Four turf races in first card after Sunday cancellation

A return to normalcy is forecast Thursday at Del Mar, which is welcome news after a tropical storm forced cancellation of the Sunday card and rescheduling of the $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes to Friday. First post for the final three Fridays has been moved to 3 p.m.

Thursday first post is the standard 2 p.m. and if the weather cooperates, the turf course will have sufficient time to dry before the eight-race card that includes four turf races.

The early turf races Thursday are maiden sprints that will test the recent speed-friendly profile. Five of the 10 turf sprints since Aug. 6 were won by the pacesetter; all 10 were won by a horse positioned in the top three. That was before the rain.

Barring a change in course profile, one of the most probable winners Thursday is a front-runner in race 2, a turf sprint for California-bred maiden fillies and mares. Perkins produced keen speed and finished fourth in her debut at Golden Gate, a race that produced three next-out winners.

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Second time out, the Andy Mathis-trained filly could be gone under Edwin Maldonado. Mathis second-start maidens win at more than twice the rate of his first-time starters (21 percent compared to 9 percent). Main rivals for Perkins include first-time starters Class Clown and Sing a Happy Song, who both debut with sharp workouts for trainers Brian Koriner and Kristin Mulhall, respectively.

Maiden 2-year-olds go five furlongs on turf in race 4; the key entrant is on the also-eligible list. Slider set a blazing pace and finished second in his 85-Beyer main-track debut while more than five lengths clear of third. If he draws in and handles turf, the John Sadler trainee would be a short price to wire the field.

First-time starters Andreadytorumble and Stick Shift have trained well enough to command attention in a race that looks wide open without Slider.

The first turf route Thursday is race 6, a $32,000 claiming turf mile restricted to nonwinners of two lifetime. Contenders include last-out runner-up Derecho Dandy, stretch-out Landsdowne, and comebacker Beef Winslow. The second turf route Thursday is race 8, for maiden 2-year-olds at one mile. The race was scheduled to be run Sunday, but the card was canceled.

Maiden turf miles this summer have produced a series of high prices. Favorites are 0 for 8 in maiden turf miles (all categories); the median $2 win payoff is more than $14. This might be useful information if the race 8 favorite could be identified, but it’s a wide-open scramble.

Second-time starter Boltage is bred to improve at longer distances following an even-paced debut sprint. Glandford makes his U.S. debut following a runner-up finish in England. Head Lad stretches out after tiring in his debut. First-time starter Uplift has a look for trainer Peter Eurton, whose last three debut 2-year-olds won including turf-mile upset winner Flatter on Saturday.

Race 7 on Thursday is an entry-level allowance dirt sprint for fillies and mares led by last-out maiden winner Jensco and last-out allowance runner-up Pleasant.

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