Carlsbad runs away with Rancho Bernardo
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Jump to Race Entries/Results Carlsbad won a half-mile duel on the lead and then kicked home with authority in track-record time to capture the $200,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) by four lengths on Friday night at Del Mar.
The three-year-old Rocky Bar filly covered 6½ furlongs in 1:14.93, a record on the seaside track’s synthetic Polytrack surface, which was installed two years ago. The previous record was 1:15.17 set by Dearest Trickski in last year’s Rancho Bernardo on Aug. 24.
The record-setting performance -- her fourth victory from six starts this season -- also earned the dark bay or brown filly a starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 6 at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. She is not Breeders' Cup nominated, however, and her connections would have to pay a supplemental fee to enter her in the race.
Carlsbad, the 7-5 favorite, broke sharply under jockey Tyler Baze and took her eight opponents through a quarter-mile in :22.99 and a half-mile in :45.42 with Moon de French pressing only a head behind under Michael Baze.
Carlsbad inched away from Moon de French, dug in with determination, and powered through the stretch unchallenged to the record-setting victory.
Grade 2-placed Lady Lumberjack closed gamely but had to settle for second, 2½ lengths in front of 39-to-1 shot Golden Doc A. Moon de French tired in the stretch and finished eighth.
Trained by Jeff Mullins for owner Dennis Weir, Calsbad beat Lady Lumberjack to win the Hollywood Oaks (G2) on June 7 but entered off a fifth-place finish in the San Clemente Handicap (G2), her first foray onto the turf, on August 1 at Del Mar.
Overall, Carlsbad has won seven of nine starts and has earned $387,126. She is one of four winners from as many starters out of the stakes-winning Pine Bluff mare Kits Peak, dam of multiple stakes winner Staten Island, by In Excess (Ire).
