The Pick 6 eluded handicappers at Del Mar once again on Sunday, meaning there will be an enticing carryover of $238,499 when racing resumes on Wednesday. Wednesday’s carryover pool is expected to go well past $1 million!
Wednesday’s Pick 6, which spans the final six races, begins with race 3. Post time for the third race is 6:09pm ET/3:09pm PT.
Handicapping Del Mar & Saratoga
Brisnet.com has the handicapping reports you need for all your favorite tracks from coast to coast!
Millions of dollars will be wagered on Saratoga and Del Mar and
Wednesday when those two tracks offer more than $500,000 in carryovers
(Del Mar also has a $46,740 Super High 5 carryover!), and Brisnet.com
has the best handicapping information available.
Check out these powerful links:
- Saratoga handicapping information—all info all in one place!
- Ultimate Past Performances available for both tracks
- Daily Selections full-card analysis with best bets available for both tracks
- Bruno With The Works available for both tracks
- Track Stats available for both tracks
- Bob Selvin’s Fair Odds Analysis & Andy Harrington’s National Turf Clocker Report available for Del Mar
- Saratoga Handicapper’s Sheet & Pricci’s late Pick 4 analysis available for Saratoga
Del Mar Racetrack Notebook
by John Mucciolo
July 24, 2013
A pair of graded races on the lawn headlined the opening week at Del Mar Race Course.
Eddie Read S. (G1): B J Wright and Robert LaPenta’s JERANIMO (Congaree) was last early but gradually improved prior to the turn for home and cruised past this field in a classy showing to win by 1 1/2 lengths. The Michael Pender endured 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf in a swift 1:45 4/5 under the guidance of Rafael Bejarano.
San Clemente H. (G2): Glen Hill Farm’s homebred WISHING GATE (Indian Charlie) moved into contention turning for home and gamely fought off the stubborn pacesetter in posting a 1 3/4-length tally beneath Gary Stevens. The Tom Proctor pupil sped a mile on the firm lawn in a snappy 1:33 2/5, posting a second straight score.
Track Stats
From a total of 45 races held at the Southern California racetrack during the past week, favorites won at a 29 percent clip and the top two betting choices combined for 51 percent of the wins. From 29 frays contested on the Polytrack oval, 14 animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (48 percent), while one of the 16 grassy tussles went all the way on the lead (6 percent).
Speed was thoroughly dominant on the main oval during opening week, with 13 of the final 23 main-track races being won in wire-to-wire fashion. It was a strong bias.
Horses tracking the pace while in the three path or wider had to be tons the best to win we thought, and horses who didn’t have speed but saved ground to the stretch had the best chance of the off the pace runners.
The lone turf wire job come in the form of a five-furlong sprint, and we saw a bunch of horses come from way back to win on the lawn this week.
Meet Totals
RACES: 45
POLYTRACK: 29
TURF: 16
FAVORITES: 13 (29 percent)
2ND CHOICES: 10 (22 percent)
TURF WIRE: 1 (6 percent)
POLY WIRE: 14 (48 percent)
HORSES TO WATCH
Wednesday (7/17)
5TH — The Blake Heap-trained MOVING DESERT (Desert Code) was well backed and deservedly so, sweeping to the front in early stretch and powering home a three-length graduate under Joel Rosario. This juvenile miss could be a solid Cal-bred with expected improvement and we would not be surprised to see her head into the stakes ranks next time.
Trainer Peter Eurton rarely wins with first-time starters, so when BETTY BING BING (Surf Cat) rallied well to be a clear second, we took notice. We envision this one breaking her maiden at this meeting.
6TH — FREAKIN’ ROCKET (Rock Hard Ten) was unbeaten in his first two runs in fine fashion and we really liked this third-place showing in his stakes and turf debut for conditioner Tim Yakteen. The colt has a stakes trophy with his name on it somewhere out there.
Thursday (7/18)
1ST — MINDS EYES (Macho Uno) responded to the trainer switch and time off in a nice way, putting in a fine late run to be a clear second under Julien Leparoux. The John Sadler charge should only improve off of this and should be plenty live in his comeback.
3RD — VALLARTA (Silver Train) was bet to 99-1 odds but showed good pace and didn’t have the cleanest of trips in finishing a sneaky good fifth. The sophomore filly was steadied when on the inside behind the winner around the far turn and we think that compromised her chances for a better finish. We’ll use her next time at another expected price, following this marked improvement.
7TH — RENEESGOTZIP (City Zip) gave this fantastic field little chance from the start when outrunning this field in devastating fashion for trainer Peter Miller. The classy four-year-old showed no rust in making her 2013 debut today, finishing 5 1/4 lengths clear in a most facile and impressive score.
EXECUTIVEPRIVILEGE (First Samurai) had little hope of running down the winner, but the multiple Grade 1 winner showed a nice turn of foot to be second in her first run in 2013. The Bob Baffert pupil was facing older horses, and good ones at that, and she should be a lot stronger next time with a bit more ground to work with.
Friday (7/19)
6TH — The John Shirreffs-trained ROOKIE SENSATION (Unbridled’s Song) made a big late run into the lane and just missed in a fine runner-up showing under Victor Espinoza. The sophomore colt was well clear of third while getting his final five-sixteenths in a rapid :28 4/5.
Saturday (7/20)
4TH — SOI PHET (Tizbud) showed big early speed on an oval favoring the running style and never looked back en route to a 6 1/2-length dusting for trainer Leonard Powell. The five-year-old gelding has dominated two fields in succession on two different ovals, and has clearly never been better.
6TH — GUNS LOADED (d’Wildcat) was clearly ready to roll at first asking for Cody Autrey, showing big speed and fighting off a stern test in the lane to earn a 1 1/2-length score under Joe Talamo. The juvenile colt took money in this debut and could deserve a stakes try with improvement expected next out.
SOUTHERN FREEDOM (Pure Prize) seemed outrun early on but really kicked into gear late in a closing third, a neck shy of second, for conditioner Jerry Hollendorfer. The first time starter showed us enough to make us think he will graduate next time.
7TH — HEAT TRAP (Unusual Heat) suffered her first defeat in this dash but made a big late run to be second, finishing more than six lengths clear of third in the process. The Carla Gaines trainee has fired big in each lifetime try and seems like a candidate to evolve into a stakes player with more experience.
Sunday (7/21)
1ST — SOCIALBUG (Curlin), a half-sister to dual champion Midnight Lute, surely looked like a chip off the old block with a wire-to-wire score at first asking. The Bob Baffert pupil overcame the rail draw in her debut in posting a solid final time over a decent field of prospects. The sky is the limit for this filly in our opinion.
FANTICOLA (Silent Name) put in a stern late run to be a nice second off the year long break and the Mike Mitchell has run a pair of good ones in her lifetime. We’d envision this one will break her maiden and do some good things beyond that, with expected improvement.
6TH — Baffert unveiled another fine juvenile filly in SPRING MOON (Zensational), who was an awesome four-length winner in this spot at first asking. The gray lass poured it on late in a fast-closing run, and we think she’s the most impressive two-year-old filly we’ve seen on this circuit this summer.
A Look Ahead
The weekend feature at Del Mar is Sunday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Bing Crosby Handicap. Also slated in the graded ranks is the Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap on Saturday and Friday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Cougar II Handicap.