City to City and All Star Heart, a nose apart at the wire in the John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. IIT), will be rematched Sept. 3 in the $250,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIT) on the turf at Del Mar.
This will be a title defense for City to City, who won the race last year when it was known as the Palomar Handicap (gr. IIT), its name since 1945. Del Mar changed it to the Yellow Ribbon this year in an agreement with the Oak Tree Racing Association, which enhanced the purse for the 1 1/16-mile event for fillies and mares.
A good field of nine is entered in the Yellow Ribbon, set to go off as the ninth race on Del Mar's penultimate program of the 2012 season. The scheduled post time for the Yellow Ribbon is 6 p.m. PDT.
City to City, top-weighted at 122 pounds, got up in the final stride of the nine-furlong Mabee Aug. 12 to deal a heart-breaking loss to All Star Heart. All Star Heart will carry 120 pounds in the rematch, making the weight spread for the two mares the same as it was in the Mabee.
Corey Nakatani again has the call from trainer Jerry Hollendorfer on City to City, who breaks from post 3. Brice Blanc will be back aboard All Star Heart for trainer Ron McAnally. They have the far outside post.
City to City, who won last year's Palomar by three-quarters of a length over Medaglia d'Amour, is a 5-year-old daughter of City Zip that races for Hollendorfer, Wlliam DeBurgh, and Mark Dedomenico. The chestnut mare won the Buena Vista Handicap(gr. IIT) at Santa Anita Park in February and had lost four in a row prior to her win in the Mabee.
All Star Heart, trained by Ron McAnally for owner Gerald Gibbs, was fourth in last year's Mabee in her stakes debut. She went on to capture the Las Palmas Stakes (gr. IIT) at Santa Anita in November. So far this year, the 5-year-old Arch mare has one victory in three starts, taking the one-mile Redondo Beach at Betfair Hollywood Park June 10.
Hollendorfer is also represented by Halo Dolly, a five-time winner from eight tries in 2012. The 4-year-old California-bred filly by Popular won the one-mile Solano Beach Handicap over the course for the second straight year in her most recent start Aug. 19.
Go Forth North was third in the Mabee after setting the pace, beaten by 1 1/2 lengths. She was also third in last year's Palomar, one length behind City to City for trainer A.C. Avila.
Glen Hill Farm's Broken Dreams won the Osunitas Stakes over the course and distance July 21 in front-running fashion for trainer Tom Proctor. She defeated Irish-bred Byrony, who also returns in this spot for trainer John Sadler, by a half-length.
Mario Gutierrez returns to Southern California to ride Reddam Racing's Camelia Rose for trainer Simon Callaghan. The French-bred filly, who adds blinkers, was edged by a head in an allowance/optional claiming event on the Del Mar lawn July 27.
$250,000 Yellow Ribbon Handicap (gr. IIt, Race 9, 6 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Vivo Per Lei (KY), A Quinonez, 116, T F Proctor
2. Cosset (KY), G F Almeida, 109, H O Palma
3. City to City (KY), C S Nakatani, 122, J Hollendorfer
4. Camelia Rose (FR), M Gutierrez, 115, S Callaghan
5. Broken Dreams (FL), G K Gomez, 119, T F Proctor
6. Byrony (IRE), R Bejarano, 118, J W Sadler
7. Halo Dolly (CA), J Talamo, 120, J Hollendorfer
8. Go Forth North (KY), D R Flores, 117, A C Avila
9. All Star Heart (ON), B Blanc, 120, R L McAnally
Blinkers Off: Cosset
Blinkers On: Camelia Rose
City to City (outside) and All Star Heart finished a nose apart in the John C. Mabee Stakes.
Benoit Photography