Brad Free's Del Mar Horses to Watch for Aug. 8-18, 2024

ORANGE THUNDER
Trainer: Craig Lewis
Last race: Aug. 8, 5th
Finish: 3rd by 4 3/4
Beyer: 37
Debut juvenile filly, sired by Clubhouse Ride and sibling to graded winner Closing Remarks, was just prepping in turf sprint. Raced evenly, finished okay, work in progress, wants longer.

IT’S MY WORLD
Trainer: Leonard Powell
Last race: Aug. 8, 6th
Finish: 3rd by 3 1/4
Beyer: 67
Older maiden lugged out and checked on first turn of maiden dirt mile, raced off the pace against pro-inside/pro-speed bias, and only went evenly. This Cal-bred is better than his form suggests.

ZIP OM
Trainer: Carla Gaines
Last race: Aug. 8, 8th
Finish: 1st by 3 1/4
Beyer: 84
Older maiden gelding, sired by Om and produced by multiple graded stakes winner Unzip Me, pressed pace and kicked away in decisive fashion. Impressive debut, he can go up the loader.

SPEEDY WILSON
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Aug. 10, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 5 1/4
Beyer: 52
Cal-bred juvenile broke slowly when hopped at break, outrun early, saved ground, finished well along inside. This was a decent debut by Speedy Wilson, a colt by first-crop sire Tough Sunday.

GAMING
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Aug. 11, 7th
Finish: 1st by 5 1/2
Beyer: 81
Debut juvenile by first-crop sire Game Winner dueled inside, opened up in the lane on his wrong lead, switched leads late, cruised. Super debut by promising colt. He might be very, very good.

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COMANCHE GAL
Trainer: Craig Lewis
Last race: Aug. 16, 1st
Finish: 5th by 12 1/4 lengths
Beyer: 36
Odds-on maiden in Cal-bred turf mile should have been declared a non-starter. Held by assistant starter when gates opened, broke last, no chance. This was a toss; likely maiden winner soon.

I DON’T GET IT
Trainer: Craig Dollase
Last race: Aug. 16, 2nd
Finish: 1st by 3
Beyer: 80
Class-dropper dominated $25k claiming N2L dirt mile. Lagged, circled wide into lane, crushed. Claimed by hot trainer Dollase from Antonio Garcia, lightly raced gelding can go up the ladder.

TRUSTY RUSTY
Trainer: Sean Williams
Last race: Aug. 16, 8th
Finish: 3rd by 3 1/4
Beyer: 74
Claiming sprinter broke from rail, hard-held inside, waited, angled out for drive, finished okay in race mostly dominated by speed. Timely $16k claim by Williams from Rafael DeLeon.

THOUGHT PROCESS
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Aug. 17, 4th
Finish: 1st by 3 1/2
Beyer: 81
Maiden juvenile from marathon turf stakes dam ran to her pedigree second out. Settled fourth in turf mile, exploded late, big win. Possible for $100k Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 7.

NEWS AT TEN
Trainer: John Sadler
Last race: Aug. 17, 6th
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 84
First-level allowance turf sprinter broke slowly, next to last, finished willingly in race dominated by two front-runners. Solid comeback for a gelding who might want farther than five furlongs.

UNIQUE POWER
Trainer: John Sadler
Last race: Aug. 17, race 7
Finish: 4th by 10 1/4
Beyer: 60
Debut juvenile by Into Mischief, produced by Grade 1 winner Unique Power, was not quick from rail, raced inside, went evenly. He trained well into this first start, and should improve next out.

POST GAME
Trainer: John Shirreffs
Last race: Aug. 17, 7th
Finish: 5th by 12 1/4
Beyer: 54
Five and one-half furlongs too short for debut juvenile. Outrun early, little move on the turn, one-paced late. Nyquist colt wants more ground; he is a work in progress. Follow on the stretch-out.

MANCUSO
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Aug. 18, 4th
Finish: 2nd by neck
Beyer: 77
Debut juvenile filly chased pace, challenged leader into lane, hooked from outside, fought back inside, finished four clear of third. Impressive debut by McKinzie filly who should run long.

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