Del Mar Mile Vs NorCal Invader Vs Locals

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Lammas won the San Francisco Mile at Golden Gate

How will the Northern California Mile team fare against the Southern California Mile team? That could be the big question when analyzing the field for the August 31 Del Mar Mile (G2T), one of four races that support the Pacific Classic (G1) card at the Del Mar.

Most of the 10 runners in the Del Mar Mile have met before, six of them in the one-mile Wickerr Stakes at Del Mar on July 21. Lammas was the wild card, a 7-year-old gelding who made a circuitous route to the Del Mar Mile.

Born in the UK, Lammas has spent the majority of two seasons—2021 and 2022—competing in his homeland, winning the Namwell And WolverhamptonHe failed to place at Del Mar in two 2022 starts before heading to Northern California, where he found his footing.

Trained by Manuel Badilla, Lammas has won four titles in Northern California – three at Golden Gate Fields and one in comfortable. Two of those were on turf, one on synthetics and one on dirt. Lammas, ridden by Abel Cedillo from No. 5, is on a four-race winning streak dating back to February that includes the San Francisco Mile Stakes (G3T) and Pleasanton Mile Stakes.

However, bettors will likely be paying attention to the strongest from the Wickerr Stakes as well as Your Day . Winner of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G1T) race at Santa Anita Earlier this year, Du Jour had lead rider Juan Hernandez from the No. 3 position.

Du Jour, trained by Bob Baffert for his wife, Jill, and Debbie Lanni, is a Del Mar Mile winner and also won the Wickerr in 2023. Tenth in the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1T), Du Jour finished third behind Kilroe in the Shoemaker Mile (G1T) and sixth in the 1 1/8-mile Eddie Read Stakes (G2T), second by a length.

Wickerr’s returnees included the first five people to cross the finish line that day. The winner First Peace finished fourth behind Du Jour at Kilroe. In the three races between, he finished second in the Daytona Stakes (G3T) and Siren Lure Stakes, both at the Santa Anita hillside grass track. Regular pilot Mike Smith will ride First Peace for trainer Mark Glatt.

Conclude is a perfect two-for-two on Del Mar turf in 2023, winning the Oceanside Stakes and the Del Mar Derby (G2T). Out for more than eight months for trainer Phil D’Amato, Conclude ran 10th at the Shoemaker Mile and fourth at the Wickerr. D’Amato has appointed Hector Berrios to ride from the No. 8 spot.

D’Amato has always been a good prospect on grass, and he’ll be saddled up too. Almendares And Midline in the Mile. Almendares (Antonio Fresu, 4th) finished fifth at Wickerr and has three graded stakes finishes since arriving in the States. He also ran in a 1 1/16-mile optional allowance/claimer at Del Mar on August 29. Halfway Line has only started three times in the States. The 4-year-old gelding most recently won an optional allowance/claimer at Del Mar on July 27 and had Joe Talamo from 2nd.