DEL MAR, Calif. – Before the Breeders’ Cup fireworks were scheduled to begin Friday at Del Mar, favorites swept both 2-year-old Cal-bred stakes on the undercard.
Ocean Bear ($6.60) scored a three-quarter length victory in the Golden State Juvenile Stakes, an hour after Mohaven ($5.60) romped in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Stakes. The seven-furlong, $175,000 stakes were restricted to California-bred or sired 2-year-olds.
Much of the drama in the Golden State Juvenile, race 5, occurred at the start. Pavlovian stumbled and unseated jockey Juan Hernandez. The horse was collared after the race, and Hernandez was cleared to ride the remainder of the card – including Explora in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
Ocean Bear, a Bolt d’Oro ridgling owned by breeder Richard Barton, won his third straight for trainer George Papaprodromou and jockey Umberto Rispoli. Making his first start in a stakes after maiden and allowance wins, he settled fourth behind the speed, angled outside, and wore down front-runner Sammy Davis. Can’t Help Myself finished 2 3/4 lengths in front of fourth-place Thirsty Rebel.
Calling Ocean Bear “a nice little 2-year-old," Papaprodromou said, "He’s improving every race. He’s all class.”
Ocean Bear finished the race in 1:23.65. Papaprodromou said he believes the colt “can go even longer.”
Front-runner Sammy Davis dueled through a comfortable 22.54-second first quarter mile, got the half in 45.17, and appeared to be on his way to victory until Ocean Bear and Rispoli wore him down in deep stretch.
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Golden State Juvenile Fillies
Earlier in race 3 on Friday, Mohaven, a Cal-bred filly with a Kentucky pedigree, won the Golden State Juvenile Fillies by 4 1/2 lengths over Cashed.
John Sadler trains Mohaven, sired by Yaupon and produced by the Into Mischief mare Bahama. Mohaven was purchased for $200,000 at a 2024 California yearling sale by Legacy Ranch. She's improved with each subsequent start.
Runner-up in her debut, Mohaven was fitted with blinkers for her second start and rolled gate to wire over maidens. After a runner-up finish in the Generous Portion Stakes won by Too Sassy, Sadler removed blinkers for the Friday stakes.
“We thought we’d sharpen her up for her second start [adding blinkers], but we don’t think she really needs [blinkers],” Sadler said. “She’s naturally quick.”
With blinkers off in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies, Mohaven and jockey Hector Berrios pressed the pace three-wide outside pacesetter Cashed and Too Sassy. Mohaven loomed three-wide alongside Cashed into the lane, and the pair exchanged bumps after straightening for home.
Stewards conducted an inquiry into the incident but made no change. Mohaven drew off in 1:23.88. Cashed held second, a half-length in front of the Sadler-trained Liberation. Too Sassy finished fifth.
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