Goulding: Del Mar pick three for Sunday, July 26
(5) MASOCHISTIC looks pretty solid in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby, and I am going to single him and then hope for bigger prices in the next two legs of the pick three that starts on Race 6.
MASOCHISTIC hasn’t lost in three starts as an improved 5-year-old, and he earned a career-best 109 Beyer Speed Figure for his easy win in the Grade 1 Triple Bend at Santa Anita on June 27. He fired bullets in his two interim works, and it appears that trainer Ron Ellis has him primed for another big performance. The pace will be quicker than it was in the Triple Bend, but he drew outside the other speed and should get a perfect trip.
In Race 7, (7) TIZ A TOMMY TOWN is clearly the one to beat. She just missed in her debut and could take a big step forward with the experience behind her. She comes out of a very live barn, but over the past five years, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer has a 13 percent strike rate with 2-year-olds making their second start in maiden special weight races. Not bad but well below the lofty numbers he has in most other categories.
There are a few horses with good win-early pedigrees running for barns that do well with first-time starters, so I will include them in the ticket. From the rail out, they are (2) GONE TO BALI, (3) ANNIE’S CURLS, (5) CHALKING IT UP, and (8) TREASURING.
In the final leg, (3) ROCK ME BABY deserves top billing in the $150,000 California Dreamin’ Handicap. He just missed in this race in 2013 and was an easy winner last year when it was taken off the turf. It should stay on the lawn Sunday, and my only concern is that he is coming into the race with just a single start going five furlongs this year. It was a good one, though, and he has worked well enough since.
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Nonetheless, he would look a lot better with at least one two-turn race behind him, so I am going to add a few horses at what should be better prices.
(5) WEWINNIN sheds blinkers and could get a similar trip to the one he had when he upset the Cal Cup Turf Classic last year. (7) PATRIOTS RULE was overmatched in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano and will appreciate the shorter distance and easier company. (8) AWESOME RETURN likes it here and shows up just about every time. He is coming off another solid effort as the runner-up behind Patriots Rule in the Crystal Water. (9) G. G. RYDER ran OK when he tried dirt for the first time in his last start and will appreciate being back to grass. He won the Grade 3 San Francisco at Golden Gate the last time he ran on turf three back, and he followed it up with a win on Tapeta in the Grade 3 All American.
The ticket:
Race 6: 5
Race 7: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8
Race 8: 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
The cost for the $1 ticket is $25.