De Seroux's Trio Takes On Tsigane at Del Mar

(from Del Mar track notes)
A trio of runners trained by Laura de Seroux will challenge Del Mar stakes winner Tsigane to highlight a field of 10 Sunday in the $350,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT) at a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

The handicap was switched from a dirt race to a grass race this year with the NetJets Breeders' Cup Mile (gr. IT) in mind.

Ten horses drew into the body of the race, and a four-horse also-eligible list ensures a full field. The race is carded as the eighth on the 10-race card. A companion stakes race, the $125,000 Solana Beach Handicap will be the fourth race on the card.

Tsigane, trained by Julio Canani, comes to the race after a victory in Del Mar's Wickerr Handicap July 30 where the time was 1:32.23 – 1/100th off the course record. In the Wickerr, the 6-year-old French-bred defeated, among others, Geronimo, who returns to try again against Tsigane.

Geronimo, another Chilean-bred, is one of two entrants trained by John Sadler, the other being We All Love Aleyna, who won a Del Mar allowance race July 25.

De Seroux's trio includes Chilean 3-year-old grass champion Sam Forli, making his first start in North America; 5-year-old Just Wonder, who is trying to end a two-year victory drought; and Toasted, who was last seen being beaten a neck by Blackdoun in the 2004 Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT). Toasted has been assigned second high weight of 118.

Three Valleys, trained by Robert Frankel, carries top weight of 119 pounds. Three Valleys won an allowance race in 1:32.57 at the seashore on July 24 in his first start of the year and only second since coming to North America. In his debut in this country, he finished third in Hollywood Park's Citation Handicap (gr. IT) last November.

$350,000 Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIT), 3 & up, 1 mile (turf)
PP. Horse, Weight, Rider
1. Just Wonder, 115, Mike Smith
2. Three Valleys, 119, Patrick Valenzuela
3. Wild Buddy, 114, Tyler Baze
4. Toasted, 118, Rene Douglas
5. We All Love Aleyna, 116, Corey Nakatani
6. Siren Lure, 114, Victor Espinoza
7. Sam Forli, 116, Jose Valdivia, Jr.
8. Tsigane, 117, Garrett Gomez
9. Whilly, 118, Felipe Martinez
10. Geronimo, 116, Jon Court
Also Eligible
11. Sleepless Joy, 114, David Flores
12. Masterpiece, 113, Alex Solis
13. Noble Masterpiece, 111, Smith
14. Cooperation, 111, Tony Farina