DRF Plus Graded Stakes Analysis: San Diego Handicap

Saturday: G2 San Diego Hcp. at Dmr (race 8, post 8:30 p.m. ET)

With a sad and somber nod to the connections of Dance With Fate, who lost his life Thursday through freak injury, this renewal of the San Diego undergoes quite a revision with his defection.

Frac Daddy (#3), he of the synthetics specialties, clearly becomes an even greater consideration when shipping in from Kentucky by way of Canada. The 4yo colt has true versatility but fares best on Poly, and with a typical ground-saving, confident ride from Joe Talamo, he’s going to be extremely tough to deny. He’s 5-1 on a M/L that surely will be revised; not even sure if he’ll be anything higher than 2-1, but oh well.

One go-against: Fed Biz (#11), whose 2-for-2 Dmr record is not as good as it seems (one win was 2 years ago, the other came against soft alw. company) and who draws in a difficult post when likely to be overplayed.

The play: Key #3 as a single in the horizontals, as well as in 1st and 2nd in verticals with these other contenders: #2, #4, #8, #10.