From Los Alamitos Publicity
CYPRESS, Calif. (Sept. 23, 2021) – Stakes winners Rock N Rye and Thirsty Always head a trio of 2-year-olds trained by Walther Solis entered in Sunday’s $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes, the closing day feature of the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos.
The race at 5 ½ furlongs for horses bred in California is the seventh of 10 Sunday. Post time is 1 p.m. and scheduled post time for the Royal Owl is 3:58 p.m.
Owned by Tom London, Eugene Zondlo and and breeder Terry Lovingier, Rock N Rye easily captured the Graduation Aug. 8 at Del Mar before finishing second as the 7-5 favorite in the I’m Smokin four weeks later.
A son of Stay Thirsty and the Discreet Cat mare Discreet Dee, Rock N Rye is 2-for-4 with earnings of $119,920.
Thirsty Always, a Stay Thirsty colt out of the Not for Love mare Angela’s Love, is also 2-for-4 with earnings of $105,600. He earned his stakes victory in the Everett Nevin at Pleasanton July 10. In his most recent appearance, he was third in the I’m Smokin. The chestnut, who was bred by Lovingier, is also owned by Tom Beckerle and Saul Carrillo.
The other Solis trainee is Northern California Yearling Sale graduate Mr. T’s Thirsty, owned by Templeton Horses LLC and breeder Lovingier. The son of Stay Thirsty and the Rock Hard Ten mare Pebble Beach Baby has one win in five starts and has earned $54,820. He graduated at Los Alamitos during the Summer Thoroughbred Festival, defeating a field on June 27 that included next out winner What in Blazes.
The field also includes a pair of fillies – Carmen Miranda and Drizella.
Owned by breeder Nick Alexander and trained by Phil D’Amato, Carmen Miranda finished second behind talented stablemate Connie Swingle in the Generous Portion Sept. 3.
A daughter of Stanford and the Tribal Rule mare Miranda Rose, Carmen Miranda is 1-for-3 with a bankroll of $50,000. She won first time out at Los Alamitos July 2.
Trained by Luis Mendez for owner William Peeples, Drizella has one win in five starts, but has been runner-up in three of her defeats. The daughter of Stanford and the Royal Applause mare Tinderella, bred by McGee-Wolfson LLC, has banked $70,900.
Like Carmen Miranda, Drizella earned her win July 2 at Los Alamitos, defeating a field that included Connie Swingle.
From inside out, the field for the Royal Owl Stakes: Carmen Miranda, Juan Hernandez rides, 119 pounds; Thirsty Always, Abel Cedillo, 122; Mr. T’s Thirsty, Kyle Frey, 122; Drizella, Alexis Centeno, 119 and Rock N Rye, Tiago Pereira, 122.