San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Jockey Abel Cedillo has a big day at Del Mar.
Jockey Abel Cedillo had quite an hour Saturday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, winning a pair of Grade II, $150,000 races.
First, he won the San Clemente with Laura’s Light ($4.40). Then, he came back to take the San Diego Handicap with Maximum Security ($2.80), in the 4year-old’s first start for trainer Bob Baffert.
Cedillo had to call on all his efforts with Maximum Security, beating Midcourt by a nose.
The ride aboard 6-5 favorite Laura’s Light in the San Clemente for 3-year-old fillies was a bit less thrilling. Laura’s Light broke first then ran behind race leader Cheermeister before swooping into the lead entering the stretch, finishing threequarters of a length ahead of 20-1 long shot Guitty.
The sweep of the features gave Cedillo three winners on the day. They were the 31-year-old jockey’s first stakes wins of the summer meeting and doubled his career total at the seaside track.
“Oh, boy ... Laura’s Light was ready today,” Cedillo said after the mile run on the turf. “This filly, you can do what you want with her. She’ll go to the lead, she’ll let me take a hold. She’s just there. You love to ride horses like that.
“This was a tough race today. There were some good horses in there. But my filly was ready, and I felt confident. She ran a great race.”
Trainer Peter Miller said the early pace of the San Clemente Stakes was a concern.
“They were flying early, and I was a little worried about being that close to the fast pace,” Miller said.
“But Laura’s Light is all heart. She’s just special. Her last race (a win in the Grade III Honeymoon Stakes at Santa Anita) was a mile and an eighth, which was stretching her.”
Miller did not immediately commit Laura’s Light to the Grade I Del Mar Oaks, which will be run on Aug. 22 — the same day Maximum Security returns to Del Mar for the Pacific Classic.
“We’re certainly going to look at the Del Mar Oaks,” said Miller. “But that’s (11⁄8 mile). I think she’s better at a mile. I also think she ran every bit as well today as she did last time.”
It was Miller’s 30th stakes win at Del Mar and the second in the San Clemente. He also won the stakes in 2018 with War Heroine — also for owner Gary Barber.
A Smiling win
Vertical Threat ($4.40), with Heriberto Figueroa aboard, pulled away from pace-setting favorite Ragtime Blues to win the 6-furlong, $65,000 Smiling Tiger Stakes for 3-year-olds on the main track.
Trained by Richard Baltas, Vertical Threat was 51⁄4 lengths ahead of the Baffert-trained Ragtime Blues (Mike Smith) at the finish. It was the second straight win for Vertical Threat.
Kelly passes away
Jon S. Kelly, a longtime member of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club who also owned 2005 Pacific Classic winner Borrego, died Saturday morning.
The 84-year-old Kelly had battled cancer for the past several years. He passed away at his Tres Palomas farm in Rancho Santa Fe.
Kelly had been a horse owner since the early 1960s and campaigned in England, Ireland and Australia as well as the United States.
His trainers included Baffert and Richard Mandella in the U.S., Gai Waterhouse in Australia and Jessie Harrington in Ireland.
Kelly had been a member of the DMTC board of directors since 2008 and was also a member of the Jockey Club.
Caisson, owned by the Kelly and his wife, Sarah, finished fourth in Saturday’s first race, a 1-mile event on the turf course for 2-year-olds.
Geldings lead Read field
United and Sharp Samurai are among four geldings running today in the 47th running of the Eddie Read Stakes — the third Grade II stakes race of the weekend.
Flavien Prat will be aboard 8-5 morning-line favorite United, a 5-year-old trained by Mandella. This will be the eighth straight race for United under Prat. They have teamed for three wins, three seconds and a third.
Prat will be seeking his third Grade II Stakes win of the year aboard United. They scored twice at Santa Anita in the San Marcos Stakes in February and the Charles Whittingham Stakes in May.