Del Mar Babies for Saturday, Aug. 2
Race 5
5 1/2 Furlongs
2-Year-Old Fillies
Field of 10 (11 AE)
Purse: $75,000
Key Contenders
6) Call to Congrats
This daughter of Congrats sold for $300,000 in May, and she has been working regularly leading up to her unveiling. She goes out for a trainer who is more than capable of having 2-year-olds ready to roll at first asking, and it doesn’t appear as though there are any monsters in this field. Drayden Van Dyke should give her a good ride, and if she can keep herself within striking range early she should have a say in the outcome.
FORMULATOR FACT: Trainer John Sadler is 30 for 126 (62 ITM, $2.28 ROI) over the past five years with 2-year-old first-time starters.
7) Ritzy Tags
Any time Bob Baffert sends out a first-time starter, the horse should immediately be considered a player. If there’s anyone on the West Coast who knows how to have babies ready for their debuts, it’s Baffert. That being said, it should be noted that this filly doesn’t boast the typically fast workouts that most of Baffert’s runners usually produce. Maybe this daughter of Zensational just isn’t much of a work horse, but it’s definitely something that sticks out considering she’s in this trainer’s barn.
FORMULATOR FACT: Sire Zensational’s juveniles are 5 for 23 over the past five years in synthetic sprints.
2) She’s Reddy
Eoin Harty isn’t known for the work he does with 2-year-old runners, but there are a few intriguing pieces that make up this filly. First and foremost, She’s Reddy’s dam, Talega, has foaled multiple runners who went on to earn six figures in their racing careers. Second, Mike Smith takes the mount for this filly’s unveiling, and he’s arguably the hottest rider in Southern California at the moment. Although Harty’s numbers with 2-year-old first time starters are dreadful (1 for 94 over the past five years), it would appear as though she doesn’t need to be much to be competitive here.
FORMULATOR FACT: Dam Talega has foaled four runners who have earned at least $100,000 in their racing careers.
The Strategy
This is a race where it’s difficult for me to have a strong opinion, and the majority of that has to do with the way Baffert’s runner has been training. If Ritzy Tags had been working like a classic Baffert runner then I would likely key my wagers around her – but she hasn’t, and that’s made analyzing this race much more difficult. Without much conviction, I would make a small win wager on Call to Congrats at odds of 6-1 or greater. The play:
WIN wager on 6) Call to Congrats at odds of 6-1 or greater
For information regarding all the runners in this field, be sure to check out Closer Looks in DRF GamePlan.