Duke of Fallbrook second at Del Mar

The racehorse Duke of Fallbrook, who is owned by Fallbrook resident Lita Tabish, had his highest finish ever Aug. 10.

The 4-year-old gelding finished 2 1/2 lengths behind San Luis Rey Training Center horse Wild Wild Kingdom and a neck in front of third-place Street Zombie in that day's third race – a 5 1/2-furlong maiden claiming race for 3-year-olds and up – at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club.

"I'm happy that he's improving," Tabish said.

Duke of Fallbrook was sired by Sundarban out of Dafne's Echo. Tabish owned Dafne's Echo, who was 16 last year when she had to be euthanized after a twisted intestine ruptured. Duke of Fallbrook was the third foal of Dafne's Echo and was foaled April 9, 2014.

The first race for Duke of Fallbrook was as a 3-year-old at Los Alamitos Sept. 7, 2017. He finished third in that race and matched what had been his best finish April 8, 2018, at Santa Anita. Duke of Fallbrook also had three fourth-place finishes in his eight races before his second-place result.

Antonio Garcia, who is based at Santa Anita, is Duke of Fallbrook's trainer. Mario Gutierrez rode Duke of Fallbrook at Del Mar in a race that had 11 runners.

Duke of Fallbrook started from the 10th position and was seventh both after one-quarter of a mile and at half a mile. He entered the stretch in fifth place, 4 1/2 lengths behind Wild Wild Kingdom, who had taken the lead before the stretch, and four lengths in back of He's Out to Sea.

"He made a nice big run at the end," Tabish said. "He just kind of swooped around everybody."

Tabish has a 2-year-old in training who will not race until 2019, so currently Duke of Fallbrook is her only horse who is racing.

"I think he's going to set himself up for a win real soon," Tabish said.