DEL MAR – Magical Fantasy, the longest shot in the field at 42½-1, found an opening in the stretch under Alex Solis and bolted through it for a two-length victory and an $87 upset in yesterday's $350,000, Grade I Del Mar Oaks.
Barry Abrams-trained Bel Air Sizzle (32-1) and Lethal Heat (8-1) were a half-length apart in second and third with 8-5 favorite Satan's Circus a neck back in fourth as the 1 1/8 miles on turf was covered by the winner in 1:46.73.
Magical Fantasy was overlooked by the bettors because of lackluster performances in the Grade II Honeymoon Handicap and Grade I American Oaks in her past two starts. But Solis, aboard for all three of the Kentucky-bred filly's U.S. starts since being imported from England, said he was a believer.
“Actually, this filly has been training out of this world,” Solis said. “I've been (aboard) just about every time she has worked and I told Paddy (trainer Patrick Gallagher) I thought she was going to run a huge race.
“Today she settled really good, she had a good pace to run at and I had a great trip. I got lucky down the stretch to find some room to run and got it done.”
It had been a frustrating meeting in terms of getting it done for Solis before the Oaks. He had eight wins and 18 runner-up finishes from 78 mounts.
“I could whine about the 18 seconds that I've had, that they could have been 18 wins. But that's how racing goes,” Solis said. “You've got to keep going and good things will happen.”
It was the first stakes win of the meeting for Solis, 44, but his 90th overall here, sixth best in track history. His one previous Oaks victory was aboard Suivi in 1992.
The $87 return on a $2 win bet was the largest payoff in 52 runnings of the Oaks, besting by forty cents what Greta returned in 1968.
It was the first Grade I stakes victory for Gallagher, a native of Strabane, Ireland, who was an assistant to John Sullivan and Bill Shoemaker before taking over the stable when riding legend Shoemaker retired from training in 1998.
Gallagher, too, said that the way Magical Fantasy trained was encouragement to enter the race.
“I think you have to take a shot when they're doing as well as she was,” Gallagher said. “Today they went a little quick the first part and that gave her a chance to relax. She had a nice kick today, which she showed in her first race. She showed that again today, so that was very encouraging.”
Solis and Magical Fantasy, outfitted for the first time with earmuffs to block the noise and help her focus, saved ground while running next-to-last in the field of 10 as Misty Ocean set fractions of :22.71 and :47.03 for the first half-mile. They moved up along the rail on the second turn, then found an opening between horses to take the lead with just under an eighth of a mile to go and finished in the clear.
Magical Fantasy had career earnings of $34,431 from one win in eight starts entering the Oaks. The winner's share of the Oaks purse was $210,000.
Jockey news
Tyler Baze was excused from his five scheduled mounts after suffering torn ligaments in his left foot yesterday morning when thrown from a 2-year-old horse he was handling for trainer
Rafael Becerra. Baze said X-rays showed no breaks and he expects to be back at work today. . . .
Garrett Gomez, replacing Baze, won the first race on
Justice Is Brief.
Victor Espinoza picked up Baze's mount on
Million Dollar Run in the Oaks and finished ninth. . . .
Jose Valdivia Jr. rode
Ginger Pop (10th) in the Oaks, replacing
Richard Migliore, who was unable to get out of a commitment at Saratoga. . . .
Eddie Martin Jr., who rode
Storm Mesa (fifth) in the Oaks, was assessed a three-day suspension, starting Saturday, for causing interference aboard
Dubai Majesty in Friday's seventh race.
Notable
Magical Fantasy's victory helped trigger a Pick Six carryover of $206,263 to start the pool today. . . .
Oceane Music was vanned off the track after the Oaks and taken back to the barn of trainer
John Shirreffs with left front leg injury of undetermined severity.
Hank Wesch: (619) 293-1853; hank.wesch@uniontrib.com
