Pick 3 of the Week: Del Mar Saturday, August 22

I will aim at a three-race sequence at Del Mar on Saturday that features a pair of exciting maiden races as the bookends and a deep turf dash in the middle. 

Race 4 Wager

$2 Pick 3: 3,5,7 with 1,6 with 3,4,7 ($36)

Race 4 – Maiden Special Weight

Seven juveniles will go one mile on the main oval in the first leg, and I will use each of the three most expensive first-timers in the heat. #3 Babe’s Empire is a half-brother to a Canadian champion, and the $525,000 Curlin colt is working like a runner in advance of his debut. Florent Geroux will ride.

Top pick #5 Motga brought seven figures at OBS in March and will be tough to upend if he runs close to his sales price with Juan Hernandez riding. #7 Psalm, a full-brother to nice sire Maximus Mischief, was a $1.25 million yearling buy and has trained forwardly in preparation for this unveiling. 

Race 5 – Green Flash H. (G2)

#1 Monster will make his California debut for trainer Jose D’Angelo and is the one to catch from the fence. The Leinster colt will face his elders in the heat, but he ran a big one at Saratoga last time and also figures to appreciate the cut back to five-eighths under Jaramillo.

#6 Motorius has won this race three times and has to be on the ticket for D’Amato. The eight-year-old was a smart second in his seasonal debut on the surface on July 19 and will improve second time back beneath Antonio Fresu. He will make one run from well off the early tempo. 

Race 6 – Maiden Special Weight

A cast of 11 juvenile fillies will speed 5 1/2 panels on the main oval in the final piece of the play. #3 Miss Midterm might be better suited to turf racing, but the filly shows a pair of good gate drills on the course and is by fine freshman sire Early Voting. The $210,000 juvenile buy will have Kimura signed on. 

I expect #4 Dear Diary to show speed in her unveiling for Mandella, who always has a sharp debut runner or two at this meeting. The Into Mischief filly will have Mike Smith in the irons, which is a positive. #7 Confetti Rain, one of two in the heat for O’Neill, is by 17% debut sire Girvin and shows positive morning moves on the strip for a trainer who continues to have a fine meeting. Jaramillo will be up.