Casino Host wins Del Mar Handicap

DEL MAR, Calif. (AP) – Casino Host held off 6-5 favorite Dhaamer by a neck Saturday in the $200,000 Del Mar Handicap.

Ridden by Joe Talamo, Casino Host ran 1 3/8 miles on the Jimmy Durante turf course in 2:14.77 and paid $9.60, $4.20 and $3.40.

Dhaamer returned $3 and $2.60, while Fire With Fire was another length back in third and paid $6 to show.

The victory, worth $120,000, increased Casino Host’s career earnings to $575,175, with four wins in 15 starts. With his win, the 4-year-old horse earned an automatic berth in the $3 million Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita.

Talamo rode two other winners on the card, while Martin Garcia had two winners, leaving him one shy of 1,000 for his career.