Medoro Primed for Big Effort in John C. Mabee

A stakes winner at ages 2, 3, and 4, C R K Stable's Medoro appears primed for another big effort in her second start off the layoff in the $250,000 John C. Mabee Stakes (G2T) Sept. 6 at Del Mar. The consistent daughter of Honor Code has never been worse than third in nine trips to post and has won twice over the Del Mar turf, including a last-out victory in the Osunitas Stakes July 20, and finished second in the 2024 Del Mar Oaks (G1T). Her Osunitas win was the Peter Eurton trainee's first outing in seven months. Medoro has put in four works since her comeback score and returns to the 1 1/8-mile trip in the Mabee, a distance she navigated successfully when victorious in the 2024 Providencia Stakes (G3T) at Santa Anita Park. "The freshening did a lot for (Medoro)," Eurton said after the Osunitas. "She's put on weight. She's trained so well and when they're fresh like that they show their natural speed instead of getting into trouble, which she did a lot last year. But she's never missed a check." Umberto Rispoli, Medoro's pilot in the Osunitas, retains the mount. Two-time Mabee-winning trainer Phil D'Amato sends out four runners, or 44% of the field, in Saturday's race. Among the savvy turf conditioner's contenders are last year's Mabee victress, Hang the Moon. A dazzling last-to-first winner in the 2024 Mabee, CJ Thoroughbreds' Hang the Moon followed up that effort with a score in the Rodeo Drive Stakes (G2T), earning a starting slot in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1T) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series. The Uncle Mo mare was 12th in the Breeders' Cup and has failed to hit the board in her last two starts. Hang the Moon finished fourth behind stablemate Public Assembly, who was second, in her most recent start, Del Mar's Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2T). Previously trained by Chad Brown, Public Assembly has landed two of four stars since joining D'Amato's barn. The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready added black-type winner to her resume when taking the Royal Heroine Stakes (G3T) in April. D'Amato will also saddle multiple graded stakes winner Mission of Joy, sixth in the Yellow Ribbon in her West Coast debut, and the Irish-bred Kentucky Gal (IRE). East Coast-based trainer Graham Motion flies in multiple South African group 1 winner Gimme a Nother (SAF) for the Mabee. Since arriving in North America, the 5-year-old has made a good account of herself, finishing runner-up three times in graded stakes company, but is yet to land that elusive win. She was nailed at the wire, beaten a head, in the July 20 Canadian Stakes (G2T) at Woodbine.