Summer Soiree comes west, takes Del Mar Oaks

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - East Coast imports Summer Soiree and rider Gabriel Saez held off a late charge from local Star Billing on Saturday to win the Grade 1, $250,000 Del Mar Oaks.

Trained by Graham Motion and Team Valor International, the same connections as May's Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom, Summer Soiree first took the lead on the backstretch and had surged to a 5 1/2-length lead entering the homestretch, but had to turn back a challenge from Star Billing to win by a half-length, covering 1 1-8 miles on turf in 1:46.46.

``I knew we were going a little quick early, but she was comfortable,'' said Saez, after the win in his first mount at Del Mar. ``She handled it all well. She liked the turf.''

Summer Soiree paid $6, $4.40 and $3.60. Star Billing paid $5.20 and $4.20. Nereid, Star Billing's stablemate from the barn of John Shirreffs, was a nose back in third and returned $4.40 to show.

It was the fifth win in 11 starts for Summer Soiree, who increased her earnings to $371,680.

Motion's assistant David Rock said the trainer sent her to Del Mar because the Oaks was ``a Grade 1 on firm turf and she ships well.''