Sugarinthemorning will try to shake off a case of seconditis when she takes on six opponents in the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III) over the Polytrack Aug. 19 at Del Mar.
Since Dec. 31, Stephen Wiessman's 4-year-old California homebred by Candy Ride has placed second in four of five starts for trainer Ron McAnally. She is coming off a runner-up finish in the A Gleam Handicap (gr. II) at Betfair Hollywood Park July 14, a race in which she led in the final furlong but could not hold off the late charge from the hard-knocking Switch.
Some signs point to a better outcome this time around for Sugarinthemorning, who has lost seven straight races while finishing second in five of them.
Sugarinthemorning will be shortening up a bit from the seven-furlong A Gleam to 6 1/2 furlongs for the Rancho Bernardo. The bay filly also likes Del Mar, where she has won two of four starts with one second. A stalker, Sugarinthemorning also drew well. She starts from the far outside post, where jockey Martin Garcia will be able to avoid traffic while measuring what appears to be a speed-laden field.
With a 5-5-1 mark from 16 lifetime starts, Sugarinthemorning has banked $426,684. Her last win, however, came just over a year ago in the Torrey Pine Stakes at Del Mar.
The Rancho Bernardo is for fillies and mares and goes as the sixth race Del Mar's Sunday program with a 4:30 p.m. projected post.
Home Sweet Aspen, who defeated Sugarinthemorning by a neck in the Santa Monica Stakes (gr. I) Jan. 28 at Santa Anita Park, is the 120-pound high weight. She carries two more than Sugarinthemorning while making her first start since finishing last of eight in the Madison Stakes (gr. I) April 12 at Keeneland. Sugarinthemorning also competed in that race, running sixth.
A homebred for Jenny Craig's Craig Stables, Home Sweet Aspen is also by Candy Ride and is trained by John Sadler. Sadler has won the Rancho Bernardo four times. Three of the wins came consecutively with Track Gal from 1995-97 and the most recent was in 2008 with Dearest Trickski.
Also in the field is Glamorista, a closing third in the A Gleam, 2 1/4 lengths behind Sugarinthemorning for trainer Bob Baffert. That was the stakes debut for the 5-year-old Unbridled's Song mare that races for Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable.
The only 3-year-old in the field is the fast-developing Winding Way, yet to be headed in two races won by a combined margin of 12 lengths. Spendthrift Farm's intriguing homebred by Malibu Moon , trained by Carla Gaines, won an allowance optional claiming event at the Rancho Bernardo distance by 7 1/4 lengths as the prohibitive favorite at Del Mar July 21. Leading rider Rafael Bejarano is aboard.
Indian Gracey, a 4-year-old by Indian Ocean owned and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer, tallied her first stakes win July 21 in the California State Fair Sprint Handicap at Sacramento.
Moonstruck Maya, on a three-race win streak since being claimed by Peter Miller for $25,000 at Hollywood, and dual stakes winner Rumor complete the field.
$150,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap (gr. III, Race 6, 4:30 p.m.), Fillies & Mares 3 & Up, 6 1/2 Furlongs (All Weather)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Rumor (KY), G K Gomez, 119, R E Mandella
2. Winding Way (KY), R Bejarano, 114, C Gaines
3. Indian Gracey (FL), M E Smith, 115, J Hollendorfer
4. Home Sweet Aspen (KY), V Espinoza, 120, J W Sadler
5. Moonstruck Maya (KY), C S Nakatani, 115, P Miller
6. Glamorista (KY), C Sutherland, 116, B Baffert
7. Sugarinthemorning (CA), M Garcia, 118, R L McAnally
Since Dec. 31, Sugarinthemorning (left) has placed second in four of five starts.
Benoit Photo