Bernier: Pick three play for Del Mar for Friday, Aug. 15

It’s a short seven-race program at Del Mar on Friday, and I’ll put together a few late pick three tickets starting with race 5.

RACE 5
The opening leg of this pick three will be dominated on my tickets by Holy Lute and American Pride.

Holy Lute rallied from off the pace in his latest try here July 19 and finished a game second. He was wide throughout, so the ground he lost likely cost him at the end.

American Pride owns the co-highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure (95) and projects to head toward the lead immediately. His two big efforts have come on dirt surfaces, and his two non-efforts have come on synthetics, so that’s a bit of a concern. That being said, this Bob Baffert trainee has been working nicely over the past few weeks, and I expect him to be ready to fire.

RACE 6

In the Sandy Blue Handicap, Istanford appears to be a standout. Not only is she the controlling speed of the race, but she’s faced tougher in the past and should be the heavy favorite. If any of these other fillies beat her, it will be quite a surprise. She’s the only horse I’m using in this leg of the wager.

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RACE 7

In an ideal world, I’m able to get A’s home in each of the first two legs of the sequence so that I’m alive to every runner in the finale, but in the unfortunate case that I’m not, I’ll focus my attention on three runners.

Sunday Stroll exits a maiden $75,000 claiming event going down the hill at Santa Anita on March 20, and I expect this daughter of Stroll to be the pacesetter. If she’s fit enough, the others will need to run her down to win.

Best in Class is the likely favorite and most likely winner of Friday’s nightcap, and you’d be crazy not to use her as an ‘A’ in any of your multirace wagers. She drops from maiden $62,500 to maiden $20,000 today, and she’ll receive Lasix for the first time from trainer Eoin Harty – she’s a logical contender.

Indian Proof may be overmatched in this spot, but after showing brief interest in her debut at Los Alamitos last month, she’ll receive Lasix for the first time today. I’m willing to take a shot with her at a big price in the finale.