Currently in the best form of his life, T. H. APPROVAL (With Approval) will
bid for his third graded stakes win of the year in the $250,000 Del Mar H. (G2)
on Sunday. Under top weight of 120 pounds, the five-year-old gray will try to
transfer his outstanding ability in marathons to this slightly shorter 1
3/8-mile trip. The Eduardo Inda charge racked up his second straight score in
the 1 3/4-mile San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (G2) at Santa Anita earlier
this season and most recently drove to a 1 1/2-length victory in the 1 1/2-mile
Sunset Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) at Hollywood Park.
“After he won the Sunset,” Inda said, “I’ve been waiting for this race. The
time in between is just perfect. He likes to run every month to month and a
half. I like the distance, but a mile and a half would be better.
“This is the horse that gets me up every morning,” Inda added. “He’s the only
real good one I have right now, and I’m lucky to have him.”
Regular rider Alex Solis will guide T. H. Approval from the far outside in
post 10.
RUNAWAY DANCER (Runaway Groom) went through the doldrums for the first half
of the season, failing to shine in several outings, including a sixth behind T.
H. Approval in the Sunset, but the Dan Hendricks veteran sprang to life last
time out in the Escondido H. over this course and distance. Racing more
aggressively early, and not dropping far out of contention as he had been doing,
the gray swept to a decisive 2 1/2-length tally. Hendricks said that he changed
his training regimen, and Runaway Dancer certainly responded. Victor Espinoza
picks up the mount on the multiple Grade 3 winner, who will shoulder 118 pounds.
The only other entrant with a Group/Graded success to his credit is ARTISTE
ROYAL (Ire) (Danehill), a French Group 3 victor last summer. The Laura de Seroux-trained
bay has run respectably without winning in three tries so far this year, with
placed efforts in the Inglewood H. (G3) and Arlington H. (G3) in his latest
venture. David Flores will climb aboard for the first time.
In post position order, with riders and weights, the complete field comprises
Grade 3-placed CHEROOT (Smokester), Martin Pedroza, 114 pounds; INDIANTOWN JONES
(Green Dancer), Jorge Chavez, 111; Runaway Dancer; San Juan Capistrano third
QUINQUIN THE KING (Fr) (Take Risks), Corey Nakatani, 117; MIGHTY MYSTERIOUS
(Mystery Storm), Michael Baze, 109; SYMPHONY SID (Unbridled), Martin Garcia,
110; PARAQUEDISTA (Brz) (Music Prospector), Norberto Arroyo Jr., 109; Artiste
Royal, 116; California-bred stakes winner SUPER STRUT (Lil Tyler), Tyler Baze,
115; and T. H. Approval.