Del Mar Babies for Monday, Sept. 1

Race 4

I’m Smokin Stakes
2-year-old Cal-bred colts and geldings
Six furlongs, Polytrack
Purse: $150,000

Key contenders

7) Wake Up Nick

This Doug O’Neill trainee is undefeated in three career starts but he’s also proven himself over both dirt and synthetic surfaces. If this son of Cindago can take another step forward here he’ll be supremely tough for these other runners to handle, and it should also be noted that he has the versatility to win on the front end or sit just off other early speed and get first run on the deep closers. Make no mistake about it – this race begins and ends with Wake Up Nick.

FORMULATOR FACT: O’Neill is 4 for 25 over the past five years in 2-year-old stakes for California-bred horses.

1) Cardiac

After breaking his maiden smartly here at Del Mar on Aug. 17, this son of Papa Clem tries stakes company for the first time. While his Beyer Speed Figures aren’t in the same league as Wake Up Nick’s, there does appear to be a fair amount of pace signed on in here – which should work to this guy’s advantage. Look for he and Alonzo Quinonez to save as much ground as possible during the early portion of the race while trailing the field before angling out to the clear and making one bold run as the field turns for home.

FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer Barry Abrams is 2 for 10 (4 in the money, $3.82 return on investment) over the past three years with horses in Cal-bred stakes that are sprints.

The strategy

Even though his Beyers seem to have plateaued a bit, I think Wake Up Nick is in a league of his own among these runners. I’ll key him on top in trifectas with Cardiac and all in the second and third positions. Here are the plays:

TRIFECTAS of:
7 / 1 / ALL
7 / ALL / 1