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Mike Smith is all smiles after Tamara, a 2-year-old daughter of Bolt d’Oro out of Beholder, won the FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante
Spendthrift Farm‘s homebred 2-year-old filly Tamara put it in gear early and just kept on going in simply outrunning 11 rivals Saturday at Del Mar in the 73rd edition of the Grade 1 FanDuel Racing Del Mar Debutante.
The well-made daughter of the hot young sire Bolt d’Oro out of the multiple-champion mare Beholder wound up 6 3/4 lengths in front at the finish of the seven-furlong filly crucible that she covered in 1:22.41.
Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith was merely along for the ride as his filly did it all by herself. Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, her conditioner and also the trainer of he. Hall of Fame mother, looked on happily.
Tamara, who broke her maiden at Del Mar on Aug. 19 in her only other outing, picked up a first prize of $180,000 for her tally in the $303,500 stakes. She now has $229,200 in winnings.
Her mother, the four-time Eclipse Award winner and three-time Breeders’ Cup victress, ran in the Del Mar Debutante in 2012 and was beaten a nose by a filly named Executiveprivilege. Beholder would go on to win 13 Graded stakes, including 11 Grade Is.
Tamara paid $4.60 for $2 in this year’s version of the headliner.
Finishing second was Exline-Border Racing, et al’s Laurent, who had 2 1/4 lengths on C R K Stable’s Gate to Paradise.
The track’s popular Pick Six bet was not hit Saturday meaning there will be a carryover of $211,245 into Sunday’s closing card. Closing Day means a “mandatory payout” on the wager, which could run into the millions. First post will be 1:30 p.m.
MIKE SMITH (Tamara, winner) – “She’s been doing things in her training that 2-year-olds aren’t supposed to do. She’s really special. She’s like her mother. You don’t see that usually. Those great mares they normally don’t have great foals. But this one might be. I just held on today. I didn’t want to fall off. She was doing it all herself. What can I say. She’s very special.”
RICHARD MANDELLA (Tamara, winner) – “Very exciting. I expected her to run good but that was a little beyond. Watching it, he (jockey Mike Smith) had so much horse he didn’t want to restrict her. He just had her do what she wanted to do. She’s very quick, so I thought he would put her right there (lay second and up close) and we both agreed to that, just see what everybody else does.”
FRACTIONS: :21.85 :44.45 1:09.72 1:22.41
The stakes win was the third of the meet for rider Smith and the second for trainer Mandella.
This is rider Smith’s third victory in the Debutante and his 80th overall at Del Mar, 11th most among all riders.
This is trainer Mandella’s second Debutante victory (Halfbridled, 2003). He now has 74 stakes wins at Del Mar, tied for fourth most with Charlie Whittingham.
The winning owner is Spendthrift Farm, who is also the breeder of the winner.
Autor Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
