The Horses to Watch feature from DRF Simulcast Weekly will be posted every Thursday during the Del Mar meet. Horses from the last three weeks of the Hollywood Park meet are also below.
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly September 12
Brief Contact
TRAINER: Julio Canani
LAST RACE: Sept. 1, 4th
FINISH: 4th by 9
Second-time starter faced difficult task of running long after only one sprint prep and was compromised by rail bias. Should be ready to win filly-mare maiden route during Oak Tree meet at Santa Anita.
Belbart
TRAINER: Rafael Becerra
LAST RACE: Sept. 4, 2nd
FINISH: 3rd by 5
Juvenile maiden-claimer was all but eliminated in Cal-bred dash, but still made it a race. Stumbled badly at start, steadied sharply into turn, re-rallied, and finished well.
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly September 5
Travel Alarm
TRAINER: Bill Spawr
LAST RACE: Aug. 28, 9th
FINISH: 7th by 13
No excuse finishing up the track in $25,000 claiming route, but may improve on the barn change. Claimed from Nick Hines by high-percentage Spawr, this front-runner might be spotted in California-bred stakes this fall.
Mea Domina
TRAINER: Ron McAnally
LAST RACE: Aug. 28, 10th
FINISH: 1st by 1 1/4 lengths
Maiden filly stretched out to two turns, switched to turf, and ran like a potential stakes filly. Trapped behind tiring leaders into the stretch, angled outside, and unleashed turn of foot to win clear. Up the ladder.
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly August 29
Mt. Silver
TRAINER: Rafael Becerra
Last race: Aug. 18, 3rd
Finish: 3rd by 1
Maiden-claiming sprinter took up and lost position on turn, shuffled back, then re-rallied outside but couldn't get to leaders in fast $50,000 maiden-claimer. Ready to win against similar.
Risky Weather
Trainer: Mike Machowsky
Last race: Aug. 19, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 2
Was badly compromised when labor crew interfered with field in race. Steadied and swerved outward at quarter pole to avoid contact, lost momentum, then finished well.
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly August 22
Lava Man
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Last race: Aug. 13, 1st
Finish: 2nd by 4
Three-year-old turf specialist was no match for runaway winner in $50,000 claiming race, but was claimed by stable with a history of moving up recent purchases.
Dominiques Darling
Trainer: Jason Orman
Last race: Aug. 14, 9th
Finish: 1st by 3 1/2
First-time starter cruised despite racing five-wide through turn. Bred to improve running long (by Deputy Minister, out of a Theatrical mare).
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly August 15
Navaja
Trainer: Roger Stein
Last race: Aug. 2, 3rd
Finish: 5th by 5
Import from New Zealand was given a schooling run in first-condition turf allowance for fillies and mares. Certain to move way up now that she's had a prep.
Dover Dere
Trainer: Doug O'Neill
Last race: Aug. 7, 6th
Finish: 3rd by 5 3/4
First-time starter by Cherokee Run lacked speed, saved ground, picked up steam through turn and into lane, finished fast, and galloped out super past wire in fast race. Showed plenty of run, definitely wants longer.
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly August 8
Runestone
Trainer: Jack Carava
Last Race: July 28, 5th
Finish: 6th by 7 1/2
First-time starter showed promise despite tough trip in sprint. Broke slowly from rail, trapped behind horses and waited for room on turn, finished well once clear, galloped out strongly.
De La Costa
Trainer: John Sadler
Last Race: July 29, 7th
Finish: 5th by 3 3/4
Compromised by slow pace in N1X turf allowance. Rated near rear, four wide into stretch, finished well in race dominated by front-runners.
- Brad Free
Del Mar - DRF Simulcast Weekly August 1
Kinship
Trainer: Julio Canani
Last Race: July 21, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by nose
Maiden-claiming speedster bobbled at the start, and it cost him the race. Looks like an odds-on winner next time against similar.
Ring of Friendship
Trainer: Paddy Gallagher
Last Race: July 25, 6th
Finish: 4th by 1 1/4
Front-runner ran too good to lose in first-condition turf route for Cal-breds, and may wire a similar field later this meet. Hounded through fast pace (45.93 and 1:10.21), opened up, weakened late.
- Brad Free
Hollywood Park - DRF Simulcast Weekly July 25
Head of the House
Trainer: Paco Gonzalez
Last Race: July 14, 5th
Finish: 2nd by 3/4
This 3-year-old was in contention in a turf sprint when he was bumped by a rival who ducked in past the eighth pole. The incident arguably cost him the win in a statebred allowance race.
Bonaire
Trainer: Neil Drysdale
Last Race: July 15, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 1/4
Making her U.S. debut, this French group stakes winner was away slowly, but rallied well to finish third in a turf sprint. She could be a factor in sprints or at a mile.
- Steve Andersen
Hollywood Park - DRF Simulcast Weekly July 18
Quiet Cash
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last Race: July 5, 10th
Finish: 6th by 6 3/4
Making his first start since March, this colt was in tight on the first turn and again on the second turn.
Sultan Bey
Trainer: Alfredo Marquez
Last Race: July 10, 10th
Finish: 7th by 9
Lost all chance when he was bumped and shut off at the start of a starter allowance for sprinters.
- Steve Andersen
Hollywood Park - DRF Simulcast Weekly July 11
Memo House
Trainer: Bill Spawr
Last Race: June 30, 8th
Finish: 6th by 7 1/2
This maiden claimer had rally interrupted with a troubled trip in traffic on the final turn. Clear trip may lead to win against maidens.
This Wizard Rocks
Trainer: Dan Dunham
Last Race:July 4, 1st
Finish: 3rd by 10
In his first start, he broke slowly and rallied well to finish third. He would not have threatened the winner, but could have run closer with a better break.
- Steve Andersen
|
