Free: Del Mar horses to watch for week of Aug. 15

FARLEY
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: Aug. 10, 3rd
Finish: 2nd by nose
Beyer: 57
A second-start 2-year-old colt, he had to wait for room into the stretch and then finished fast behind a front-running winner. Big try by a Distorted Humor maiden who would have a shot Sept. 3 in the $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

SPIN FORTY
Trainer: Jerry Fanning
Last race: Aug. 11, 3rd
Finish: 8th by 7
Beyer: 72
Curious tactics employed in this turf route; gelding has speed but was anchored in the middle of the pack, pulled hard, and finished with run. Might prefer the main track, and his form is better than it looks.

HER ROYALNESS
Trainer: Bruce Headley
Last race: Aug. 11, 6th
Finish: 7th by 6 1/2
Beyer: 43
This debuting filly received an education in a California-bred sprint. Hard-held in traffic, made a little run, finished evenly. This race was only a prep, and she should move up next out.

SHAKEITUPBETTY
Trainer: Dean Pederson
Last race: Aug. 12, 4th
Finish: 5th by 11
Beyer: 57
Inside post spelled defeat for this favorite in a $8,000 claiming sprint for fillies and mares. Mare did not break well, was shuffled, and was unable to establish position. Claimed by Pederson in an eight-way shake from Mike Mudaris, she fits in a similar low-level sprint.

JAMI RACER
Trainer: Bob Hess Jr.
Last race: Aug. 12, 5th
Finish: 4th by 2 1/2
Beyer: 58
Stretch-out 2-year-old filly was not relaxed in this turf route, rated near the back, finished willingly in a better-than-it-looked second start.

BIG GRAY ROCKET
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Last race: Aug. 13, 7th
Finish: 2nd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 66
This odds-on debuting Tapit colt stood flatfooted when the gates opened, broke last, extended his run through the turn and into the lane. This was a super effort by a very promising 2-year-old.

I B MIKE
Trainer: Adam Kitchingman
Last race: Aug. 14, 3rd
Finish: 5th by 8 1/2
Beyer: 67
This veteran’s race was messed up. Shuffled, in traffic, never comfortable, claimed by Kitchingman from Jerry Hollendorfer in a 10-way shake. He fits in a similar low-level claiming sprint.

EXHALE
Trainer: Pete Eurton
Last race: Aug. 14, 4th
Finish: 7th by 4 1/2
Beyer: 73
Stretching out off one sprint, he broke slowly, got rank, pulled, made a little run into the lane, and finished better than it looks. Older maiden should improve in his next route.