American Theorem surprises Saturday in the Grade I Bing Crosby at Del Mar (Photo credit: Dreamtime.com).
Rustin Kretz’s American Theorem swooped widest and fastest of all Saturday in the 77th edition of the Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar and outran eight rivals to the wire in 1:08.67 for the six-panel headliner.
The husky gray son of Triple Crown hero American Pharoah was a length and a half to the good at the finish under veteran Joe Bravo. The rider dropped his stick turning for home as he swung six wide, but it didn’t matter to his charge who just kept rolling around a wall of horses on the turn.
Finishing second was Gary Barber’s Get Her Number and third was Brown, Klein or Lebherz’s Letsgetlucky. Race favorite Shaaz, owned by Michael Lund Petersen, checked in fourth.
The Crosby carried a value of $402,000 and earned American Theorem a first-place prize of $240,000, increasing his career winnings to $531,967.
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The ridgling had won Santa Anita’s Grade II Triple Bend Stakes on May 29 in his most recent start.
Bing Crosby Replay
American Theorem paid $17.60, $7.80 and $5.00 across the board. Get Her Number returned $7.20 and $5.00 and Letsgetlucky paid $5.80 to show.
The Crosby was a “Win and You’re In” race meaning American Theorem now has a guaranteed spot with all fees paid in the $2 million Qatar Racing Breeders’ Cup Sprint, which will be held at Keeneland in November.
Royal Ship Takes San Diego Handicap
Fox Hill Farms and Siena Farm’s Royal Ship stayed close to the leaders on the backside, then when Hall of Famer Mike Smith let him roll approaching the far turn the 6-year-old Brazilian horse found another gear and ran off in the stretch to score a two and a quarter length victory in the 81st running of the $302,000 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar Saturday.
The veteran gelding acted like a young boy in earning a $180,000 prize in the Grade II feature finishing up the mile and one sixteenth in 1:42.75. He paid $21.00 for the win and pushed his career earnings to $570, 405.
Royal Ship, by 2008 Del Mar Futurity winner Midshipman, is trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, though the conditioner wasn’t at the track for the festivities today. He was home nursing a case of COVID, but his stable was in the able hands of his son, Gary, a trainer on his own who has certainly won his share of races.
San Diego Handicap Replay
Finishing second was the 2-1 favorite, Commonwealth Thoroughreds, Winstar Farm and Zedan Racing Stables’ Country Grammer, who was four and a quarter lengths ahead of third-place finisher Stilleto Boy, owned by Steve Moger.
Royal Ship returned $21.00, $9.20 and $6.00 across the board. Country Grammer paid $5.20 and $3.40, while Stilleto Boy was worth $5.20 to show.
