DMR Mile (Grade 2)- $300.000 Purse
DMR- For Three Year Olds and Upward
One Mile on the Turf
September 3, 2022

A field of six will be going to post for the 17th running of the DMR Mile, which is part of the Pacific Classic undercard. It’s a Grade 2 race run on the turf, and the general conditions of the race have been fairly consistent through time. Last year’s race saw a return to the traditional $300.000 purse, which had a one year drop to $150.000 due to the virtual pandemic. That race saw the great La Terrifiant earning the win for Smokey Stover during a stretch of her career where she was running against males. She’s still running well, and won the Diana in her last start, but is going back to running against her own gender. Here are those going to the gate this year!

#1- Tiger Claw (London Racing, ridden by F Prat)- Comes out of a race which is arguably a throw out for all horses that ran in it, regardless of where they finished: the Grade 2 Bowling Green at SAR. Prior to that, this closer by nature looked better, barely missing out on a win at the wire after being nine lengths out in the Grade 3 Arlington Stakes. The gelding is a consistent runner, especially lately under the guidance of the London Racing. It can be hard to support closers in our virtual world, but this is one to definitely consider.

#2- Phar Lap (Threshold, ridden by E Maldonado)- Phar Lap was phar way from the Bowling Green when he ran on the same day right here at the Read Stakes, and he would come out on top! The victory is one of two on the year for him, but a phar cry from his prior win, which was a $47.500 claimer. Threshold is grateful that no one picked him up there and I feel good about the seven year old following up the Read Stakes well here.

#3- Free Blast (Fractious, ridden by R M Hernandez)- While Phar Lap did not get claimed in his $47.500 claimer, Free Blast was for the same amount a week prior at the same track. He had made one stake start with London Racing, which did not go well. Fractious has had him for two races, the first being a starter allowance at WO that he would. Off of that comes the exciting race to look at, which was the Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes at WO in late July. He was third, but the effort earned him a 100 SRF, making this very intriguing to see how he can build on that.

#4- Hollywood Hero (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- No one in this field has made more than Hollywood Hero, who is just a little bit shy of $1,000.000 for his career. He was able to run here in the BC Mile last year, but only beat one horse in the race. So far his 2022 would be considered decent, but he has lacked a victory. Three times he has been third, including the Grade 3 Poker Stakes at BEL in his last start. He has had a two and a half months of rest since then and he had a bullet work in preparation for this.

#5- Black Barron (Blazin D, ridden by Mario Gutierrez)- In late May, the trainer claimed this one away from Rock Creek for $14.000. That race was a drop down from a series of open allowances where he was still hitting the board in. Following the claim, Blazin D sent him to an optional claimer at PRX where he was second, and then he would win the same type of race right here last month. He’s earned the opportunity to make what will be his stake debut of any kind and if can duplicate that effort from last month here, he’s right there with them at the end.

#6- Hollywood Niner (Onlineracingclub.com, ridden by Jam Rodriguez)- Earlier in his career, Hollywood Niner was a regular at the graded level, but was never able to win any of them. After a pair of transactions, the six year old gelding has run well for Onlineracingclub.com, earning him an opportunity to run the Read Stakes in his last start. He placed third there to the winning Phar Lap, but was not phar away at the wire, missing by a length. His last two races at exactly a mile have been victories.

Prediction: 3-6-2-1

— NS

Categories: Grade II, STAKES ARTICLES