Caracortado wins Del Mar Mile

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) - Caracortado surged to the lead in the final stride to beat Mr. Commons by a nose in Saturday's $200,000 Del Mar Mile with less than a length separating the first four finishers.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Caracortado ran the distance on the turf in 1:34.24 and paid $4.80, $2.60 and $2.40 as the 7-5 favorite. He covered the last quarter in 22 seconds flat.

``That's really moving. This horse can do that,'' Talamo said.

Mr. Commons returned $3.60 and $3, while Calimonco was another half-length back in third and paid $4 to show. Victory Pete was a head back in fourth.

``I know we only just got there, but I was confident,'' Talamo said. ``He's been coming from too far back and not getting there. But today he was up closer and I was very confident; I could feel I had a lot of horse under me.''

It was Caracortado's first win since January, when he won the Sunshine Millions at Santa Anita. The victory, worth $120,000, increased the 4-year-old chestnut gelding's career earnings to $774,105, with eight wins in 17 starts.