Alpenfest, Stalking Tiger Top Graduation Field

(from Del Mar report)
A field of nine 2-year-old Cal-bred males is entered for Wednesday's $125,000 Graduation Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on Del Mar's main track.

Four undefeated runners, two of which are stakes winners, figure to be the favorites in an open heat, but perhaps the biggest news is that perennial Del Mar training leader Bob Baffert doesn't have a horse in the race. That's notable because Baffert has trained the past three Graduation winners – Arabian Light, Officer and Icecoldbeeratreds.

Heading the field will be Heinz Steinmann's Alpenfest, trained by Mike Harrington and carrying high weight of 121 pounds. The son of Hennessy, out of the fine Steinmann-Harrington runner Yolo Lady, won the Willard Proctor Handicap May 18 at Hollywood Park in his most recent outing. Harrington also will saddle Dad's Lessons, owned by Dr. Joseph F. Poppler, who is one for one.

Stalking Tiger, owned by David S. Milch and trained by Paul Aguirre, is the other two-time winner. In his last start, the son of Twin Spires easily captured the Haggin Stakes at Hollywood.

The other unbeaten entrant is Military Mandate, a son of Perfect Mandate owned by Joe L. Turner and trained by Jerry Hollendorfer.

$125,000 Graduation Stakes, 2-year-olds, 5 1/2 furlongs
PP. Horse, Wgt., Jockey
1. Lil' Bro Eddie, 118, Gary Stevens
2. Dad's Lessons, 118, Tyler Baze
3. Military Mandate, 118, Alex Solis
4. Tricky Flash Flood, 116, Felipe Martinez
5. Alpenfest, 121, Victor Espinoza
6. Stalking Tiger, 118, Goncalino Almeida
7. Don'tsellmeshort, 118, Patrick Valenzuela
8. Badgett's Mandate, 118, Kent Desormeaux,
9. Devil's Money, 116, Anthony Lovato