Goulding: Del Mar pick three play for Sunday, Aug. 9
Race 2
NEW SUMMIT (3) looks like a standout in this maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds and up, and if he runs as well as he did at Santa Anita in January, he is going to be tough to handle. He certainly has worked well enough while preparing for his return, so we’ll use him as the only “A” in a pick three ticket that begins here. HOMER MATT (4) ran a big race when he debuted on dirt in the Santa Anita Juvenile last year and figures to move forward in his second start back for trainer Peter Miller. He also should appreciate the surface switch after trying Polytrack and turf in his two other starts.
A’s: 3
B’s: 4
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Race 3
BEN’S DUCHESS (2) is the horse to beat. She was an impressive winner on the Santa Anita main track two back and ran a decent race when she tried turf for the first time in her latest here. She will appreciate being back on dirt, and she may have been trying to tell us something when she worked a bullet five furlongs in 59.40 seconds last Sunday. DR. FAGER’S GAL (4) is trending in the right direction and thrived in her first start over this surface. The lightly raced 3-year-old may not have reached her full potential. RAMONA’S WILDCAT (1) will be rolling late. She finished in front of Ben’s Duchess on July 17, and both of her wins came on dirt, so she should be fine with the surface switch. Adding to her appeal is her trainer, Doug O’Neill, who is having a big meet.
A’s: 2
B’s: 4
C’s: 1
Race 4
This is the most wide-open race of the sequence. CHINA PRINCE (2) is the top choice but is no single. He will appreciate the easier company with the drop into a straight claiming race for the first time, and trainer Craig Dollase is winning at a 29 percent clip at the meet. BEAST OF BOURBON (5) broke poorly and finished full of run in a $40,000 claiming race in his first start over this course July 24. He clearly liked the surface and could be dangerous if he breaks with the field. SIZZLIN’ JOE (4) hasn’t won for a while, but he’s usually right there, and he could improve in his second start for Jerry Hollendorfer with Rafael Bejarano accepting the call. UNUSUAL TASTE (1) has won his last two starts on this course and owns the best last-race Beyer Speed Figure. ATOMIC RULE (7) is better on synthetics than turf but is on a roll right now and is too sharp to ignore. We’ll also add YES YES YES (8). He earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure coming down the hill at Santa Anita two back and just missed in the slop in his latest in a first-level allowance race that was washed off the lawn here.
A’s: 2, 5
B’s: 1, 4
C’s: 7, 8