A step down in class should make Hronis Racing's Elektrum a formidable favorite in the $100,000 Red Carpet Handicap (gr. IIIT) Nov. 21 at Del Mar.
Fourth last time out as the even-money favorite in the Goldikova (gr. IIT) Nov. 1 at Del Mar, the 4-year-old daughter of High Chaparral (Ire) trained by John Sadler finished second in the Rodeo Drive (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park Sept. 26 and earned her first graded score three back in the John C. Mabee (gr. IIT) at Del Mar Aug. 8. Elektrum will carry the top weight of 122 pounds with jockey Victor Espinoza aboard Saturday.
BALAN: Elektrum Makes Grade in Mabee
What Elektrum doesn't have is experience at the Red Carpet's 1 3/8-mile distance, an aspect that could bolster the cases for some of the other contenders in the overflow field.
Team Valor International's Three Hearts is the only entrant to win a graded stakes at 1 3/8 miles, when the daughter of Hat Trick (Jpn) took last year's Red Carpet at 29-1 odds, but she hasn't won in six starts since.
SHINAR: Three Hearts Breaks Through in Red Carpet Del Mar, Saturday, November 21, 2015, Race 8
The three other graded stakes winners in the field—Customer Base, Personal Diary, and Rusty Slipper—are also carrying significant winless streaks at the graded level.
Rusty Slipper ships in from the East Coast for Graham Motion following a win in the Glen Hill Farm One Dreamer Stakes two starts back at Kentucky Downs, but her last graded score came in last year's Violet Stakes (gr. IIIT). Personal Diary's lone victory against winners is the 2014 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT), and Customer Base last won 12 starts back in the 2013 Robert J. Frankel Stakes (gr. IIIT).
Entries: Red Carpet H. (G3T)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L 1 1Energia Fribby (BRZ) Gary L. Stevens 115 Neil D. Drysdale 12/1 2 2Three Hearts (KY) Joseph Talamo 119 Neil D. Drysdale 10/1 3 3Tiz Kissable (KY) Tyler Baze 115 Tim McCanna 30/1 4 4Beat of The Drum (IRE) Brice Blanc 117 Leonard Powell 12/1 5 5Trophee (FR) James Graham 116 Christophe Clement 7/2 6 6Star Act (KY) Rafael Bejarano 116 Art Sherman 8/1 7 7Havanna Belle (IRE) David Charles Lopez 113 Philip D'Amato 20/1 8 8Customer Base (KY) Mike E. Smith 117 Thomas F. Proctor 15/1 9 9Elektrum (IRE) Victor Espinoza 122 John W. Sadler 3/1 10 10Personal Diary (KY) Corey S. Nakatani 119 Victoria H. Oliver 9/2 11 11Rusty Slipper (KY) Silvestre de Sousa 118 H. Graham Motion 5/1 12 12Soresca (IRE) Santiago Gonzalez 113 James M. Cassidy 30/1
