Del Mar Report #4: Champagne Room Breaks Maiden in Sorrento Stakes

Three Stars of the Week

– 1st Star: CHAMPAGNE ROOM – There was little doubt in the mind of the bettors and handicappers that the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes was a two horse race, and it didn’t disappoint as Champagne Room and Miss Southern Miss battled to the wire.  In the end it was the maiden, Champagne Room, that wore down Miss Southern Miss in the stretch and went on to an impressive victory.  Even further proof of Champagne Room’s form was the fact that Noted and Quoted, a horse Champagne Room finished in front of earlier in the meet, came back to dominate a maiden special weight on Sunday.  This filly could have a nice future as she is now a Grade 2 winner after just two lifetime races.

– 2nd Star: ARROGATE – It’s not so much that Arrogate won a big race, but it’s the fact that he did it so impressively once again.  Also, with his latest big win he now will be pointed to either the Pacific Classic or Travers Stakes for his next race.  This horse looks to have a major amount of talent, but is he ready for this tremendous class jump?  My estimation is yes mainly because I don’t believe trainer Bob Baffert would be pointing him towards a race he would have no chance of winning.  Whatever race he lands in next he’s going to be tough to handicap.  If he does indeed go to the Travers Stakes he might be able to fit in well with the current state of the three year old division.

– 3rd Star: FREE ROSE – It was a Saturday shocker in the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap as 28-1 shot Free Rose took the field wire to wire under Joe Talamo.  Let’s face it…you can’t blame the public for making Free Rose nearly the longshot shot on the board.  He came in with only two wins, both of which were at low levels.  His last two races were decent third place efforts in allowance races, but to think he could pull off a win in a Grade 3 means you’d have to stretch your imagination to the limit.  He’ll now most likely point to bigger races as perhaps he’s found his best stride now.  I doubt he’ll be 28-1 in his next race.

Flop of the Week

– SHRINKING VIOLET – There weren’t too many disappointing efforts this week, but Shrinking Violet finished poorly in Friday’s Daisycutter Handicap as the favorite so she lands in this spot.  Hard to understand what went wrong, but she never looked like herself in this one.

Preview to Next Week