San Clemente J

AMERICAN
GRADED STAKES PREVIEWS

An evenly matched field of 11, including one also-eligible entrant, will
travel one-mile over the lawn at Del Mar in Saturday’s $150,000 San Clemente H.
(G2). Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) third SEATTLE SMOOTH (Quiet American) has been
training forwardly in advance of her grass debut for expert turf conditioner
Julio Canani, and we like the filly to run by them all late. Following two
unplaced sprint efforts to begin her career, the bay Kentucky-bred captured her
two-turn debut and followed with a neck second in the California Oaks. The Bay Meadows Oaks
queen has grass pedigree on both sides of her lineage and should be tough under
Mike Baze.

MISSIT (Ire) (Orpen) captured the Providencia S. (G2) in her U.S. debut in
April and was most recently seen crossing the wire in fifth in the lucrative
American Oaks Invitational S. (G1) for trainer Ben Cecil. The talented bay was
compromised by pressing the pace in the American Oaks, and she’ll likely enjoy a better trip from off the
pace in here, which will benefit her in our opinion. The bay
is good enough to win this under Victor Espinoza.

MISTY OCEAN (Stormy Atlantic) re-rallied after being passed in the lane to
annex the Honeymoon H. (G2) for Jerry Hollendorfer last out, and the bay filly
has won her last three turf starts by a combined 9 3/4 lengths. The bay
Kentucky-bred has never been better and could be tough to reel in if she dictates
a soft tempo, but we don’t see that happening and will keep her in the show
slot.

STORM MESA (Sky Mesa) has rolled to four straight commanding wins for Bret
Calhoun and will make her turf debut in this spot. The dark bay miss was a smart
winner in the Iowa Oaks (G3) last out and she could be a useful turf commodity,
but the unknown factor of her ability on the lawn will restrict her use for the
gimmicks.

SENSATIONAL LOVE (War Chant) was quite impressive in an allowance win at
Gulfstream Park earlier in this campaign but never progressed a great deal on
the East Coast under Allen Jerkens. The well-bred bay is far from bad, and the
change of scenery and switch to trainer Neil Drysdale could do wonders for her, so we’ll toss her in the exotics.

MINI DO (Hold for Gold), another Canani pupil, is unbeaten on the turf in two sprints and will now try to get two turns in this stiff test. The Everest
Stables’ homebred showed a nice rating tactic in her allowance score and should
be able to handle this trip, so she’s another we’ll include in our gimmicks.

We’ve always liked Grade 3 miss TASHA’S MIRACLE (Harlan’s Holiday), and the
sophomore lass will attempt to handle the turf for the initial time for John
Sadler. The Florida-bred bay was a strong third in the Hollywood Oaks (G2) most
recently and could surely factor with this group if she handles the transition
to the green under Mike Smith.

Late-runner BEL AIR SIZZLE (Unusual Heat) was third in the Providencia but
has often settled for lesser prizes and we expect more of the same on this
occasion. HOPEHOPEHOPE (Whywhywhy) dusted a decent maiden group at Hollywood
most recently and will now attempt to make the huge jump to stakes foes for
trainer Michael Orman. The bay filly likely has much room for improvement, and
she was visually impressive last out, but we can’t suggest her for the win
against this bunch. GRACE ANATOMY (Aldebaran) is bred for the lawn but failed to impress in her
grass debut last out, and we can’t endorse the filly off her last showing.

If
COMEBACK QUEEN (GB) (Nayef) draws in, we might include her in some of the
exotics at an expected big price. A half-sister to Graded 2 winner Worldly (GB)
(Selkirk), the gray hasn’t shown much promise in her European career but could
pop a big one “off the plane.”