The 2014 John C. Mabee Stakes

The $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2)

Del Mar Racetrack

 Distance: 1 1/8 mile (Turf)              Post Time: 5:30 PM (PST)

This Grade II event was aptly named for one of the pioneers in the California thoroughbred breeding industry. In 1957, John C. Mabee and his wife established Golden Eagle Farm in an unincorporated part of San Diego County known as Ramona. The team would breed more than 170 stakes winners and secure three Eclipse Awards along the way. The mile and one-eighth stakes race for fillies and mares will be contested on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Charlie Whittingham won the race an unprecedented nine times, and past winners include the likes of Flawlessly and Precious Kitten, both of which hailed from the barn of the late Bobby Frankel. This year’s group will be made up of seven runners following scratches of both Miss Ellany and Queen of The Sand. Miss Serendipity being installed as the early 5-2 morning line favorite.

Official Contenders & Post Positions

Click for Past Performances

Through the Eyes of the Mad Capper

The Queens:

1)     Miss Serendipity- The Argentinian-bred mare trained by Ron McAnally has never been worse than fourth in five tries on American soil. Her most recent effort resulted in a nose victory over the talented Emollient in the Gamely Stakes in May. McAnally seems to always find a way of delivering on the Southern California turf.

2)     Cozze Up Lady- A battle tested warrior that has waged war at seven different tracks across the country since 2012. Kent Desormeaux has been riding terrific as of late and will get the call for this daughter of Cozzene here. Cozze Up Lady is capable of winning from both on or off the pace and we will make her our top selection.

The Nobles:

1)     Moulin de Mougin- Mike Smith and Richard Mandella team up with this daughter of Curlin that looks to be rounding into good form. She was third most recently in the Royal Heroine Stakes at one mile and the added distance should work to her advantage. Moulin de Mougin can be forwardly placed in a field lacking speed.

2)     Stormy Lucy- Trainer Ed Moger has been enjoying a considerable amount of success on the Southern California circuit this summer. This offspring of Stormy Atlantic has already defeated Miss Serendipity twice season. Corey Nakatani gets the mount and is unquestionably one of the smartest turf riders west of the Mississippi.

The Dames:

1)     Every Way- This City Zip filly ships in after running a respectable fourth in the Grade III Modesty Handicap at Arlington on July 12, 2014. Trainer Michael Stidham has put a succession of productive works into her and she should be in good stalking position as the field turns for home.

2)     Wishing Gate- Tom Proctor trains the four-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie that is likely to get heavily backed at the window. Her turn of foot in three recent starts is a concern and we will be taking a stand against this horse that has been unable to flash an added burst of speed when it is most needed.

The Peasants:

1)     Charlie Em- Paddy Gallagher’s British import seems best suited for longer distances. Despite her upset win over Customer Base in the Possibly Perfect, her last race over this turf course resulted in a seventh place finish in the Del Mar Oaks.

The Mad Capper’s Ten Dollar Crusade

$1.00 Exacta Wheel→   9/2,5,6,8

$1.00 Trifecta Box for $6.00→   5-8-9

The Maiden’s Take

With seemingly no early speed and a field made-up almost entirely of mid-type runners, this year’s John C. Mabee is panning out to be the kind of race that will have you seat-grabbing, knee slapping, and screaming at the top of your lungs during the drive down the final stretch. Seven fillies/mares are set to part.

The Queens:

1)     Miss Serendipity- Hall of Fame trainer Ronald McAnally’s entry, Miss Serendipity, is the oldest to start in this year’s John C. Mabee, but she’s got the highest beyer (97) and an impressive record. At six years old, this mare has finished in the top four in all twelve starts since November of 2012 and all but one were graded stakes. Victorious in last month’s Gamely G1, she flew down the stretch and won by a nose in a photo finish. Miss Serendipity displays tactical speed that makes her a top competitor in the field. Rafael Bejarano rode the filly to a fourth place finish back in February and is back in the irons for Sunday’s race.

