Del Mar Mile Pits NorCal Invader Against Locals

How will Northern California miler form hold up against Southern California milers? That could be a major question in analyzing the field for the Aug. 31 Del Mar Mile (G2T), one of four supporting stakes on the Pacific Classic (G1) card at Del Mar.

Most of the 10 runners in the Del Mar Mile have seen each other before, six of them in the one-mile Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar July 21. Lammas is the wild card, a 7-year-old gelding who has taken a circuitous route to the Del Mar Mile.

Bred in Great Britain, Lammas spent the better part of two seasons—2021 and 2022—competing in his native country, winning at Southwell and Wolverhampton. He finished unplaced at Del Mar in two 2022 starts before heading to Northern California, where he found his niche.

Trained by Manuel Badilla, Lammas has won four stakes in Northern California–three at Golden Gate Fields and one at Pleasanton. Two of those were on turf, one was on synthetic, and one was on dirt. Lammas, to be ridden by Abel Cedillo from post 5, is on a four-race winning streak going back to February that includes the San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3T) and Pleasanton Mile Stakes.

Bettors, however, will probably look to the strongest from the Wickerr Stakes as well as to Du Jour . Winner of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) at Santa Anita earlier this year, Du Jour gets leading jockey Juan Hernandez from post 3.

Du Jour, trained by Bob Baffert for his wife, Jill, and Debbie Lanni, is the defending Del Mar Mile winner and also took the 2023 Wickerr. Tenth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T), Du Jour after the Kilroe ran third in the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) and sixth in the 1 1/8-mile Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), the latter following a wide trip.

The Wickerr returnees include the first five across the line that day. Winner First Peace finished fourth to Du Jour in the Kilroe. In three races in between, he ran second in the Daytona Stakes (G3T) and Siren Lure Stakes, both down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course. Regular pilot Mike Smith will ride First Peace for trainer Mark Glatt.

Conclude was a perfect two-for-two on Del Mar turf in 2023, capturing the Oceanside Stakes and Del Mar Derby (G2T). Off more than eight months for trainer Phil D’Amato, Conclude ran 10th in the Shoemaker Mile and fourth in the Wickerr. D’Amato has named Hector Berrios to ride from post 8.

D’Amato always has good turf prospects, and he will also saddle Almendares and Halfway Line in the Mile. Almendares (Antonio Fresu, post 4) ended up fifth in the Wickerr and has three graded-stakes placings since coming to the U.S. He is also entered in a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claimer at Del Mar Aug. 29. Halfway Line has started only three times in the U.S. The 4-year-old gelding most recently won an allowance/optional claimer at Del Mar July 27 and gets Joe Talamo from post 2.