Treasure Beach’s July success winds up with Cajun Treasure’s score at Del Mar

Treasure Beach’s July surge made it out to Del Mar yesterday, where lightly-raced Cajun Treasure won at a mile on the grass carrying 125 pounds, hopefully free of the physical problems he no doubt has suffered from since he was purchased for $250,000 at the 2017 OBS April sale.

After his purchase, Cajun Treasure didn’t race at two, and only went to the post three times as a 3-year-old. After a break of seven months, he came back to race five times at four in 2019, winning once, then was off for 10 months before returning for two off-the-board preps at Santa Anita this season.

The now 5-year-old gelding didn’t look anything like a horse with problems yesterday. Umberto Rispoli took him out quickly from the No. 1 post and he settled in fourth along the rail down the backstretch. Rispoli urged him forward heading to the turn and when they reached the top of the stretch, the field was so bunched up that any of seven were in position to win it. But Cajun Treasure proved to be the best of the lot, prevailing by one-half length over Honos Man, both of whom went off at 3-1.

Cajun Treasure completed the mile in a solid 1:34.97, becoming winner No. 27 for Treasure Beach this year. He earned a check for $13,800, raising his career total to $82,462, and Treasure Beach moved up a notch to seventh place on Florida’s leading sire list with earnings of $755,978.