Brad Free's Del Mar Horses to Watch for Aug. 22-25, 2024

TWIRLING LIGHT
Trainer: Peter Miller
Last race: Aug. 22, 4th
Finish: 4th by 8 3/4
Beyer: 36
Debut juvenile filly by Twirling Candy lacked speed in turf sprint, saved ground, split traffic on turn, went one-paced. Miller-trained maidens typically improve with racing, follow second out.

MR. MUSTACHE
Trainer: Jeff Mullins
Last race: Aug. 23, 6th
Finish: 9th by 6 1/2
Beyer: 53
Debut 3-year-old had impossible trip in turf sprint. Took up and away last, green, shuffled, four wide turn, eight wide into lane, fizzled. Inconclusive performance; he trained better than he ran.

REDLINE
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Aug. 24, 3rd
Finish: 2nd by head
Beyer: 91
Veteran shortened to preferred one-turn trip, ran super. Pressed pace while wide, dueled in lane, far clear of third. Timely $40k claim by O’Neill from Craig Dollase, follow any one-turn race.

:: DRF's Del Mar Handicapping Packages: Get everything you need to play the races with confidence.

HAPPY JACK
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Aug. 24, 9th
Finish: 5th by 8 3/4
Beyer: 87
Grade 2 winner had bad trip in Grade 2 sprint. Two wide forwardly placed, shuffled to seventh, got boxed in on rail, mild re-rally inside. Perhaps a notch below elite sprinters, but had no shot.

WASTING ACES
Trainer: Brian Koriner
Last race: Aug. 24, 10th
Finish: 3rd by 2
Beyer: 70
No-speed maiden rated last in turf route, three-wide move far turn, heavy traffic into and through lane, finished well, galloped out with run. Improving Cal-bred likely to win maiden route soon.

AFTERNOON NAP
Trainer: Carla Gaines
Last race: Aug. 25, 3rd
Finish: 4th by 3
Beyer: 66
Older maiden firster broke slowly in Cal-bred turf sprint, zoomed to midfield, raced greenly on the turn, angled outside, finished willingly. Very solid debut by Practical Joke 4-year-old gelding.

HURRICANE CLOUD
Trainer: Richard Baltas
Last race: Aug. 25, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 2 3/4
Beyer: 82
Comeback claiming veteran got rank, trailed slow-pace turf route that was dominated by front-runners, rallied strongly vs. race shape. Respectable return, fits in low-level claiming turf route.

CARIBBEAN KING
Trainer: Steve Knapp
Last race: Aug. 25, 9th
Finish: 6th by 2 3/4
Beyer: 71
Returning to maiden-claiming turf route after facing winners in recent races, raced inside in fifth, blocked heavy traffic far turn and into lane, never found room. No champ, but does have ability.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.