A 6 1/2-furlong dash over the main track kicks things off where I prefer fillies with experience over the two first-time starters. #3 Acquitted is my top selection. The Spendthrift Farm homebred took money right into the teeth of Casalu, who is listed as the 7-2-third choice in the Sorrento (G2) later on in the card for a barn that is capable, but not known for having their debut runners fully cranked at first asking. Acquitted was caught in chase mode five-wide in her first start, so I am willing to forgive the off the board finish. Expect a big move forward at a juicy 6-1 ML price. 

#5 Power Connection makes sense coming off a runner-up effort at Los Alamitos and is obviously capable of winning, but is an underlay at anything less than 5-2. #1 So There She Was also chased a Sorrento Stakes entrant in her last start, but it came at Churchill Downs. The Doug O’Neill trainee has had two chances, so her ceiling is a bit more limited but she has every reason to be there at the wire. 

Betting Strategy is to hope we get close to the morning-line price on Acquitted and wager on her to win and kickoff the early double.

Plays: 
Double 3-8
 

A challenging turf sprint with the temporary rails out at 12 feet kicks off the early Pick 4. On paper, it certainly appears #4 Mamba On Three’s race to lose shipping in from Florida for trainer Sam Wilensky. The Big Drama gelding projects to make a loose lead under Edwin Maldonado with the blinkers going on for the first time. The problem is this barn has been unsuccessful this summer with Florida-based horses shipping into Del Mar with just 1 of 5 hitting the board thus far making it tough to swallow the likely short price. Mamba On Three is tough to get overly excited about taking a stand against given his pace advantage but I will take a small swing with #8 My Summer Dream. 

My Summer Dream has not raced since last October when he ran fourth in a similar spot at Santa Anita. For the second consecutive race, a claim was voided on the son of Summer Front and he has been on the sidelines since. Obviously, there are soundness concerns and questions about whether he will need the race, but trainer Jeff Mullins is 6 for 28 over the last five years with horses returning off 180+ day layoffs in turf sprints. The presence of Juan Hernandez adds to the intrigue. 

Betting Strategy is a very small play against the favorite based on the lack of success this barn’s stock has had thus far in Southern California this summer. Not a strong opinion but risking a little could be worthwhile. 

There should be an honest early pace in this first-level allowance event over the main track given the presence of #2 Tranche and #5 Corso’s Pick. Tranche figures to take a step forward after shaking off the rust last out with a speed and fade effort under jockey Hector Berrios. The Collected gelding should be able to put away Corso’s Pick but the wild card and morning line favorite #6 For All Mankind could be the beneficiary. He is a tough read and a horse I am unwilling to take a short price on since he has not raced since his Stateside debut over the Santa Anita lawn in April 2023. His trainer John Sadler is off to a hot start to the summer or else I might take a small swing against.

This first-level allowance event at one-mile over the lawn appears to be void of significant early speed, which bodes well for another Jeff Mullins runner, #5 Nesso’s Lastharrah. The Sharp Azteca colt stretches out to two-turns in his third start off the layoff. From a pedigree standpoint, there is some reason to be concerned with this one’s desire to go a route of ground but he did run well in one of his two tries at one-mile as a 2-year-old. Edwin Maldonado should be able to do what he does best, control things on the front end. 

#1 Rastaman Vibe is just 1 for 10 but has run well over this course. Trainer Peter Eurton takes the blinkers off after finishing within a length of the winner last out despite an unfavorable race shape. He has a big shot to pick up the pieces, as does the Phil D’ Amato duo of #2 Siennois and #4 Night Out. 

Betting strategy will not include a win wager on Nesso’s Lastharrah at his likely price but instead a simple trifecta key with him on top. Not a ton of upside here if wagering goes as expected. 

The first of two stakes races on the card kicks off Saturday’s Pick 6 and to no one’s surprise trainer Bob Baffert holds a strong hand in the 2-year-old event for fillies. The Hall of Fame conditioner has won this event a record seven times but interestingly not since 2015. 

