, but made the most of his next opportunity in the $100,000 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes (G3T) at Del Mar.
Off a nose maiden win Sept. 29 at Santa Anita Park, Calumet Farm's homebred Flying Scotsman went off as the even-money favorite in the five-horse DeMille, stalked loose early leader Vantastic, challenged the frontrunner in the final turn, and blew away his rivals in the stretch to win by 4 1/4 lengths under jockey Flavien Prat. Hollendorfer and Prat swept the graded stakes on the Sunday Del Mar card, which began with Battle of Midway's game score in the Native Diver (G3).
"He doesn't act like a 2-year-old," Prat said. "He's very professional. When I asked him today, he gave me a very good kick. He feels like he'll run on and on."
Vantastic sped to an early lead, ran the first quarter in :23.02, and opened up a two-length advantage through a half-mile in :46.92. That margin was just a half-length through six furlongs in 1:11.48, and Flying Scotsman took over the rest of the way to finish the distance in 1:34.44, a stakes record for the DeMille since it began at Del Mar in 2014 (it was previously called the Generous Stakes and the Hoist the Flag Stakes at Hollywood Park).
Rijeka closed from last to finish second, a half-length ahead of Vantastic. Takeo Squared and Sayin Grace completed the order of finish.
"He's done very well since we've had him," Hollendorfer said of Flying Scotsman, who finished third in his debut sprinting on the grass at Del Mar in August then graduated going two turns at Santa Anita. "Usually I like to sprint them twice, but he didn't seem to like that, so we put him at a mile the second time out, and he liked that.
"Since then he's trained very well and looks like a pretty good prospect. He rated perfectly today and he had a great trip. I think we'll stay on the grass with him in the future, if that's possible."
Flying Scotsman was bred in Kentucky and is the fourth stakes winner out of the French Deputy mare Padmore. Along with multiple graded stakes winner Leigh Court and German group 2 winner King of Sydney, she also produced two-time stakes winner Barracks Road, multiple graded-placed Star Hill, and stakes-placed Bon Raison. Flying Scotsman has $97,200 in earnings from his three starts.