Any race, any day could be the last for American Pharoah, the most valuable racing animal on the planet. Trainer Bob Baffert wasn’t saying that to be an alarmist. He just understands the reality of the game generally and the specific reality of American Pharoah.
Lilly's Goldie (#7, ML 5-1) makes her first start for trainer Nicholas Gonzalez in Wednesday's sixth race at Woodbine, a seven-furlong maiden special weight race. Since Jan. 1, 2014, Gonzalez is winning at a 31 percent clip when saddling a horse making its first start with him, for a return on investment of $4.86. Check out the Positive ROI report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Academy Bay (#2, ML 5-2) returns in Wednesday's ninth race at Indiana Grand, the one-mile Snack Stakes on turf. It will be his first start since finishing first by 3/4 lengths in an optional claimer May 12 at Indiana Grand. The second- and third-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts. Get the Key Race report as part of DRF Plus. Sign up for DRF Plus here.
Bernier: Del Mar pick three play for Thursday, July 16
Free: Del Mar Horses to Watch for the week of July 13
Ron Gierkink's Woodbine horses to watch for the week of July 13.
Summer in Southern California means racing at Del Mar. The eight-week summer meet starts July 16 and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 7. This will be the first meet since 2006 with races run on a dirt main track, ending an eight-year stretch of the all-weather Polytrack surface.
Trip Notes for Saturday, July 11: Arlington Handicap, Parx Dash, Delaware Oaks, and more by Michael Hammersly.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Sunday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
Three horses catch my interest Sunday at Belmont Park, with two coming midway through the card and the other in the nightcap.
