Tamara Falls Just Short In Game Comeback Effort at Del Mar

A 3-year-old filly bred by Spendthrift Farm and sired by one of the nursery's top stallions gutted out the victory in Friday's seventh race at Del Mar.

That in itself was unremarkable and not unexpected, but the result was, as 21-5 third choice Sandy Bottom (Omaha Beach)–making her first start since running her record to two-for-two in the Anoakia Stakes some 390 days ago–was quickly into stride from the outside gate in a field of six and made every yard of the running to just hold an equally game effort from comebacking 'TDN Rising Star' Tamara (Bolt d'Oro–Beholder) in a race neither really deserved to lose.

Returning to the races for the first time since a fading seventh as the 4-5 chalk in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, the 2023 GI Del Mar Debutante victress was off a half-step slowly from the inside gate beneath Mike Smith and was ridden along to remain relatively handy to the pace set by Umberto Rispoli and Sandy Bottom, who took them along through an opening quarter-mile in :22.14 as Tamara, off at 2-5, tugged her way into a share of third approaching the turn. Asked to come after the front-runner in earnest passing the five-sixteenths, Tamara was guided away from the rail and into the two path with every conceivable chance if good enough. Tamara came to tackle at the top of the lane, was a fraction late swapping her leads and ran hard through the wire, but fell just short. The final time was a crisp 1:10.06.

The winner was maintaining a perfect record from three runs, having graduated at first asking last Sept. 10, one day after Tamara took out the Debutante.

Spendthrift acquired Sandy Bottom's stakes-winning and Grade III-placed second dam Five Star Daydream (Five Star Day)–the dam of GSW Gas Station Sushi (Into Mischief)–for $100,000 in foal to Macho Uno and Starlit Daydream is the only one of her dam's nine starters to have not won a race. The latter is the dam of a yearling colt by Cloud Computing, a weanling filly by Greatest Honour (Tapit) and is due to Omaha Beach for her 2025 produce.

7th-Del Mar, $61,500, Alw (C), Opt. Clm ($100,000), 11-15, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.06, ft, nose.
SANDY BOTTOM (f, 3, Omaha Beach–Starlit Daydream, by Can the Man) Sales history: $145,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP.  Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $140,622. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-James M & Donna Daniell; B-Spendthrift Farm LLC (KY); T-Michael W McCarthy.

SANDY BOTTOM ($10.20) held off the charge from Tamara to take the 7th at @DelMarRacing. The daughter of @spendthriftfarm's Omaha Beach was trained by @mwmracing, @umbyrispoli was on board.

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