Del Mar Opening Day

                              

The 72 season begins this season at Del Mar "Where the turf meets the surf ". Good luck and let's make some money.

                



RACE 1

The line-up includes the following:

1. Eye On Jacob.... He cuts back in distance for trainer Bob Baffert. He stretched out in his last race. He ran into two talented runners Shrug and Oilsblackandgold. I expect he will be stalking the speed which is the outside horse Arcodoro. The ran is void of any pure speed types.

2. Galleta Monstruo.... He got beat by Eye On Jacob two races back. He has the right closing style for stretch run at Del Mar. He has the most wins of this field.

3.  Balboa Bay.....did not beat much in his maiden win... but he did step up and win his starter allowance last time out.

4. Times Goes By....won twice at Del Mar. O'Neil claimed him for 50 G's......... so beware as Bejarano rides for this deadly trainer and jockey combo.

5. Big Business..... facing winners for the first time for trainer Mike Harrington. He has talent. He race with Dreamy Kid and Cookinlet two races back. He was not disgraced..... a player with double digit odds.

6. Kettle Corn.....like the Candy Ride pedigree.... John Sadler trains this shipper. He has won three times out of seven starts. A contender.

7. Price..... exits the best race with Sway Away. Zucker removes the blinkers for the first time. I expect a big performance. He can flat out close.... so he should love the short stretch at Del Mar.

8. Arcodoro.....looks to be the speed of this race. He was claimed for 25 G's for Cecil who hits at 33% first time off the claim. He likes Del Mar. He should be pressing the pace in a paceless race.

            1. Eye On Jacob.... nice tune up
            2. Price....no Sway Away here
            3. Time Goes By....loves the beach
            4. Kettle Corn....longshot play for Sadler




RACE 2

A route turf race for non winners of two for the claiming price of 25 G's. Red Scare adds the blinkers in a paceless race with Battle School. If you can give Red Scare a free pass for his last start, he might improve with the addition of blinkers. Battle School needed his last start for trainer Doug O'Neil. I expect he will be a short price favorite. He is a contender. This race looks suspect on paper....the field looks like plodder's except Red Scare but threw in the towel his last race. The blinkers can only help him. None of these turf horse are scary. One Nation claimed by O'Neil this year had a troubled start in his last race. The drop can only help. The blinkers go on King Ledley. He is on the upswing and in form.

     $20 Place on King Ledley





RACE 3

A sprint race for three year olds for the claiming price of 12 G's. Devour has been freshen up for five months for trainer Doug O'Neil who seems to have alot of fresh live horses. His main rival looks to be his stable-mate Sir Ed. He was claimed for 16 G's on May 28th. He won against older state restricted company. He had to need his last start for much faster then this group. Bejarano rides is a up-grade. Regroup trained by Hendricks just might enjoy the beach weather. I expect a big performance today.

          1. Regroup....been training solid
          2. Sir Ed....the horse to beat
          3. Devour... fresh for O'Neil
          4. Warren's Gus... weight off...never run this low

Pick Three  1,3,6,7 with 1,2,10 with 8  $12.00





RACE 4            Maiden Special Fillies Two Year Old

A full strong field of ten fillies sprinting at five furlongs. The line-up includes:

1. Mia Isbela..... gets the rail so she must clear with no traffic problems. Her first race she lost a head bob. A contender that will close down the stretch.

2. Smoke Train..... A first time starter who is well bred by Medaglio D'Oro out of a Stormy Spell dam....Dean Greenman has Mike Smith taking the mount. On pedigree....this filly at 20 to 1 looks scary...

3. Cavallata......A first time starter trained by Dan Hendricks. Joel Rosario does not ride alot for this barn. She has been working fast in the morning time. I expect she is live first time out for the leading jockey at the Wood.

4. Lady Fairbanks.....She shortens up in distance for trainer Dollase as Victor re-rides her after finishing fifth out of 12 runners. She should move up big time in her second career start.

5. Love My Way....by the sire of Pomeroy who hits at a clip of 17% first time winners. The dam has two winners from three starters. Not bad with Go-Go up for trainer Michael Machowsky. She is bred for speed with two fast gate drills. A contender.

6. Punch Drunk..... Peter Miller who trains Majestic City sends this filly out in her debut. She looks live first time out.... and bred to be quick and fast. This daughter of pulpit will be over-looked by the public as Tyler Baze rides this interesting live longshot.

7. Weemissfrankie....Peter Eurton trains as Bejarano rides this first time starter who has been training like a speed demon. She looks fit and ready to fire first time out.

8. Sweet Nothings....She was the favorite in her debut. She pressed the pace then faded after getting collared down the back stretch by Mia Isbela. She needs to improve her game to beat this field.

9. Act Sweet......trained by a cagey trainer this first time starter has modest works as Santiago rides.

10. Cha Cha Latte..... great outside post position for trainer Kathy Walsh. She ran into a buzz saw getting second in her debut. She has the highest speed figures of this field. I expect she will be the favorite at post time.

          1. Cha Cha Latte
          2. Smoke Train
          3. Mia Isbela
          4. Punch Drunk








RACE 5            Maiden Special Weight Turf One Mile


The contenders look to be on the outside post position. Correspondent's career began in Keenland then Churchill then Hollywood and now Del Mar. She has been the beaten favorite in her last two races. She takes on a modest field on maidens. At one mile she should relish this distance with speed and tactical speed to get the job done with Bejarano riding her. She collared Simply Carina down the stretch in her last race. I expect to win this she will need to kick clear of Simply Carina again. Honey Prize's first race she ran third to Zalu and Nereid. She had to need her last start switching to the turf for the first time sprinting. She goes long today. Smith re-rides her again.