#1 Nooni broke sharp on debut and cruised home at odds of 1-5. The pricey Win Win Win filly looms the clear one to beat at odds-on but is all but certain to be too short of a price to wager on. 

The pace should be contentious in this one-mile starter over the Del Mar sod given the presence of #2 Belmont Bill, #4 Hot Legs Romulo, and #6 Jeweled Shillelagh amongst others. I will lean on a couple of runners that can settle off the pace and come with a big late run, including top choice #1 Jack Kerouac. The 3-year-old gets back to his preferred surface after what looked like a prep over the Los Alamitos main track in early July. He gets a massive rider upgrade to Antonio Fresu and a favorable inside draw. 

I also give a big look to #8 Nashoba’s Joy. The 5-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy returns to the races for the first time since late May. Not in love with trainer Carla Gaines adding blinkers for the first time since the fall of 2022 but he should get the right setup in his first start over the Del Mar sod. 

Betting strategy is to hope for a fast pace upfront and my top two runners to take advantage. I will box them multiple times in an exacta and then key them for first and second, and first and third in the trifecta. 

This statebred special weight event for 2-year-olds is half runners with experience and half first-time starters. I was not overly impressed by those that have already raced, so I will lean on a couple of debut runners that should offer solid value.

#9 Silverado Storm makes his first start for trainer Luis Mendez. Mendez numbers are not what they used to be with debut runners but he still is quite capable of having them ready to roll at first asking. This Heartwood colt is out of a mare that hit the board in each of her first three starts and appears quick based on her morning drills. #10 War is Hell is a huge price on the morning line for a barn that is off to a strong start to the meet and capable with firsters. The Om gelding is a half-brother to Chancery Way, who won his first four starts and is 8 for 16 overall.  

Betting Strategy is to bet Silverado Storm to win and then play both he and War Is Hell with #1 Style Cat, who makes her second start of the meet after a third-place effort on July 21 and #5 Hothead, a debut runner for trainer Mark Glatt who is bred to like the turf and all-weather on the bottom side but has been training well over the main track. 

The second graded stake of the afternoon is the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon and it marks the return of #2 Anisette. The British-bred filly has won five of seven since arriving in the United States last year and is a perfect 2 for 2 over this course. She stands out against this field for trainer Leonard Powell. 

I have little desire to try to beat Anisette, so the question becomes how to find value. I will hope to underneath with #4 Lucky Girl. The 5-year-old mare competed at one-turn in her two starts before the freshening but has travelled a route of ground in the majority of her starts. She should have the tactical speed coming out of sprints to stay close to what could be a moderate early pace. The presence of the red-hot Hector Berrios adds to the intrigue. 

My betting strategy is to try to find value without trying to beat the heavy favorite. I will do so with a cold exacta to Lucky Girl.

As I went through the runners in this low-level claimer on the main track, I kept hoping to find an off the pace runner I could trust. That is because this crew is full of one speed horse after the other. I ended up landing on #4 Carol’s Comic in the end but it is a huge stab coming in off three off the board efforts in a row against similar. That said, he has the right running style and gets a rider upgrade to Abel Cedillo. 

Betting strategy is to bet a few bucks on Carol’s Comic if the price is 12-1 or higher and hope the pace is hot and he gets out of the cleanly for once. This is only worth the gamble at that price or higher.

The card concludes with a wide-open MSW for fillies and mares at five furlongs over the lawn where I found it impossible to fully trust anyone. I landed on #3 Wimberly, who moves back to the lawn for trainer John Sadler. The extremely well-bred Curlin filly ran better than looks on debut over the Santa Anita grass when she struggled to find room along the inside. That said, her return race over the Los Alamitos main track was underwhelming. 

#2 Above All Else, #7 Not A Sinner, #9 Automax, and #10 Cailin Dana all are likely to run their races but none are worthy of a wager.