DeVivo: Pick three play for Del Mar for Friday, Aug. 7

Several non-favorites look quite playable in the first two legs of a pick three on Friday night’s card at Del Mar that begins with Race 5 and ends with the Daisycutter.

Race 5: SINFULLY (#4, 5-1), making his first start off the claim for Peter Miller, and ROYAL BANKER (#7, 8-1), running for a tag for the first time, are my ‘A’ horses. Miller is 4 for 16 with a $2.14 return on investment with horses running in routes at Del Mar within 30 days of being claimed. Royal Banker’s trainer, Eoin Harty, is 2 for 8 with a $3.07 ROI with horses running first time for a tag following a layoff of more than 45 days. My lone ‘B’ horse is HOBBITS HERO (#8, 6-1), whose trainer, Jeff Mullins, shows a $3.07 ROI with turf runners switching from sprints to routes following a break of more than 45 days.

Race 6: Highly positive trainer angles have pointed me to Peter Miller stablemates SWEET MZ. POPPET (#2, 12-1) and ALEXITA (#4, 6-1). Sweet Mz. Poppet won first time off the claim for Miller and comes back in less than 30 days, which has produced a 6-for-16 record (38 percent) and $3.20 ROI. Alexita makes the second start of her form cycle. In a limited sampling, Miller has two wins and a second by a head in four starts in starter allowance races with that angle. As a back-up, I will toss in QUEEN BALLADIER (#10, 20-1), who ran second to Sweet Mz. Poppet and makes her second start off the claim for a barn that is 4 for 15 with a high $4.86 ROI with that angle.

Race 7:To conclude the sequence, I’m using two of the top three choices on the morning line, SHRINKING VIOLET (#1, 3-1) and HOME JOURNEY (#9, 2-1). To add spice to the ticket, I’m including HARLINGTON ROSE (#8, 15-1), whose off-the-pace style fits well in what should be a hotly contested early pace.

:: See Joe DeVivo’s pick three play in DRF TicketMaker and bet it with DRF Bets