Bernier: How I'll play Del Mar on Saturday, Aug. 4, 2018

There are two races at Del Mar on Saturday that I’m particularly interested in, and they couldn’t be farther apart from a class standpoint; one is for non-winners of two races lifetime, and the other is a graded stakes event. Nonetheless, they each have the potential to offer value, albeit in different fashions.

RACE 2

I realize that what I’m about to say goes against many people’s philosophy when it comes to wagering on horses, but sometimes I think a case presents itself where this is a legitimate idea: I plan on betting two horses to win in Saturday’s second. Both DOWNSIDE UP (7) and ARTISTIC AB (2) won their maidens in their most recent starts, and while taking on winners for the first time is never an easy task, they happen to catch a hungry field that they could take advantage of. The runner-up behind Artistic Ab at Los Alamitos on July 15 returned to win his maiden in his next start (earning a 67 Beyer Speed Figure), and Downside Up has an off-the-pace running style that could work well against this field. I’ll see what the odds are for each of these runners and play them to win accordingly.

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RACE 8 – YELLOW RIBBON

MADAME STRIPES (7) is a wild card wherever she shows up; her best races are easily good enough to win a race like the Yellow Ribbon, and her bad races tend to see her finish up the track. I’m hopeful her effort in the Gamely at Santa Anita most recently is an omen that she’s sitting on a big effort for trainer Neil Drysdale. While the Gamely hasn’t come back particularly strong at this point, it’s worth noting that Madame Stripes set legitimate fractions throughout and was the only part of the pace that was still around late. I think the effort was a winning one, and if she’s able to replicate that Saturday, she figures to be a major player at a very square price. Madame Stripes is 8-1 on the morning line, and I’ll play her to win at odds of 5-1 or greater.