Wake Up Nick wins Graduation Stakes at Del Mar
DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) Wake Up Nick won the $100,000 Graduation Stakes for California-bred 2-year-olds by 4 1/4 lengths at Del Mar on Wednesday.
Ridden by Mario Gutierrez, Wake Up Nick ran 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04.49 and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10 as the 3-5 favorite. He improved to 3-0 for trainer Doug O'Neill.
''These 2-year-olds, a lot of them aren't sure about what they're doing so you don't want to mess around with them too much,'' Gutierrez said. ''He's a nice horse. I think he'll run farther, too. Little by little, he'll get there.''
Atta' Boy Woody returned $3 and $2.20, while Global Magician was another length back in third and paid $3.20 to show.
The victory, worth $57,000, increased Wake Up Nick's career earnings to $165,600.