Field of Five Slated for La Jolla Handicap

A short field of five horses is headed to Saturday's La Jolla Handicap (gr. IIIT), a key prep for the Del Mar Derby (gr. IIT).

Two horses from Del Mar's Oceanside Handicap and two from Hollywood Park's Cinema Breeders' Cup Handicap (gr. IIIT), including the winner Inesperado, will start in the 1 1/16-mile test for 3 year olds on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Inesperado, trained by Robert Frankel, will be making his second North American start in the La Jolla. The Irish-bred son of Zayyani has a career record of five wins in 10 starts and earnings of $150,322. His first nine starts came in France.

Trainer Bob Baffert has two horses running, but they won't be coupled because they have different owners. They are Regiment, who finished second by a nose in the Cinema on June 30, and Mountain Rage who finished third in one division of the Oceanside held on Del Mar's opening day July 24.

Regiment is owned by The Thoroughbred Corp. The Outflanker colt has four wins in seven lifetime starts and will carry high weight of 121. Baffert's wife, Jill, and partner George Jacobs own Mountain Rage who has earned $307,506 from a record of five wins, two seconds and a third in 10 career starts.

Mutinyonthebounty, with two wins in five starts for trainer C. Beau Greely, finished sixth in his last start, the Oceanside's second division.

Doc Holiday, who came to the barn of Wallace Dollase this past winter, has the most experience, with 12 lifetime starts and a record of three wins, three seconds and three thirds. The son of Dr Devious has earnings of $176,669 and enters the La Jolla from a second-place finish in the Arlington Classic (gr. IIT). He preceded that effort by winning the grade III Will Rogers Handicap on the Hollywood Park turf.

Here's the field from the rail, with weights and riders:

1) Mutinyonthebounty, 118, Garrett Gomez;
2) Inesperado, 118, Eddie Delahoussaye;
3) Mountain Rage, 119, Victor Espinoza;
4) Doc Holliday, 118, Alex Solis;
5) Regiment, 121, David Flores.