The speed of the race looks to be Born Lucky. She goes from sprint to route..... and not a stretch in distance for her. She looks to be the upsetter as the trainer hits at 30% when he makes this move from dirt to turf.

         1. Correspondent
         2. Simply Carina
         3. Born Lucky





RACE 6

A sprint for the condition of non-winners of two for a claiming price of 25 G's. A good betting race with a full field of horses. The pace scenario looks to have Steiner pressing the pace with Memphis Mobster and P-Val's horse Fire In Excess. Rosario should have the class dropper Domonation stalking the lead. He faces much easier company in this spot. He ran with some tough customers like Concord Point and Twirling Candy. He beat Korbin two back and Korbin came back and won at Hollywood. On class alone he is the one to fear with Sadler and Rosario a deadly trainer and jockey combo. The last time we saw him at Del Mar he was in the Oceanside on opening day.


            1.  Fire In Excess.... fresh with cagey trainer
            2.  Back At You..... better sprinting
            3.  Get My Fix.....new barn
            4.  Memphis Mobster.... Steiner has big look
           



RACE 7

The pace looks to be fast and contested with Sugar Spike, Jade Talyor and Fullbridled Sis on the lead. Desparate Measures a horse I have followed has been freshened up for this race. She is a talented filly that likes Del Mar. She has tactical speed that can flat out stalk the pace and close mid-stretch to win under Patrick Valenzuela. Cayanna has been off for nine months. She looks scary if she is fit. Her works indicate that she is really fit.


          1. Desparate Measures
          2. Money Lover
          3. Jade Talyor



RACE 8    

               OCEANSIDE STAKES ONE MILE TURF

The feature opening day race is the Oceanside Stakes restricted to three year olds at a distance of one mile on the turf. The lineup includes the following ten horses:

1. Akkadian adds the blinkers for Julio Canani. He tells this group come catch me if you can breaking from the inside post. His only lost on turf was with a slow pace. He finished fourth in the cushion track race at Hollywood the Affirmed a grade three race. He looms large as he will try to steal this race.

2. Burns.... He looks better on turf as he is a stretch-runner that has a good turn of foot. He looks to have put it all together. He shortens up to one mile. If the speed melts-down....look to him to close a ton of ground.... A major player with double digit odds.

3. Mr. Commons..... is bred for the turf. He looked awesome smoking maidens going down the hill at Santa Anita. He is the horse to fear with this group on turf.  He switched to dirt where he won a allowance race then finished third in the Santa Anita Derby. He ran a disappointing eighth in the Pimlico Stakes. Mike Smith re-rides when he won on turf at Santa Anita Park. A major plus! The son of Artie Schiller has the highest speed figures in this field.


4. Fort Hastings... look who climbs aboard for Jerry Hollendorfer.. the leading rider of Hollywood Park Joel Rosario. He makes his U.S. debut. He has the look of a horse that can finish with a excellent turf of foot. . He has been training "very well". A 220 G price tag who is three -for-five on the turf.

5. Moment Of Weakness... was fourth behind Temple Door in the Tsunami Slew at Hollywood. Rosario goes to Fort Hastings. Red Hot David Flores will ride.
6. Temple's  Door....lightly raced....He was flat last time out finishing third ahead of Moment Of Weakness but could not get to the winner Midnight Interlude. He is facing easier foes in this race restricted to horses that have not won a stakes worth 50 G's.  He is very talented..... I expect a big performance today!


7. Robbie's War....love the pedigree.... He will need to step it up as Cassidy trains and Victor rides. He does have a good closing style.

8. Extensive.......Florida Cup Sophomore Turf Stakes winner finished third to Willcox Inn in the Arlington Classic. He is trained by the cagey Tom Proctor as Garrett Gomez picks up the mount.

9. Macho D.......He has won 4 races out of ten starts for ex-jockey Vann Belvoir. He faces much faster horses. He gets the acid test on class. It would be a shock if he won.

10. Chosen  Miracle.....blinkers go on for this Ghostzapper dude trained by Hollendorfer. He first two races were very good. He is bred for the turf. He looks live as a interesting live longshot with Bejarano riding.


              1. Mr. Commons...top billing
              2. Burns....improving
              3. Temple's Door....lightly raced and talented




RACE 9    

Gilligan is seeking his fourth straight win. Mike Mitchell sends out two top contenders in this one mile route race for 16 G's. Whirling Thunder claimed for 25 G's ships west. The pace looks to have Deputiformer a new face pressing the pace. Dallas Keen trains as Flores rides. Check out his last three works....... fast with bullets... I would have like to see a work out at Del Mar. Courtside Action will press the pace with P-Val re-riding. North Fork is the horse for the course..... He has been off since last October but if fit....he was never lost at Del Mar. This race has a tough cast of characters.

           1. North Fork...loves the beach
           2. Gilligan....seeking 4th win
           3. Deputiformer....fits with these with speed


RACE 10               Maiden Sprint 20 G

Gahnzo Bob adds the blinkers showing speed at the maiden special weight level. This is a huge drop in class and if his wheels have not come off he is the one to fear at five and half furlongs. Why the drop in class is my main concern.  Cabo San Lucas is a professional maiden with early speed. It's his late speed that is my concern. Ignited drops for Eric K. as Bejarano stays with this live one with good speed. A contender to win.  Another Candy Ride first time starter for Jerry Hollendorfer.....Don't Stop Ridin' looks very live first time out. You Little Devil only needs a clean break to make him a horse to contend with down the short stretch in the nightcap. Omega Storm might just be the bomb in the nightcap on opening day.

          1. Omega Storm....re-bounds
          2. You Little Devil...needs clean break
          3. Gahnzo Bob/ Ignited....droppers