Greenman shoots for three

DEL MAR, Calif. - Dean Greenman trains 10 horses at Del Mar, three of whom are racing on Thursday, all with a chance, all in consecutive races that close out the pick three, pick four, and pick six on the meet's second day, best known around here as the calm after the storm.

The opening-day tumult will yield to a relaxed, carefree day at Del Mar on Thursday. It could be a banner day for Greenman, who will go for a natural hat trick in races 6, 7, and 8.

Greenman kicks off his day with Golden K K, who stretches out around two turns for the first time in the sixth race, a one-mile starter allowance for fillies and mares. Golden K K has finished in the money in all six of her starts. She narrowly lost the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Stakes here last year and has finished second in her last three starts.

"She ran great here last year," Greenman said. "I don't think the distance will be a problem."

Golden K K worked a sharp seven furlongs in 1:25 at Santa Anita on July 12 in company with Groom on the Run, whom Greenman sends out in the seventh race, a 1 3/8-mile turf race for entry-level allowance runners, or $40,000 claimers.

Groom on the Run has finished first and third in two previous turf tries at Del Mar. He should appreciate Thursday's spot after facing the likes of Continental Red in a stakes race for California-breds at Hollywood Park.

"He ran well here last year, too," Greenman said of Groom on the Run. "He likes this turf. And this is a better spot. We had to take a chance last time, but facing Continental Red is a little different than racing in an 'other-than.' "

Greenman finishes the day with Pleasant Bend, who the trainer says has a live longshot chance in the eighth and final race of the day, a one-mile race for $40,000 maiden claimers.

Pleasant Bend has raced once, finishing seventh of eight July 6 at Pleasanton in a maiden race from which Greenman claimed him for $32,000.

"I went up there to claim one of three horses in that race," Greenman said. "This horse looked like a real nice horse, and he had better breeding than the other two. The other two ran one-two, but even after the race, I'm still happy with the horse I've got.

"His race is a complete throw-out. It looks terrible on paper, but he did everything wrong," Greenman said. "He left the gate bad, got dirt in his face, but then the last sixteenth of a mile he took off, and after the wire he was three in front. I wasn't planning on running him this quickly, but the race came up, and he's doing good."