Friday, July 25, 2014

SAN DIEGO HANDICAP SATURDAY AT DEL MAR

Frac Daddy inherits San Diego favoritism


Frac Daddy is three-for-four on Polytrack

Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Diego Handicap was supposed to mark Dance With Fate's first foray versus older horses, until tragedy intervened. The Blue Grass winner was involved in a freak training accident Thursday morning, and unfortunately, his injuries proved too severe to save him.

Dance With Fate was the likely favorite for the 1 1/16-mile San Diego. With the void left by his sudden passing, synthetic specialist Frac Daddy now inherits the favorite's mantle in this local prep for the track's centerpiece event, the $1 million Pacific Classic on August 24.

Frac Daddy invades for conditioner Kenny McPeek following a runner-up finish in the Grade 3 Dominion Day at Woodbine July 1. The gray four-year-old posted a sharp tally in the Grade 3 Ben Ali on Keeneland's Polytrack earlier this season, scoring by 4 3/4 lengths, and romped by five lengths in the Grade 2 Eclipse at Woodbine two starts back. The front-running Scat Daddy colt will pick up a new rider in Joe Talamo.

Imperative was unplaced in his lone previous appearance over Del Mar's Polytrack, but the Bernardini gelding is two for four on all-weather tracks and can't be dismissed from win consideration in this spot. Trained by George Papaprodromou, the four-year-old has really come on since being claimed last December, recording a win in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic and a runner-up finish in the Grade 2 San Antonio, and Imperative exits a decent third in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita. Regular rider Kent Desormeaux will be up.


Fed Biz posted a game win over Goldencents in his last appearance on Del Mar's Polytrack (Benoit Photo)
Fed Biz, who captured the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien going seven furlongs at Del Mar two starts back, will make his 2014 debut for Bob Baffert. The five-year-old horse was last seen finishing sixth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, but he's a perfect two for two at Del Mar and rates as a dangerous contender if ready to go off the shelf. Martin Garcia rides.

Multiple Grade 3 winner Summer Hit is a hard-hitting gelding from the barn of Jerry Hollendorfer and won last year's Harry Brubaker in his lone start on Del Mar's Polytrack. You Know I Know finished third in last year Pacific Classic and defeated allowance/optional claiming foes in his other start locally.

Soi Phet is three for three on Del Mar's main track and enters in good form, posting an easy win over state-bred stakes foes at Los Alamitos on July 3. He is cross-entered to Friday's Grade 3 Cougar II.

Earlier on the program, eight California-bred sophomore fillies will square off in the Fleet Treat at seven furlongs and unbeaten Sunday Rules figures to be a prohibitive favorite. A smashing 8 1/2-length winner of the restricted Generous Portion at Del Mar last year, the Philip d'Amato-trained daughter of Tribal Rules returned to the races this year with an 8 3/4-length allowance romp at Santa Anita June 26. She earned a field-best 100 BRIS Speed rating for the effort and will keep Mike Smith in the irons for her second start back.

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