BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Won for Lou will make his third career start against some familiar adversaries Saturday when the Florida-bred colt faces 14 other 2-year-olds racing a mile in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf.
Owned by breeder Chester A. Bishop’s Bishop Racing Inc. in partnership with Lyle Egan and Anthony Hinkson, Won for Lou enters off a length-and-a-quarter victory in his second start, with both of his first two races being run on grass.
In his initial effort, going five furlongs at Santa Anita on June 1, he finished third, just a length-and-a-half behind 9-5 favorite and winner Hey Nay Nay (Ire).
Trained by John Sadler, Hey Nay Nay next won the $98,000 Tyro by seven lengths going five furlongs on the turf at Monmouth Park on Aug. 2 and returns to Southern California Saturday for the Del Mar Juvenile Turf.
Won for Lou came back to win a maiden special weight in his second try going a mile at Del Mar on July 27. Racing to the outside of longshot Sleeper Sullivan through six furlongs, Won for Lou put a head in front with a quarter mile to the finish then raced clear in the stretch to win by a length-and-a-quarter ahead of Born to Rock in second.
Born to Rock next finished second to Later Than Planned (Ire) with Classico third in a one-mile maiden special weight on the turf at Del Mar on Aug. 17. Later Than Planned, Born to Rock and Classico are all entered in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf.
By Bucchero out of the Red Ransom mare Style Show, Won for Lou has racked up $55,200 in his two races.
Won for Lou is one of four starters in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf for trainer Doug O’Neill and will be ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione. He has post 12.
O’Neill also saddles Classico, who will be ridden by Armando Ayuso; Punto Forty, a fourth-place finisher in the Grade 3 Best Pal who has Antonio Fresu named to ride; and Jalisco, a winner at the $20,000 maiden claiming level in his fifth and most recent start. O’Neill has named Abel Lezcano to ride Jalisco.
Other riding assignments are Kazushi Kimura on Born to Rock, Ruben Silvera will be in the saddle on Dirty Rich, Proletariat with jockey Kyle Frey, Juan Hernandez rides Plutarch, Hector Berrios has the call on Hey Nay Nay, Umberto Rispoli will ride Later Than Planned, Conducted with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith, Oracle of Paradise will have Diego Herrera up, Caro Bueno (Fr) will carry Flavien Prat, Love the Pressure has Assael Espinoza taking the assignment and Drayden Van Dyke will have the reins on Stay for the Boom.
Return to the September 5 issue of Wire to Wire
