Achiever’s Legacy contends with speed bias in dirt sprint
DEL MAR, Calif. – Speed and chalk dominated dirt races during opening week of the Del Mar fall meet, as 20 of 21 winners were positioned within 1 1/4 lengths of the lead at the first pace call, including 12 winning favorites.
It was a different story on turf, where the 13 races were won by a variety of closers, pressers, and front-runners such as Chips All In and Uzziel on Sunday. The course played fairly, and favorites won three.
The profiles will be reexamined Thursday, when Del Mar begins Week 2 of the Bing Crosby fall meet. A second-level allowance sprint for fillies and mares and a first-level allowance at 1 3/8 miles on dirt are co-features on a card with conspicuously small fields.
Eight races Thursday attracted 52 entrants. The 6.5-runner average sadly mirrors the first week of the meet, when field size averaged 7.4. That represents a decline of one starter per race from opening week of the inaugural Del Mar fall meet last year.
The good news is that fields increase Friday, with 71 horses entered in eight races. As for Thursday, the richest races are early on the card. The Grade 1-placed comebacker Achiever’s Legacy is the most accomplished in race 3, but her closing style bucks the speed-friendly profile.
Jerry Hollendorfer trains Achiever’s Legacy and Distinta, a stakes-placed filly from Florida making her California debut. Those two meet front-runners Pica and Senza Fina as well as Ultimate Holiday.
Race 4 is a turf marathon in which pace dynamics are conspicuous. The Hollendorfer-trained Nahem is the only front-runner in the race. The 7-year-old gelding figures to shake loose over five rivals, including Unusually Green and Mr T Bird.
The turf rails will be set at six feet. The rails were positioned at 12 feet during opening week.
Key contenders
Race 3
Achiever’s Legacy (Last 3 Beyers: 84-82-78)
* A 3-year-old by City Zip, Achiever’s Legacy was considered a Kentucky Oaks candidate in the spring after placing in graded stakes at Santa Anita and Oaklawn Park. She has won 2 of 9 and will be making her first start since April. She won a minor sprint stakes on synthetic footing last fall at Del Mar, and her comeback works are sharp. Martin Garcia will ride.
Pica (Last 3 Beyers: 75-84-50)
* Eddie Truman trains Pica, a 4-for-14 mare returning from a three-month freshening. Ty Kennedy, an apprentice who rides with a seven-pound weight allowance, has the mount.
* Her most recent start on dirt was a sharp allowance win in April, and she figures to get a favorable trip setting or pressing the pace over a surface that was kind to her style during opening week.
Race 4
Nahem (Last 3 Beyers: 81-83-81)
* Nahem is an 8-for-35 gelding trying the longest race of his career. He finished third last out at 1 1/4 miles.
* Hollendorfer has claimed Nahem three times. Garcia will ride.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Nahem. Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer is 22-1-1-1 with a $0.40 ROI over the past five years in turf routes with Martin Garcia aboard. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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Unusually Green (Last 3 Beyers: 84-86-85)
* A deep closer who might prefer a shorter distance, Unusually Green nonetheless could be favored. The 2-for-17 gelding is trained by Mike Puype and will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 1 Mr T Bird. Trainer Phil D’Amato is 28-8-3-5 with a $3.25 ROI over the past two years in turf routes in the second start following a layoff. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan