McGee: How I'd play Del Mar for Friday, July 24
McGee: How I'd play Del Mar for Friday, June 24
Marty McGeeJul 23, 2015
McGee: How I'd play Del Mar for Friday, June 24
DEL MAR, Calif.-The Barretts paddock sale of horses of racing age at Del Mar on Saturday evening has a catalog consisting primarily of 2- and 3-year-olds, and a slight international influence.
DRF handicapper Brad Free provides his insights to a pick three play on Friday's card at Del Mar.
Crackdown showed a lot of potential when he debuted in a maiden special weight race on June 20 and then put it all together when he romped as the heavy favorite in a $25,000 maiden-claiming race on July 11. If he can handle running three times in just over month, he could be the winner of a $25,000 claiming race for 3-year-olds that headlines Saturday’s eight-race card at Hastings.
On July 6, 1985, Mom’s Command captured the 1 1/2-mile Coaching Club American Oaks by 2 1/2 lengths and with it, New York’s prestigious triple crown for fillies. Moments later in the Belmont Park winner’s enclosure, her exhausted, elated rider swept off a sweaty yellow helmet and set the crowd aroar when a cascade of auburn hair tumbled down over a pair of slender shoulders.
Parx Racing has carded two competitive handicaps for Pennsylvania-breds on Saturday, the Crowd Pleaser and the Power By Far. The Crowd Pleaser, a 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds, is carded as race 6. The Power By Far, a five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, is race 8. Both races have $75,000 purses.
There is a mini turf festival on tap Saturday night at Evangeline Downs as a trio of stakes highlights the 10-race program – the 1 1/16-mile Sunset for 3-year-olds and up, the one-mile Opelousas for fillies and mares, and the five-furlong Turf Express. Each will offer a purse of $75,000.
My Point Exactly not only has two wins from four turf tries, but he also was a decent fifth behind eventual Grade 1 winner Force the Pass in the Penn Mile three starts back. Those solid credentials should make My Point Exactly the horse to beat Saturday at Gulfstream Park in the Bear’s Den Stakes.
Tepin, with the inside post, a two-way style, and back-to-back Beyers of 100 and 101, is now a horse that must be respected in Saturday’s Diana Stakes at Saratoga.
Ecleto Red, a 5-year-old gelding trained here by Lynn Chleborad, began his ascent through the class ranks last August. Most recently, he proved a tough nut for the classy Todd Pletcher-trained Golden Lad to crack when second in the Grade 3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap on June 27.