Harris Farms Connected Trifecta in Solana Beach S. at Del Mar

Courtesy of Del Mar Publicity Del Mar, CA – (August 15, 2021) – For the second year in a row, Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams’ Pulpit Rider was up in the very last stride to win by a nose in the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes.

The now 6-year-old mare by the late sire Lucky Pulpit benefitted from a heady ride by Del Mar’s top jockey, Flavien Prat, and caught Legacy Ranch’s Nardini (by Acclamation, foaled and raised at Harris Farms) right on the wire. This was actually Pulpit Rider’s third straight start in the Solana Beach. In 2019 she finished second, but was disqualified back to sixth for interference.

“I rode her with a lot of confidence,” said Prat. “Mike (trainer Puype) gave me that confidence. He said she was ready and to ride her that way. I thought I’d won the bob at the end, but you don’t know about those things. It worked out.”

The winner, who is trained by Mike Puype, ran the mile on grass in 1:34.21 in the Cal-bred headliner. She picked up a check from $85,500 for her efforts and moved her bankroll up to $563,177. Pulpit Rider now shows a racing line that reads 29-7-1-5.

“She gives a good account of herself every time,” said Puype. “The record speaks for itself. She’s up over $550,000 in earnings and that’s a heck of a resume for a Cal-bred. She’s healthy, she’s sound and not showing she’s nearing retirement. (Laughs) I’d like to think she could run in this next year but that’s up to the owners. Great ride by Flavien today. I don’t know if you’ll see her again during the meeting but maybe in November.”

Pulpit Rider returned $16.60, $6.20 and $3.00 across the board. Nardini paid $9.40 and $3.60, while Benjamin and Sally Warren’s Warren’s Showtime (foaled and raised at Harris Farms), the race favorite, paid $2.20 to show.