Plenty of Speed In John C. Mabee Stakes

Del Mar

There is an abundant amount of speed in the $350,000 Grade I John C. Mabee Stakes on Sunday at Del Mar. The Mabee is carded at a mile and an eighth for fillies and mares three years old upward to be run over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

Mr. Mabee for whom the race is named was an original board member of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club and was the President of this organization for 25 years. He also was a founding member of Breeders' Cup, Ltd. Mr. Mabee and his famed Golden Eagle Farm won three Eclipse Awards for best breeder in the 90's and campaigned runners the likes of Best Pal.

Horses To Watch for the John C. Mabee

Magical Fantasy
She has won her last two after troubled trips in each and is 1 for 1 at Del Mar, winning the Del Mar Oaks in 2008. A drawback is this is her fourth time in a year to be coming off a layoff and her running lines show no first out wins while doing that. Her pace stalking style fits well here. Alex Solis rides for Patrick Gallagher.

Tuscan Evening
She looks to be the fastest of the speed in the race and is trying for her third straight win and sixth in her last seven starts. Showed she can rate while stalking the pace and winning by a nose in a Hollywood Park Grade 2 in her last. The red hot Joel Rosario rides for Jerry Hollendorfer.

Patricia's Gem
Another of the speed horses and she set the pace in that Hollywood Park Grade 2 before being run down by Tuscan Evening. She is trying for her fourth win in her last five starts. Victor Espinoza rides for Richard Mandella.

Visit
She ran 4th in the BC Filly & Mare Turf last fall and has been right there in all 2009 starts with no wins. Her closing style fits this race well and the added distance today may help. Brice Blanc rides for Bobby Frankel.

Gotta Have Her
She is another whose closing style fits the race well and looks like she could benefit from the added distance today. She had two wins over the winter at Santa Anita and is running her third race of the current form cycle and looks like she may be ready to run a big race today. Tyler Baze rides for Jenine Sahadi.