La Jolla

Robert A. Alexander's WILLOW O WISP (Misnomer) tracked pacesetter

Juliesugardaddy (Unusual Heat) in second through opening splits of :24 4/5, :49

1/5, 1:12 3/5 and 1:35 3/5 before wearing down his rival in deep stretch for a

head victory in Saturday's $150,000

La Jolla H. (G2) at Del Mar. With Garrett

Gomez in the saddle, the Vladimir Cerin-trained gelding captured the 1 1/16-mile

firm turf test for three-year-olds in 1:41 2/5.

Favored at 7-5, Willow O Wisp returned $4.80, $3.80 and $2.40 and keyed the

$17.10 ($1) exacta with Juliesugardaddy, who was off at 6-1 and paid $6 and $3.

El Roblar (War Chant), the 8-5 second favorite, advanced into a menacing

position on the far turn but lacked the needed rally into the stretch, finishing

another two lengths back in third and paying $2.40. The 4-2-3 trifecta gave back

$29.30 for $1. In Excelsis (Fusaichi Pegasus), Steal Your Thunder (Thunder

Gulch), Boggy Creek (Menifee) and Stedfast McStaunch (Ire) (Desert Style)

completed the order of finish.

Willow O Wisp began his racing career in maiden claiming events on the main

track and became a much better performer when switching to turf last fall. He

opened his sophomore campaign with an allowance score at Hollywood Park,

finished second in the Will Rogers S. (G3) in his next outing and captured the

Cinema Breeders' Cup H. (G3) by two lengths in his most recent start. Bred in

Florida by Fred W. Pace, Willow O Wisp hails from the winning Woodman mare

Willow Woodman, who is also the dam of the unraced juvenile filly Witchy Willow

(Northern Afleet), a yearling colt by Doneraile Court and a 2005 colt by

Evansville Slew.

His career line now reads 11-4-1-1 with $269,240 in earnings. The September 5

Del Mar Derby (G2) is next for Willow O Wisp.