Del Mar: Picks and plays for the Desi Arnaz and Bob Hope Stakes

Potential Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1) contenders are slated to take the spotlight at Del Mar this weekend.

Sunday’s $100,000 Bob Hope (G3) for 2-year-olds is the highlight from a class perspective, but Saturday's $100,000 Desi Arnaz S. for 2-year-old fillies has drawn a deeper field.

Let’s put together a $30 exacta ticket for each race.

Saturday, Race 8: Desi Arnaz S. (7 p.m. ET)

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert (4-for-7 to start the Del Mar meet) has saddled future Grade 1 winners Dream Tree and Chasing Yesterday to win two of the last three editions of the Desi Arnaz. He’ll send out three more promising fillies in search of victory in Saturday’s renewal of the 6 1/2-furlong sprint, but determining which one is the most likely winner is easier said than done.

#2 Private Mission might start as the favorite after posting a sharp maiden win sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita. Favored at 1-1, the daughter of Into Mischief tracked fractions of :21.83 and :45.23 before pouncing to victory by 1 3/4 lengths. A $750,000 yearling purchase, Private Mission posted a field-best 91 Brisnet Speed rating and continues to train sharply.

But #4 Varda already boasts a win at Del Mar, throwing down an 88 Brisnet Speed rating when beating stablemate #8 Heels Up by 3 1/4 lengths during the summer. Varda has also proven her class against graded stakes company, finishing second in the 1 1/16-mile Chandelier (G2). Cutting back in distance should suit this $700,000 2-year-old acquisition just fine, and hot jockey Abel Cedillo (a 50% winner with Baffert over the last 60 days) picks up the mount.

Let’s box Private Mission and Varda in the exacta and hope they run 1-2 in either order.

$15 exacta box: 2,4 ($30)

Sunday, Race 8: Bob Hope (G3, 7 p.m. ET)

Baffert has been even more dominant in the 7-furlong Bob Hope than in the Desi Arnaz, saddling 10 winners overall, and six winners in the last nine years. With this in mind, it’s going to be tough for anyone to take down #2 Spielberg.

Sold for $1 million as a yearling, Spielberg has run well twice against Grade 1 company, finishing second in the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and third in the American Pharoah (G1). Most recently, the son of Union Rags fired off a big effort in a 1-mile maiden race at Del Mar, battling to a narrow victory over the talented Parnelli while leaving the rest 8 1/4 lengths behind.

Cutting back to 7 furlongs should suit Spielberg just fine, so let’s play him over Best Pal (G2) winner and Del Mar Futurity (G1) third-place finisher #3 Weston in a straight exacta.

$30 exacta: 2 with 3

Good luck!