A full field of 10 3-year-olds will clash in the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes July 20 as Del Mar opens for its 72nd season.
The Oceanside, which for years had been run in split divisions because of the overflowing number of entries, will be contested in a single race for the third consecutive year. The field includes four also-eligible horses.
There are 106 horses entered for the 10-race opening-day program. The Oceanside is the eighth race and is scheduled to go off at 5:3O p.m. PDT. Last year's Oceanside winner was Twirling Candy .
Mr. Commons, third in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) before an eighth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 21, returns to the turf for trainer John Shirreffs. St. George Farm Racing's homebred, a son of 2005 NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) winner Artie Schiller , has not been out since the Preakness.
The bay colt has won two of four starts this year, including a 5 1/2-length romp to break his maiden on Santa Anita's hillside turf course Jan. 15. Mr. Commons will break from post 3 with Mike Smith aboard.
Glen Hill Farm's Extensive is coming off a third-place finish in the Arlington Classic on a yielding turf course in Chicago May 28. The Florida-bred son of Purge won a state-restricted stakes at Tampa Bay Downs prior to that for trainer Tom Proctor. Garrett Gomez rides the chestnut gelding for the first time.
Gary Broad's Akkadian won an optional claiming allowance heat at one mile on the Hollywood Park turf April 28. The Julio Canani-trained son of Tiznow returned to run fourth, 7 1/4 lengths behind the victorious Coil , in the Affirmed Handicap (gr. III) on Cushion Track June 11. Akkadian races with blinkers for the first time in the Oceanside.
Moment of Weakness, trained by James Lloyd for J.W. Singer and partners, was fourth in the Tsunami Slew Stakes on the Hollywood Park turf June 17 in his only start this year. The Irish-bred gelding ran second in Hollywood's Generous Stakes (gr. IIIT) in November.
The Oceanside is the first of three major stakes for sophomores on the turf during the Del Mar meet. The 1 1/16-mile La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT) is Aug. 13 and the nine-furlong Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) is Sept. 4.
$100,000 Oceanside Stakes (Race 8, 5:30 p.m.), 3-Year-Olds, 1 Mile (Turf)
PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. Akkadian (KY), J Talamo, 121, J C Canani
2. Burns (CA), P A Valenzuela, 121, B Abrams
3. Mr. Commons (KY), M E Smith, 121, J A Shirreffs
4. Fort Hastings (IRE), J Rosario, 119, J Hollendorfer
5. Moment of Weakness (IRE), D R Flores, 119, J Lloyd
6. Temple's Door (KY), C Sutherland, 121, C Gaines
7. Robbie's War (KY), V Espinoza, 117, J M Cassidy
8. Extensive (FL), G K Gomez, 121, T F Proctor
9. Macho Dorado (CA), A T Gryder, 119, V Belvoir
10. Chosen Miracle (FL), R Bejarano, 119, J Hollendorfer
Also Eligible
11. Saddleranch (KY), R Bejarano, 117, B Baffert
12. Anakin (KY), D R Flores, 117, M Talbot
13. Every Ego (KY), T Baze, 117, M Polanco
14. Dr Green (IRE), M E Smith, 117, J M Cassidy
Blinkers On: Akkadian, Chosen Miracle