Del Mar Oaks

Gould Farmily Trust or Dixon's SINGHALESE (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) rallied

widest of all into the stretch and gamely prevailed for a half-length victory in

Saturday's $300,000

Del Mar Oaks (G1). Sent off the 7-2 second choice with Mike

Smith, the James Cassidy-trained sophomore filly recorded her first stakes

victory when completing 1 1/8 miles over the firm turf in 1:46 1/5. Runner-up

Three Degrees (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]), the 9-5 favorite, finished well along the

inside but could not match strides with the winner late.

Dancing Edie (Moscow Ballet), who drew in from the also-eligibles list,

sprinted to a clear early lead from her far outside post and carved a spirited

pace in :22 4/5 and :46 4/5 while Singhalese relaxed far back in eighth. The

eventual winner began to advance on the outside on the far turn as the field and

Dancing Edie appeared done as she completed six panels in 1:11, but the

pacesetter had more in reserve and continued on gamely to the wire. Three

Degrees, who was in tight quarters on the far turn and into the stretch, took

off after the lead once she found clear sailing near the rail, but Singhalese

was moving too strongly on the grandstand side and charged past for the victory.

She paid $9.40, $4.40 and $3.40 for the win, and Three Degrees returned $3.60

and $3. Dancing Edie finished another 1 1/4 lengths back at 20-1 and gave back

$6.80. Rounding out the order of finish was Berbatim (Bernstein), Rich in Spirit

(Repriced), Louvain (Ire) (Sinndar), Peaceful Love (Ger) (Dashing Blade), Lasika

(GB) (Pursuit of Love) and Shining Energy (Rahy) following the defections of Mi

Luna Nueva (El Prado [Ire]) and Isla Cozzene (Cozzene). The $1 exotics totaled

$12.80 (exacta), $196.70 (trifecta) and $861.60 (1-3-11-10 superfecta).

Bred in Great Britain by G. and Mrs. Middlebrook, Singhalese raced in England

at two and was transferred to Cassidy's Southern Californian stable for her

three-year-old campaign. The chestnut miss finished fourth in her first two U.S.

starts against graded rivals and then recorded a third against a stellar field

in the American Invitational Oaks (G1). She entered Saturday's contest off a

confidence-building victory earlier in the meet over optional claiming/allowance

opponents. With Saturday's Grade 1 score, Singhalese, who is the first stakes

winner out of the Group 3-placed mare Baize (GB) (Efisio), has now earned

$357,647 from a 9-3-0-3 line.

"We were a little unlucky the first couple of times she ran," said Cassidy,

who will celebrate his 60th birthday on Sunday. "In the American Oaks, she had

to chase that superstar from Japan (Cesario [Brz]). I put her in the allowance

race here to get her mind back in the game. She was awesome there and I thought

she would do well today."

The final time was .03 off the stakes record.