Trio of San Luis Rey horses win stakes

A trio of horses stabled at the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall – Naughty Tiger, Go On Mary and Tap the Wire – won stakes races at Del Mar during the third week of competition at the seaside racetrack's summer meeting.

The week started with trainer Edward Freeman's 2-year-old filly Naughty Tiger scoring a 1 1/4-length victory in the $100,690 California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes, Aug. 1. Carrying jockey Ruben Fuentes to his first stakes win at Del Mar, Naughty Tiger took the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for California-bred fillies by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:06.27.

Naughty Tiger, who had broken her maiden in her previous start at Santa Anita, moved to the lead at the top of the stretch and continued on strongly to the wire to give Freeman his second victory in the CTBA Stakes and his fourth career stakes win at Del Mar. Freeman captured the CTBA in 2013 with Sprouts.

Naughty Tiger, at 5-1, was the third wagering in a field of eight and paid $12.40 after collecting her second win in three outings. Naughty Tiger is a chestnut daughter of Smiling Tiger, a multiple stakes-winning sprinter.

Go On Mary, a 4-year-old filly trained by Doug O'Neill, posted a front-running victory in the $81,330 Daisycutter Handicap, Aug. 3. Ridden by Rafael Bejarano, Go On Mary fought off Okinawa through the stretch to win the five-furlong grass dash by a half-length in :55.94.

Go On Mary went off at 10-1 and returned $22.20 after earning her first stakes victory. A bay filly by Broken Vow, Go On Mary has a win and a second in two tries on the Del Mar turf course.

Tap the Wire, a chestnut colt from the Daniel Dunham barn, ran away with the $98,000 Graduation Stakes, Aug. 4. With Drayden Van Dyke aboard, Tap the Wire captured the 5 1/2-furlong test for California-bred 2-year-olds by 3 1/2 lengths in 1:05.48.

Tap the Wire pressured pacesetter Luck's Royal Flush from the start before taking command in the stretch. It was the second victory in as many races for Tap the Wire, who paid $8.00 and provided Dunham with his first stakes tally at Del Mar.

"It's special to win at Del Mar and to win a stakes is even more special," said Dunham. "This horse is a San Luis Rey fire survivor. He was turned loose and I found him the next day in a field of a different ranch. No major burns or anything; he was lucky. He came to Del Mar and trained here, so he knows the place."

Van Dyke said Tap the Wire, a chestnut son of Eddington, won with something left in tank.

"When we went by Gary Stevens (on Luck's Royal Flush), he (Tap the Wire) eased up," said Van Dyke. "I was watching the big screen (in the infield) to see if anything was coming, but we were OK. I had a lot left. If anything came to him, I think my horse would have surged again."

Six other horses based at San Luis Rey reached the winner's circle during Del Mar's third racing week and they were trained by Peter Miller and Richard Baltas.

Miller scored with Creative Instinct (third race, Aug. 1, $7.80), Family Girl (second race, Aug. 3, $16.40), and Tell Me More (fifth race, Aug. 3, $15.40). Miller finished the week on top of the trainer standings with 13 victories through 15 days of racing.

Baltas' winners were Marckie's Water (sixth race, Aug. 1, $12.20), Majestic Design (second race, Aug. 2, $7.00) and Sunday Prophet (third race, Aug. 3, $8.00).