by Jenny Blandford

Sun Boat (GB) rallied from last to first with an explosive burst in the stretch for a one-length victory in the $300,000 San Diego Handicap (G2) at Del Mar on Saturday to secure his first graded stakes score. 

The five-year-old Machiavellian gelding was unhurried early under jockey Michael Baze while racing in last in the nine-horse field as 3-to-2 favorite Buzzards Bay set an uncontested pace through a half-mile in :49.46.

Sun Boat rallied three wide entering the stretch, split foes in midstretch to gain the lead, and drove clear for the win.

“He just ran super,” winning trainer Mike Mitchell said. “It looked like Michael [Baze] had plenty of horse, he moved in time and when it opened up and he got through that was great because he didn’t have to go around anybody.”

Sun Boat completed 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.39 on Del Mar’s Polytrack surface.

Awesome Gem finished two lengths in front of third-place finisher Salty Humor. Buzzards Bay faded to eighth after setting a leisurely pace under jockey Jose Vadivia Jr.

“This just blows my mind,” Valdivia said. “He was running so easy. Going down the backside I had a big grin on my face. He was just floating. …But then when we went for home and I asked him for it, there was nothing there. I was out of horse.

Sun Boat came close to graded stakes success in his previous start when he was beaten by a nose by Buzzards Bay in the Californian Stakes (G2) on June 2 at Hollywood Park.  Prior to that race, Sun Boat won a 1 1/16-mile claiming race on May 13 at Hollywood by 1 3/4 lengths.

Sun Boat improved to four wins, three seconds, and one third in 12 career starts and increased his earnings to $314,345. He is out of Group 1 winner One So Wonderful, by Nashwan.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Jenny Blandford is a Thoroughbred Times assistant daily news editor