Temple City’s G2 winner Du Jour gets back on track in the Wickerr
July 23, 2023
Temple City’s G2 winner Du Jour pointing to bigger things after Wickerr score | Benoit Photo
Temple City’s top miler Du Jour added another stakes win to his growing resume on July 23rd at Del Mar when he powered to a decisive victory in the $100,000 Wickerr Stakes.
Du Jour was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm and is out of the Bernardini mare Guiltless. He was purchased for $280,000 as a 2-year-old at the OBS Spring sale in 2020 by Donato Lanni on behalf of his wife Debbie Lanni and trainer Bob Baffert’s wife Natalie Baffert.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Du Jour sat in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race, then – after briefly waiting for room – split horses in the stretch and powering to victory over the solid field of 13 horses. He ran the mile on turf in 1:34.13, winning by a neck in going-away fashion. Earlier this year, Du Jour finished second in the G1 Frank E. Kilroe Mile and the G3 Thunder Road Stakes, signaling a return to his 3-year-old form that earned him a win in the American Turf S. (G2) on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs.
“He’s back to his old form of two years ago. The way he’d been working, he’s finally back,” said Bob Baffert. “I thought about running in the Eddie Read. I’m just glad he’s back and I’ve got a very happy wife.”
The victory was Du Jour’s fourth and moved his career earnings to $738,220.