Already a two-time Grade 2 stakes winner this year, Closing Remarks looks for a third when she headlines a field of six older females entered in Saturday’s $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes on the turf at Del Mar.
After a troubled trip when sixth in the Grade 1 Gamely two starts back at Santa Anita, the daughter of Vronsky rebounded with a score in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon at Del Mar.
Trained by Carla Gaines, the 5-year-old mare has been a consistent threat in graded stakes on the turf in Southern California for the past two seasons. Four starts back, she was a decisive winner of the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita.
Chief among her rivals in the 9-furlong turf test will be the multiple stakes winner Neige Blanche. She has only run twice this season but one of them was a stakes victory.
A 6-year-old bred in France, she won her second consecutive edition of the Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita in her return race. Last out, she was a competitive third in an 11-furlong turf stake at Del Mar.
Oakhurst is one of two in the race for Phil D’Amato and comes off a late running allowance win in her first try at Del Mar while running the same 9-furlong trip she will see on Saturday.
John C. Mabee Stakes Predictions and Race Analysis
Closing Remarks
The deserving favorite, this Carla Gaines-trained mare has proven herself a threat in every graded stakes race on the turf in California the past two years. Coming off a solid win over the turf course last out in the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon, she looks well-positioned to add another on Saturday.
Twice a Grade 2 winner this year, she likes the course and the distance of the Mabee. Her off-the-board finish two starts back in the Grade 1 Gamely at 9 furlongs was a troubled trip and should be excused.
The daughter of Vronsky is not the most consistent winner in the world, but usually runs well and looks well spotted against this group. She is the one to beat
Neige Blanche
This experienced mare knows her way to the winner’s circle, having won 10-of-23 career starts. After an eight-month break, she came right back to her winning ways, taking the Possibly Perfect two starts back in June.
She was beaten at Del Mar last out but ran a typical solid race for trainer Leonard Powell. I don’t love the cutback from 11-furlongs last out for this assignment, but as an old pro, she will likely be able to hand the task.
She might be best running a bit longer than the 9-furlongs of Saturday, but she is an obvious threat in class.
Oakhurst
The first of two for trainer Phil D’Amato, this daughter of Mr. Speaker does her best running from well off the pace.
She used that to her advantage last out when she got up in the final strides to win an allowance race over the same trip and course seven weeks ago. The victory came after a layoff and she could improve this time.
Having shown some ability to compete with this class last season, she is an obvious threat here. If there was more early pace to set the table for her late run, I would like her chances even better.
Turnerloose
This daughter of Nyquist has faced some serious competition throughout her career and is a stakes winner on both turf and dirt.
After a long layoff, she returned last month and was a bit headstrong early in the Yellow Ribbon. Still, she stayed on well and was only beaten 2 1/4 lengths by Closing Remarks. In her second start off the layoff, she should improve.
She also could be the controlling speed in a field without much early pace. Now trained by Phil D’Amato, I look for her to fit right in with these California turf females. She is the top pick.
Paris Peacock
Bred in Ireland, this 4-year-old filly has not won in six starts since arriving in America last fall. She has kept some pretty good company but has produced a mixed bag of results.
Last out, she showed good early speed for trainer Tom Proctor, but that came in an 11-furlong race and she was passed in the stretch by Neige Blanche.
Second in a pair of starts in Florida earlier this year, she does have the potential to turn in a good performance, but her first two starts at Del Mar this summer look a cut below the top ones in here.
Free and Humble
This daughter of Free Drop Billy will make the jump up in class on Saturday, taking on graded stakes horses for the first time in her career.
The 3-year-old will also be taking on older mares in this one and looks to be a deserving longshot. The good news is that she has won two of her last three, including a win over the Del Mar turf course last out.
Both of the wins came against significantly cheaper, however, and it’s hard to like her chances of moving up to this level.
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