BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred multiple graded stakes winner El Potente returns off a six-month break Saturday for the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile for a dozen 3-year-olds and older on the turf at Del Mar. Trained by Dan Blacker for Mike Way of Salinas, California in the name of his My Way Racing, El Potente has the outside post 12 and jockey Hector Berrios.
While El Potente has a stellar record with six wins, three seconds and two thirds in 13 career starts on grass, he looks for his first win on the Del Mar lawn where he has two seconds and a third in three tries.
His first runner-up finish on the Del Mar grass came in August of 2023 in a $40,000 optional claiming and he was just neck shy of winner Zio Jo in a second tier $100,000 optional claiming in November of 2024. Last year on February 1 at Del Mar, El Potente was third in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit won by Call Sign Seven with Astronomer in second.
He made three starts on the Santa Anita grass since, winning the one-mile Thunder Road (G3) for the second time on February 7 and most recently finishing second to Final Boss in the one-mile Frank Kilroe on March 7. Before those two, he was fourth coming down the hill in the six-and-a-half-furlong Joe Hernandez (G2) in December.
A $35,000 selection by McMahon and Hill Bloodstock out of Eddie Herrera’s Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment of at the 2021 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale, El Potente has since banked $384,796 from seven wins, three seconds and three thirds in 18 lifetime starts. He is by Temple City out of Charmsil, by Silver Charm and was bred in Florida by Charmsil.
Hector Berrios, who has ridden him in eight of his last nine races, will be aboard again.
The Del Mar Mile is loaded with several of the best turf milers on the West Coast including King of Gosford (GB), Twirling Point and Artislas, the top three finishers respectively in the $101,000 Wickerr (Listed) going a mile on the grass at Del Mar on July 19. Freedom’s Not Free, who was sixth but just two-and-a-half lengths behind King of Gosford in the Wickerr, is also entered as are Astronomer and Almendares (GB), who was third in the Kilroe.
Umberto Rispoli will ride King of Gosford and Twirling Point has Ricardo Gonzalez with the return assignment. Emisael Jaramillo rides Freedom’s Not Free, Artislas will have Julien Leparoux up for the first time, Astronomer gets Victor Espinoza in the saddle and Almendares will team up with jockey Antonio Fresu.
Others set to line up are Cabo Spirit and Mike Smith, Seal Team (GB) with Joel Rosario up, Juan Hernandez will guide Detain (Ire), Sinsel (Brz) makes his stateside debut with Kazushi Kimura aboard and Flyover will be ridden by Armando Ayuso.
Return to the August 21 issue of Wire to Wire
