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Pick Pony | Sept. 9, 2024, 2:35 p.m.
Trainer Juan Avila felt that it was only a matter of finding the right distance before California Frolic would return to the winner’s circle after being absent for more than two years. The right distance came up on Sunday in the 1½-mile Presious Passion Stakes at Monmouth Park, and California Frolic proved his trainer right. California Frolic, ridden by jockey Samuel Marin, was able to sit third throughout slow fractions and then ran down Sports Editor late to win the $100,000 feature by one length. This win marked the first victory for the 5-year-old son of California Chrome since he won the Not Surprising Stakes at Gulfstream Park on July 30, 2022, ending a 14-race losing streak. It was his third stakes win overall. The final time for the 12 furlongs over a firm turf course was 2:32.28.
“I have been waiting for more distance for him. He needs more distance,” said Avila, who took over the training responsibilities for California Frolic three races ago. “You never find a race at a mile and a half so we had to wait for the right spot with him.
“I felt he was ready to have a good race. He has been running a mile and a sixteenth lately and that’s not good for him. We finally found this race for him.”
California Frolic paid $10 to win in the field of seven 3-year-olds and up in the longest race of the Monmouth Park meet.
“I was confident,” said Marin. “You’re not going to believe me but I was smiling on my horse because of where I was.”
Sports Editor, with Paco Lopez aboard, set fractions of :25.37, :51.67, 1:17.08 and 1:43.39 for the opening mile.
It Can Be Done was tracking him in second with California Frolic mostly in a stalking third spot throughout.
Marin moved California Frolic three-wide coming out of the final turn and collared Sports Editor late before going on to the win.
Favorite Highland Chief, a Grade 1 winner, was a non-threatening third, 3½ lengths behind Sports Editor.
Owned by Julian J. DeMora, Jr., California Frolic posted his fifth career win from 22 starts.
The Monmouth Park meet comes to an end with live racing next Saturday and Sunday. First race post time both days is 12:50 p.m.