Glen Hill Farm’s Florida homebred I'll Show Them puts his two-race undefeated record on the line Aug. 15 as he steps up to stakes company in the $150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT) for 3-year-olds on Del Mar's Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
A gelded son of Smarty Jones—Top Rung, by Seattle Slew,, I’ll Show Them will be joined by nine others in the 1 1/16-mile La Jolla, including four returnees from Del Mar's opening day Oceanside Stakes. Both the Oceanside and the La Jolla are used as a prep for the $350,000 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT) on Sept. 6.
Trained by David Hofmans, I’ll Show Them broke his maiden June 13 on the Hollywood Park Cushion Track at 6 1/2 furlongs. He came back to win a one-mile allowance test on the Hollywood grass by a length on July 2. The bay horse will break from post 3 under regular rider Martin Garcia.
Returning to battle after the Oceanside, which was won by Afleet Eagle, are runner-up Mark S the Cooler, trained by Doug O’Neill; Rendezvous, third for trainer and co-owner Jerry Hollendorfer; Herr Mozart, fourth for Bob Baffert, and Meteore, fifth for Richard Mandella. Mandella also has another prospect in the race, New Bay, who has two wins in four outings this year.
J. Paul Reddam’s Mark S the Cooler has won two of 11 lifetime starts, both on turf. He broke his maiden at Santa Anita in January and won in allowance company at Hollywood in May—both at a mile. The son of Johar drew post 10.
Rendezvous, by Victory Gallop, is winless in three tries on grass. A winner of three of 11 starts, he had to be steadied early in the Oceanside, but rallied to finish just 2 1/2 lengths back of the winner. Joel Rosario has the ride.
The others in the race are Gretsky, a winner for Neil Drysdale July 24 at Del Mar; Arcodoro, a maiden running for Eric Guillot, and I.B. Outta Here and Plasma Beam, both of whom come to the race off a maiden win for trainers Marcelo Polanco and Angelo Tekos Jr., respectively.
$150,000 La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIT, Race 8, 5:30 p.m.), 3YO, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer
1. New Bay (KY), J Talamo, 116, R E Mandella
2. Rendezvous (KY), J Rosario, 117, J Hollendorfer
3. I'll Show Them (FL), M Garcia, 116, D E Hofmans
4. Gretsky (KY), G K Gomez, 116, N D Drysdale
5. I. B. Outta Here (KY), D R Flores, 113, M Polanco
6. Arcodoro (KY), T Baze, 113, E J Guillot
7. Meteore (KY), A O Solis, 116, R E Mandella
8. Herr Mozart (KY), V Espinoza, 115, B Baffert
9. Plasma Beam (KY), C S Nakatani, 113, A Tekos, Jr.
10. Mark S the Cooler (KY), A Quinonez, 117, D F O'Neill
