Brad Free's Del Mar Horses to Watch for the week of Aug. 27-30, 2026

REPO MAN
Trainer: Michael McCarthy
Last race: Aug. 27, 3rd
Finish: 1st by 1 1/2
Beyer: 75
Debut 2-year-old colt by Golden Pal tucked in fourth position in turf sprint, briefly blocked into lane, split foes, won going away. This was a thoroughly professional debut. Up the ladder.

HOAXER
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Aug. 27, 3rd
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/2
Beyer: 69
Debut 2-year-old by Charlatan trailed turf sprint, picked up steam on turn, angled out, finished well, galloped out super. Maiden has a look Sept. 5 when he stretches out in Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

CUBAN FLAME
Trainer: Leonard Powell
Last race: Aug. 27, 5th
Finish: 4th by 2 1/2
Beyer: 58
European stood flat-footed when gates opened in maiden-claiming turf mile, trailed, rallied in traffic, finished with run in promising comeback, fits in $62,500 maiden-claiming turf route.

MIO BAMBINO
Trainer: Brian Koriner
Last race: Aug. 27, 8th
Finish: 3rd by 6 1/4
Beyer: 66
Favored in N3L claiming dirt mile, compromised by speed bias. Off slow, rallied wide, sputtered. Claimed for $16,000 by Koriner from Dean Pederson, late-runner can rebound on bias-free track.

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FALLABELLA
Trainer: Charles Treece
Last race: Aug. 28, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 75
Claiming mare got banged around at start of turf sprint, off slow, then took up on turn, re-rallied, finished strongly. With clean trip, likely would have won, fits for $25k claiming, either surface.

DELUGE
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Aug. 28, 6th6
Finish: 1st by neck
Beyer: 69
Debut 2-year-old filly seemed to dislike turf, won anyway. Sired by Maximus Mischief, Deluge chased from fourth, wore down leader, gutted it out. Win was better than looked, follow on dirt.

CORTINA D’AMPREZZO
Trainer: Phil D’Amato
Last race: Aug. 30, 4th
Finish: 6th by 3
Beyer: 71
Three-year-old turf filly tucked inside in N1X turf mile, blocked quarter pole to deep stretch, never had a chance. That is two straight tough trips for a filly who is due for some racing luck.

OTTO THE CONQUEROR
Trainer: Steve Knapp
Last race: Aug. 30, 6th
Finish: 8th by 4 3/4
Beyer: 72
Veteran dirt sprinter shuffled and lost position in turf sprint, hung wide through turn, flattened out in lane. Claimed for $32,000 by Knapp from Vladimir Cerin, follow when returns to dirt.

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