Dandy Man Shines goes last to first in opening-day Let it Ride

Heavily favored Dandy Man Shines rallied from last to first Friday at Del Mar, where he scored a popular victory in the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes on opening day of the autumn meet.

Umberto Rispoli rode Dandy Man Shines ($3.60) in the restricted stakes for 3-year-olds at a mile on turf. Bettors trusted the Jeff Mullins-trained gelding would reproduce his sharp recent comeback victory in a maiden race, and he did just that.

Owned by Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal, Dandy Man Shines settled three wide at the rear of the six-horse Let It Ride field before Rispoli cut him loose on the far turn. Dandy Man Shines swept four wide, hit the front in the stretch, and ran away by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:34.88.

The win was his second from nine starts, and his second in two starts since returning from a seven-month layoff. The Let It Ride two-three finishers were Ah Jeez and Sharp Aza Track. Camilo, second choice in the betting, sputtered despite a ground-saving trip under Flavien Prat, who won three races Friday.

Although winners of the Let It Ride Stakes often run back in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby, the class barrier from restricted stakes to Grade 1 is tough. Six of the nine Let It Ride winners made their next start in the Hollywood Derby. None hit the board. The Hollywood Derby will be run this year on Dec. 2.

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Following the Hollywood Derby, the circuit’s next turf stakes for 3-year-olds is the Mathis Mile on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita.

Coach Prime dazzles in maiden win

A 2-year-old maiden making the second start of his career delivered the most impressive victory on the opening-day program. Coach Prime, a Quality Road colt purchased for $1.7 million as a yearling, won race 4 at a mile on dirt by 7 1/4 lengths in 1:37.18. The dazzling visual matched the margin of victory.

Trained by Bob Baffert and owned by Amr Zedan, Coach Prime was switching surfaces after a third-place debut in a turf route. Friday, he took dirt racing inside and behind rivals, waited for room through the far turn, split rivals at the head of the lane, and burst clear to win with plenty in the tank.

Coach Prime figures to be a major player this winter on the road toward the Santa Anita Derby, if not sooner. The next graded route for 2-year-olds on dirt in Southern California is the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 16.

Handles rises on revamped pick six

The pick six pool totaled $141,918 opening day, a 34 percent increase over last fall’s opening-day pool of $105,757 when the single-ticket jackpot format was in place and the minimum bet was 20 cents.

Del Mar eliminated the jackpot this fall, made the bet a $1 minimum, and restored a traditional payout structure – 70 percent of the net pool to winning tickets or carryover, 30 percent to consolation payoffs. The $1 pick six Friday paid $551.40.

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