Lightning strikes in Oceanside; Obrigado scores upset

Del Mar kept to its opening-day tradition of two divisions of the Oceanside (Alex Evers/Horsephotos.com) Del Mar's 67th season began Wednesday with its traditional opening day stakes, the Oceanside S., which was divided into two different divisions for the 18th consecutive season. The first division, run as the 6TH race and worth $83,550, featured a field of seven after the scratch of Caribbean (GB) (Sadler's Wells), and the meet got off to a sizzling start when Tom Lenner's LIGHTING HIT (Ire) (Orpen) flashed under the finish line a head in front. Racing in last as One Union (Dixie Union) set the opening quarter in :21 2/5, the sophomore was in no hurry early with Alex Solis aboard. One Union was passed by The Five J's (Lost Soldier), who posted splits of :44 4/5 and 1:09 2/5, and by that point Lightning Hit was beginning to move. Coming out from his inside position around the turn, the bay colt was four wide entering the stretch and kept right on moving, getting his head down on the line while finishing a mile on the firm turf in 1:34. One Union re-rallied in the stretch to a late lead but lost it on the wire while holding Get Funky (Straight Man) to third by a nose. Lightning Hit was sent off the 7-2 third choice and rewarded his backers with payouts of $9.20, $3.40 and $2.60 while keying the $10.20 exacta ($1) and $28 trifecta ($1). One Union was worth $2.80 and $2.40 as the 6-5 favorite, and Get Funky gave back $2.60 as the 3-1 second pick. Tri Set Slew (Corslew) rounded out the 3-1-8-7 superfecta ($1) that returned $161.90, and was followed by Awesome Jared (Awesome Again), The Five J's and Sunshine Alpine (Gold Case). Bred in Ireland by Mrs. John Magnier, T. Stack & Wendy Cousins, Lightning Hit started his career in that country, earning a maiden win on the Emerald Isle, but the Oceanside was his first victory since. In his U.S. debut, the Ron McAnally trainee was third in the La Puente S. at Santa Anita in mid-April, and he had finished second in his past three races, all allowance/optional claimers at Hollywood Park. With the Oceanside score, his record now reads 8-2-4-1 with $110,560 in accumulated earnings.

Out of the Glenstal mare Starring Role, Lightning Hit counts Group 3-placed

Blasket Island (Kenmare) as a half-brother.

Seidler & Vegso's OBRIGADO (Fr) (Enrique) captured the an eventful and tragic

second division of the $84,550 Oceanside two races later. Solis wound up sweeping the

opening day stakes as the Neil Drysdale trainee managed to hold off Porto

Santo (Fr) (Kingsalsa) in an all-out drive for the line.

Blazing Sunset (Talk is Money) quickly moved to the front when the gates

opened, but Porto Santo wasn't so lucky, breaking last and settling into that

position while Obrigado rated in sixth during the early stages. Not much changed on the

backstretch as Blazing Sunset led the way in :23 1/5, :47 and 1:10 4/5.

As the field reached the turn, Porto Santo began his run, swinging widest of

all and circling the entire field to reach contention. Suddenly, New Joysey Jeff

(Bright Launch) brought back memories of his antics in the Cinema Breeders' Cup

H. (G3) prior to this one, shying away from the left-handed whip of rider Corey

Nakatani, almost losing his rider once again. Nakatani, unlike Jose Valdivia

Jr., managed to stay aboard, but New Joysey Jeff's swerve brought him right into

Obrigado, who was moving up fast to the outside of him, with Porto Santo nearest

to the grandstand and getting the worst of it.

Both Solis and Victor Espinoza on Porto Santo had to sharply steady

their mounts, but they quickly got back down to business. Giving everything they had,

Obrigado and Porto Santo ran nip and tuck to the wire, with the former just

getting his head down when the photo was snapped.

It was several minutes before the official results were posted, as the

stewards looked at both New Joysey Jeff's interference and the tragic breakdown

of Blazing Sunset in midstretch. A horse ambulance took the pacesetter away

while everyone was waiting for the numbers to be made final.

Eventually, the stewards made their decision, leaving the finishing order in

place. Obrigado, who ran the grassy mile in 1:34 1/5 and gave back $14, $4.40 and $2.80

as the 6-1 fourth choice, started the $19.20 exacta ($1). Porto Santo, who is a half-brother to

Grade/Group 2 heroine and last year's Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) third Gorella (Fr)

(Grape Tree Road [GB]), returned $3 and $2.20 as the 4-5 favorite. It was another

three parts of a length back to 5-2 second choice New Joysey Jeff, who paid $2.60 and ended the $45.10 trifecta

($1).

Ten Downing Street (Ire) (Mujadil), who ran in second for much of the event,

faded to fourth to complete the $424.20 superfecta (3-9-6-8) ($1). Next under

the line were Film Fortune (Indy Film), Hit it Skip (Skip Away) and Quietly Go (Real Quiet). Add Heat (Unusual Heat) was withdrawn.

Obrigado has now encountered New Joysey Jeff in all three of his U.S. starts, finishing third to his rival's second in the Will Rogers S. (G3) while making

his U.S. bow in late May. Last out, the two faced off in the Cinema, where

Obrigado ran fifth. With this one, the bay gelding has now racked up $99,654 in

earnings to go along with a 10-4-0-2 career mark.

Bred in France by M. Didier Blot & M. Christian de Asis Trem, the sophomore

is out of Banakill (Funambule), who has also produced multiple Group 3 winner

Coupe de Champe (Take Risks) and an unraced juvenile filly named Coupe du Roi (Kingsalsa).