Temple City’s Du Jour takes Del Mar Mile (G2) for second consecutive stakes win

After spending all of 2022 away from the races, Du Jour has rounded into top form this summer and now has back-to-back stakes wins at the Del Mar meet following Saturday’s explosive win in the Del Mar Mile (G2).

Du Jour’s previous stakes wins came in the July 23 Wickerr S. and the 2021 American Turf S. (G2) at Churchill Downs.

Du Jour is owned by trainer Bob Baffert’s wife Jill, along with Debbie Lanni. The 5-year-old is now 5-3-2 in 15 starts and has earned $918,220, nearly all of that on the turf.

Piloted by Flavien Prat on Saturday, Du Jour broke from post 1 in the 10-horse field. He was mid-pack along the rail for the first half-mile. Prat took him out coming into the stretch, and he responded with a strong stretch run to win by 2 ¼-lengths in 1:33.82 on the firm turf.

“I had a good trip all the way around,” Prat said. “When I got a chance to take him out I did and he went. He’s a nice horse; certainly could be a Breeders’ Cup Mile horse.”

The Breeders’ Cup will be run at Santa Anita in early November.

“It’s just nice to see this horse come back for Debbie Lanni, who has been a good friend of ours, and for my wife, Jill, who was so excited,” said Baffert.

Temple City now has five stakes winners and nine stakes horses worldwide in 2023, with over $3.3 million in progeny earnings.

Du Jour was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm. His dam Guiltless, who is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Northern Causeway, has produced four winners from as many starters.