Although there are small fields throughout Saturday’s card at Del Mar, I do believe there are two decent wagering opportunities – one being the 50-cent pick five, the other being the featured event on the card, the Grade 3 Red Carpet Handicap. Let’s start off with the pick five using DRF TicketMaker. :: Build your pick five ticket with DRF TicketMaker RACE 1 I believe any one of the five runners can win this race, but I’ll lean toward EASTER FEVER (1) as my top choice; this filly draws the rail and I think apprentice Drayden Van Dyke will send her hard from the gate hoping to take this small field gate to wire over the Del Mar Polytrack which she happened to break her maiden on here in August. A: 1,2,5 B: 3,4 C: NONE RACE 2 Long distance races on the grass are often won by front-runners who can set moderate fractions, and I’m hopeful Van Dyke can pull of the early double aboard SHYSHEISNOT (4). If she breaks cleanly I think this daughter of Tribal Rule will be forwardly placed while stretching out from 8 furlongs to 11 today. A: 4,5 B: NONE C: NONE RACE 3 I’ll try to beat the two morning-line favorites in this spot, and I particularly like BROADWAY NIKA (5) stretching out from six furlongs to eight here today. He figures to be one of the only horses forwardly placed, and historically speed does very well in the mile races over the Del Mar Polytrack. A: 5,6 B: NONE C: 1 RACE 4 Sprints on the turf can be very speedy, and while the horse I prefer is very fast, I’m hopeful she can sit slightly and turn back any late run from the closers. MAHALO PRINCESS (8) was strong in the only five-furlong turf sprint she’s ever entered, and this Richard Baltas trainee has been burning up the track in the morning. She appears to be on her toes and ready to roll here. A: 2,8 B: 4 C: 3,9 RACE 5 If I’m lucky enough to be alive here, it will all come down to INTAXICATION (5). This son of Stormello broke his maiden smartly here on Nov. 8, and he must be feeling good if they’re wheeling him back this quickly. There doesn’t appear to be much speed in the race, and I can see this guy sitting just off the likely early pacesetter on the rail before drawing off down the lane. I’m singling Intaxication on all tickets. A: 5 B: NONE C: NONE RACE 8 I love two horses in the Red Carpet Handicap, WINNING RHYTHM (2) and SCOOTER BIRD (11). My big concern with Scooter Bird is the outside post – at some point this filly is going to lose some major ground, and that’s never a good thing when going 11 furlongs. Winning Rhythm was very strong in her return to the races last out, and while the distance is an understandable concern her pedigree would suggest the trip is within reason. I’ll include the horse likely to get first run on the closers, HIJRA (3), in all of my plays. Here’s how they look: Exactas 2,11 with 2,3,11 2,3,11 with 2,11 Trifectas 2,11 with 2,11 with 2,3,11 2,11 with 2,3,11 with 2,11 2,3,11 with 2,11 with 2,11