Caribou Club Conquers G2 Seabiscuit

DEL MAR, CA – Glen Hill Farm’s Caribou Club brought his owners their 200th stakes triumph on Saturday when he made a bold bid in the stretch and overtook longshot Secretary At War in midstretch before streaking off to victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar.

Bobbling as he broke from the rail under Joe Talamo at 7-1 odds, Caribou Club soon recovered and settled into midpack while Kenjisstorm posted opening fractions of :23.75, :47.81, and 1:12.37. Shifting out a lane as he neared the far turn, Caribou Club began advancing through the turn and tipped out another lane just before straightening for home. Full of run and with nothing but fresh grass in front of him, Caribou Club rallied strongly alongside the upset-minded Secretary At War before overtaking him just inside the final furlong. The Tom Proctor trainee finished with a flourish, crossing with a 1 1/4-length advantage in a final time of 1:41.38 for the 1 1/16 mile event over the firm turf course.

“Good trip all the way,” said Talamo. “He was a lot closer up this time; they weren’t running any :42 and 3 like last time (down the hill at Santa Anita). When I asked him, he had a great turn of foot. I used a saddle Gary Stevens gave me today. When he retired, he gave me one of his saddles, and one to Mike Smith and one to Drayden Van Dyke. Now I know why he won all those stakes races.”

Secretary At War had just enough left late to dig in and save second by a head over the 8/5 favorite Synchrony, while another length back came Big Score. Kenjisstorm weakened to fifth ahead of He Will, while Ohio headed Pincheck for seventh. Le Ken, the field’s lone female entry Madame Stripes, Ann Arbor Eddie, and Holiday Stone completed the order of finish.

Caribou Club’s win was his second in a graded event following the Grade 2 Connaught Cup Stakes at Woodbine back in June and improved his overall record to 16-6-2-4. The 4-year-old gelded son of City Zip increased his lifetime bankroll to $444,744.

“I hot-walked this horse’s seventh (generations removed) dam for my dad and trained from about the fifth dam on,” trainer Tom Proctor said. “It’s nice to win one. This is a good horse, I think he’ll run well down the hill (at Santa Anita).”

Caribou Club returned $16.20 to win, $10.20 to place, and $4.80 to show. Secretary At War brought back $47.40 to place and $12.60 to show, while Synchrony paid $3 to show.