The Nobles:

1)     Cozze Up Lady– Trained by Keith Desormeaux, this 5-year-old has won six of her last twelve starts since June 2012 and last month’s win in the Osunitas Stakes at Del Mar gives Cozze Up Lady track advantage over some of the other contenders. She will also welcome back her jockey Kent Desormeaux, which keeps things consistent and should help ward off some race day nerves; The only change will be that she has yet to run against any of the contenders in Sunday’s field. Though her combined margins of victory equal a mere 5 lengths, it is substantial to point out that her sire, Cozzene, was a champion turf horse and received an eclipse award in 1985 for his accomplishments on the grass.

2)     Stormy Lucy- Perhaps Miss Serendipity’s biggest rival, Stormy Lucy has the second highest beyer (94) in the field and has enjoyed 7 career wins, totaling $500,450 in earnings. The 5-year-old by Stormy Atlantic (Storm Cat) is trained by Ed Moger Jr. and will have Corey Nakatani atop. Her three most recent wins have been at distances over a mile, so Sunday’s race should be a good one for her. Though Nakatani has had some trouble playing by the rules in the past, he is one of the more aggressive jockeys in the field and is on a horse with dangerously good tactical speed. If Stormy Lucy stays in the middle of the pack for 3/4’s of the race, she will be a major threat down the final stretch.

3)     Wishing Gate- Trained by Thomas Proctor, the Glen Hill Farm entry most recently finished fourth in the Royal Heroine Stakes (G2), on June 28th, where she ran against Moulin de Mougin (3rd) and Stormy Lucy (7th). A 4-year-old filly by Indian Charlie and Rich in Spirit, Wishing Gate has experienced four wins out of thirteen career starts and all of her wins have been achieved in one mile races. She is not as experienced as the girls and has yet to win at the distance, but she ran a great second in last year’s 1 1/8 Del Mar Oaks (G1). The potential is there, but she might just need a little more mileage.  Not a front runner by any means, she does best when positioned slightly close to the back or in the middle of the pack. Drayden Van Dyke hops aboard for the first time.

The Dames:

1)     Moulin de Mougin- This 4-year-old daughter of Curlin ran her debutante race at Del Mar, back in August 2012, before making the move to Santa Anita where she has run 11 of 12 career starts. She is the least experienced of the group and ran her first graded stakes race five weeks ago in the Royal Heroine (G2), finishing third. Trained by Richard Mandella, the filly has three career wins and two of those were achieved on turf this year at the 1 1/8 distance. Based on her past performances, if she is able to stay a few lengths behind the pace she may just gallop to her first graded victory. Hall of fame jockey Mike Smith will guide Moulin de Mougin once again.

2)     Every Way- The 4-year-old filly by City Zip won her debutant race at Arlington Park back in 2012 and has since tallied up four career wins on turf, synthetic and dirt. Her most recent win was on synthetic in an optional claiming race (1 1/16 mile) at Arlington and two starts prior she won another optional claiming at Sam Houston by a dashing six lengths, on dirt. Last September she ran second in the 1 1/8 Pucker Up Stakes (G3)—GREAT— but she also ran her longest race last month (1 3/16) and placed fourth, so it makes me question whether she will have the stamina to run Sunday’s distance. In addition, the young filly will be facing the other horses for the first time at a track where she has no experience and her 87 turf Beyer is one of the lowest in the field. There are too many factors going against her. Owned by Haynes Stables LLC, Every Way is trained by Michael Stidham and will be piloted by Joe Talamo.

The Peasants:

1)     Charlie Em- The 4-yr-old British filly is a graded stakes winner with twenty career starts and five career wins. Trained by Patrick Gallagher, she won the 1½ mile Possibly Perfect Handicap (June 26th) by a head and finished third behind 2012/2013 champion filly, Beholder, in the Torrey Pines Stakes last September. Her victory in the Possibly Perfect merits a round of applause, but her past performances don’t exactly paint her as much of a threat. Previously finishing behind Wishing Gate and Moulin de Mougin, Charlie Em seems like more of a long shot that stands a chance of running in the top four, but not winning. Martin Garcia will have the ride aboard the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners owned filly.

The Maiden’s Ten Dollar Crusade

$1.00 Trifecta Box for $6.00→   8 – 6 – 5

$1.00 Superfecta→   5 – 9 – 8 – 6

$3.00 Show Bet→   #5

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