By Christie DeBernardis
Several runners from this venue's Aug. 6 GIII La Jolla H., including the top four finishers, will face off once again Sunday in the GII Del Mar Derby. Trainer Richard Baltas saddles Abbondanza Racing's Free Rose (Munnings), who won the La Jolla in just his second start for these connections. Previously trained and owned by Tevis McCauley, the dark bay was privately purchased by these connections and transferred to the West Coast-based Baltas and finished in a local allowance first time out for this barn July 23. Hronis Racing's La Jolla runner-up Lucky Bryan (Lookin at Lucky) entered that test off a victory in a first-level allowance over this course July 16.
Hall of Famer Bob Baffert will be represented by La Jolla third-place finisher Moonlight Drive (Ity) (Red Rocks {Ire}) in Sunday's affair. Accruing a record of 5-1-2-3 during his brief European campaign, the dark bay captured his U.S. debut at Santa Anita Feb. 15 and was second to the reopposing Monster Bea (Hat Trick {Jpn}), who finished fourth in the La Jolla, next out in this venue's restricted Oceanside S. July 15.
Al and Sandee Kirkwood's Blackjackcat (Tale of the Cat) could make some noise in this step up in class. Fifth on debut sprinting over the Santa Anita main track, the gelding is two-for-two on turf, earning his diploma over the Arcadia lawn June 5 and capturing a grassy 1 1/16-mile allowance here July 23, in which Free Rose finished third.
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