Marketing Mix much the best in Rodeo Drive Stakes

Marketing Mix, sent off at even-money odds, lived up to expectations in the $250,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I) on Saturday at Santa Anita Park, drawing off at the top of the stretch to win the ten-furlong turf race by an easy 2 1/4 lengths.

With jockey Garrett Gomez aboard, Marketing Mix was content to settle into the fifth position early on as Vivo Per Lei and Let's Go Cheyenne dueled through blazing fractions of :23.69. :45.78, and 1:09.62 seconds while leading the remainder of the field by as many as ten lengths. Camelia Rose and Thisismystage were the leaders of the second-tier group, followed by Marketing Mix, Left a Message, City to City, Stormy Lucy, Nereid, Go Forth North, I Dazzle, My Gi Gi, and Cambina.

Rounding the final turn, Vivo Per Lei and Let's Go Cheyenne began to tire, and Marketing Mix was the first to take advantage. With a bold three-wide run, she seized command of the lead and quickly opened up a 2 1/2 length lead. Nereid put in a decent run to mildly challenge, but Marketing Mix had plenty left in the tank to hold on for a convincing victory in the sharp time of 1:59.20 seconds.

Stormy Lucy rallied to catch Camelia Rose for the third spot, while My Gi Gi, I Dazzle, Go Forth North, Let's Go Cheyenne, Left a Message, City to City, Thisimystage, Vivo Per Lei, and Cambina completed the order of finish.

The winner is a daughter of Medaglia d'Oro out of Instant Thought, by Kris S.. She is owned by Glen Hill Farm and trained by Thomas Proctor.

-Keelerman

Rodeo Drive Stakes Entries: 13 looking for Breeders' Cup berth

A huge total of thirteen fillies and mares have been entered in the $250,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes (gr. I), which will be held on Saturday at Santa Anita Park.

The ten-furlong turf race, which is a "Win and You're In" for the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf (gr. I), appears to be a wide-open race without any clear-cut favorite. Marketing Mix, beaten a head in the Beverly D. Stakes (gr. I) last time out, may go off as the favorite. Other logical contenders include John C. Mabee Stakes (gr. II) winner City to City and Del Mar Oaks (gr. I) runner-up Stormy Lucy.

Post Positions

PP	Horse	Weight	Jockey	Trainer
1	Go Forth North	119	David Flores	A. C. Avila
2	Let's Go Cheyenne	119	Rafael Bejarano	Vladimir Cerin
3	Stormy Lucy	116	Martin Pedroza	Frank Lucarelli
4	Left a Message	116	Brice Blanc	Thomas Proctor
5	My Gi Gi	116	Victor Espinoza	Peter Eurton
6	Cambina	119	Martin Garcia	Jeff Bonde
7	Camelia Rose	119	Mario Gutierrez	Steve Callaghan
8	Thisismystage	119	Edwin Maldonado	Craig Dollase
9	Vivo Per Lei	119	Alonso Quinonez	Thomas Proctor
10	I Dazzle	119	Patrick Valenzuela	Jack Van Berg
11	Marketing Mix	121	Garrett Gomez	Thomas Proctor
12	City to City	121	Joe Talamo	Jerry Hollendorfer
13	Nereid	119	Rosie Napravnik	John Shirreffs

-Keelerman

LADY OF SHAMROCK WINS THE DEL MAR OAKS!

Lady of Shamrock stamped herself as one of the best three-year-old fillies in the country when she picked up a second consecutive grade I victory in Del Mar's prestigious $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. I) last Saturday.

Ridden to victory by Mike Smith, Lady of Shamrock was not particularly fast into stride and soon found herself in last place as Eden's Moon and Best Present Ever set a moderate pace of :23.67 and :47.12 while leading by a sizable margin. Indigo River and Mary Fildes were next, followed by My Gi Gi, Open Water, Long Face, Stormy Lucy, and -- of course -- Lady of Shamrock.

Eden's Moon and Best Present Ever continued to duel through three-quarters of a mile in 1:10.89, but that was when Lady of Shamrock made her move. Rallying six wide, she blew past horses with a tremendous display of acceleration that enabled her to out-kick fellow closer Stormy Lucy for a half-length triumph. The final time for nine furlongs on turf was a very quick 1:46.30.

Open Water finished 2 1/2 lengths back in third, while My Gi Gi, Eden's Moon, Long Face, Indigo River, Mary Fildes, and Best Present Ever completed the order of finish.

The winner is owned by Hronis Racing LLC and trained by John Sadler.

-Keelerman

Del Mar Oaks Entries and Post Positions

Here are the entries and post positions for the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks (gr. I), to be run on Saturday at Del Mar. The nine-furlong turf race has drawn an excellent field of ten three-year-old fillies, led by American Oaks (gr. I) winner Lady of Shamrock, Las Virgenes Stakes (gr. I) and San Clemente Handicap (gr. II) winner Eden's Moon, and Honeymoon Handicap (gr. II) winner My Gi Gi.

1 Indigo River
2 Lady of Shamrock
3 Stormy Lucy
4 Best Present Ever
5 Long Face
6 My Gi Gi
7 Open Water
8 Eden's Moon
9 Mary Fildes
10 Cozze Up Lady

-Keelerman

LADY OF SHAMROCK WINS THE AMERICAN OAKS!

Lady of Shamrock rallied past Best Present Ever in the Betfair Hollywood Park homestretch to win the $350,000 American Oaks (gr. I) by a decisive 2 1/2 lengths.

Ridden to victory by veteran jockey Mike Smith, Lady of Shamrock was allowed to drop back into sixth place early on as the European shippers Nayarro and Miss Cato set a slow pace of :25.39, :50.43, and 1:15.79. Best Present Ever was right behind them in third, while Colonial Flag was on the outside in fourth. My Gi Gi was rating in behind the leaders in fifth, followed along the rail by Lady of Shamrock and on the outside by Stormy Lucy. Left a Message was the early trailer.

Rounding the far turn, Colonial Flag made a bid for the lead on the far outside, and Best Present Ever slipped through a narrow opening along the rail to challenge for the lead, with resulted in four horses contending for the lead while separated by little more than a half-length. But Lady of Shamrock was moving strongly along the rail, and as the field entered the homestretch, Smith guided his filly through a narrow opening along the rail to seize command of the lead. From there, the race was over, as Lady of Shamrock coasted home in front over My Gi Gi, while Best Present Ever and Miss Cato rounded out the superfecta. The final time was 2:03.19.

The winner is trained by John Sadler.

-Keelerman

American Oaks Stakes Entries and Post Positions

Here are the entries and post positions for the $350,000 American Oaks (gr. I), to be run on Saturday at Betfair Hollywood Park. The ten-furlong turf race for three-year-old fillies has drawn an evenly-matched field of nine, including the Honeymoon Handicap (gr. II) 1-2 finishers My Gigi and Lady of Shamrock, as well as a pair of European shippers, Nayarra and Miss Cato.

1 Stormy Lucy
2 Lady of Shamrock
3 Best Present Ever
4 My Gi Gi
5 Regalo Mia
6 Left a Message
7 Miss Cato
8 Nayarra
9 Colonial Flag

-Keelerman