Bettors won't have to look hard to find something in common with all five of the contestants in the La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT) at Del Mar Aug. 11 for 3-year-olds. Three of them ran in the first division of the restricted Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf at Del Mar July 18 and the other two in the second division.
My Best Brother won the first division of the Oceanside. The son of Stormy Atlantic raced by breeders Al Eisman and William Currin set the pace to win by a half-length in 1:34.39, about a third of a second faster than the second division winner. The victory was the third straight for My Best Brother.
Old Time Hockey was beaten two lengths by My Best Brother while finishing third. A Glen Hill homebred and a son of Smarty Jones , Old Time Hockey won an allowance race going into the Oceanside.
Chips All In, who came close in the second division, beaten a neck, has won three stakes--two last year and the Pasadena Stakes on grass in March. The son of North Light races for Jean Everest, John O'Brien, Danny Valdez, and Michelle Turpin.
Blingo, fourth in his division of the Oceanside, finished fifth in the Affirmed Handicap (gr. III) at Betfair Hollywood Park in June prior to the Oceanside. Owned by Jerry and Ann Moss, the son of Artie Schiller has raced six times, five in stakes, winning the La Puente Stakes at nine furlongs on turf at Santa Anita. Blingo is out of the stakes-placed mare Wassifa, who ran third in Churchill Downs' Capital Holding Mile Stakes on the turf in 1993.
The other contestant, English-bred Facoltoso, has raced 13 times, and sports a win in the Premio Pisa in Italy in one of his six starts this year. The son of Refuse To Bend finished sixth in the Oceanside in his U.S. debut. He races for David Bienstock and Charles Winner.
$150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, Post 5:30 p.m.) 3-Year-Olds, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf)
Post, Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Blingo, M E Smith, 118, J A Shirreffs
2. Old Time Hockey, J Talamo, 117, T F Proctor
3. Facoltoso, R Bejarano, 117, S Callagahan
4. Chips All In, G K Gomez, 120, J Mullins
5. My Best Brother, M Garcia, 121, J C Canani