Hammersly: How I'd play Del Mar for Saturday, Aug. 22

It’s the meet’s marquee day with plenty of races Saturday at Del Mar. There are some short fields during the first part of the card, which may limit your options there. Still, with all this action there are opportunities later in the day. Here are a few horses who may prove useful for your in-race and multi-race wagers.

Race 6

GOT EVEN was sharp from last summer into this past winter but after a win at Santa Anita on Jan. 11 he went off the rails, faltering in four straight there, all at this level. Trainer Peter Miller opted to put him away, giving him time to regroup. Well, after this five-month layoff he returns, at the same level, no less, with plenty of strong works to indicate he’s doing well.

Also, Got Even may have a tactical edge as he appears the main speed and with the rail draw he figures to go, go, go under Victor Espinoza and could lead them on a merry chase.

He can be hooked up in-race with PERFECT SET (in peak form), HENRY’S HOLIDAY (claimed for $50,000 off a fine rallying second sprinting here last month), OLD MAN LAKE (continues his solid form, and GRAZEN SKY (been on board in all nine starts, comes off a third to red-hot 3-year-old Gimme Da Lute in a stakes here recently).

Race 7

This is a fairly inscrutable maiden race, full of firsters. However, one of the experienced hands is worth your attention. ANNIE’S CURLS stalked the pace and finished a non-threatening fourth in her debut here July 26. She can certainly benefit from that outing and there are two smart works since. Rafael Bejarano stays for trainer Michael Stidham, and both Stidham’s winners this meet came with Bejarano doing the steering. Stidham is also a terrific 27 percent second time out.

Her sire, two-time Horse of the Year Curlin, is proving a terrific stallion who has shown he can get precocious types who can sprint as well.

Race 9

Part of my key to the back-end of the card is the Pacific Classic. Now look, I’m as big a Beholder fan as you’re going to find. She’s a wonderful, wonderful mare. That being said, the Pacific Classic presents two huge hurdles for her – 1 1/4 miles and older males. Those are no small issues. The females she has been routinely overwhelming would have little chance here, and that’s despite the fact there’s no one like Game on Dude in here. And often Beholder has beaten them when able to be in control from the start. There’s other speed here, meaning dictating the pace probably isn’t in the cards. Absolutely she can stalk and go on with it, but again, we’re not talking about an outclassed female.

I always figured (on dirt anyway) it took a powerful, Amazonish female to beat the boys (re: Zenyatta) or one who had a tactical and/or class edge (re: Rachel Alexandra). Neither exists for Beholder here, particularly with speedsters Bayern and Midnight Storm signed up. I figure if the legendary Bayakoa couldn’t do it, then it’s reasonable to be suspicious about Beholder.

And what’s more, she figures to be favored. If you wanted to give her to me at say 5-1 or so, well, then my tune would change, but at 5-2, well, count me out.

That leads me to explore other options.

The pace figures brisk. Two horses who do their best work up front, and who don’t figure to change now, BAYERN and MIDNIGHT STORM, should carve out a sharp, contested pace. Someone with enough tactical speed to keep them in their sights, pounce on them when the time comes and get first run on the closers is what I’m seeking. It does sound a bit like Beholder, I admit, but I’m looking elsewhere.

Shipper RED VINE fits the bill. The 5-year-old son of Candy Ride (who won this race and who sired last year’s winner Shared Belief) was already a nice horse but has really blossomed since moving to dirt last fall. He won his first three dirt starts, including a stakes at Monmouth on May 23. He was then second to the red-hot Bradester in the Grade 3 Salvator Mile there July 5. Bradester flattered that form by coming right back to easily win the Grade 2 Monmouth Cup on July 31.

And while Red Vine has been traveling shorter since the fall, note ample distance ability when he was racing on turf last summer/fall. In other words, this trip is no problem, and if anything he looks like an improved horse on dirt.

It’s a great sign trainer Christophe Clement opted to ship him here for this. Heck, he knew who Red Vine would be running against and yet he put this horse on a plane to ship all the way across the country. He could easily have run Red Vine against Bradester again in the Monmouth Cup or targeted something at Saratoga. Instead, he’s come here and you can bet he’s not here just to see the beach or eat at Bully’s.

A bullet work at Belmont on Aug. 14 says Red Vine comes here sharp and ready and with Beholder and other more familiar names taking money his price figures more than fair (6-1 morning line) so I will use him over and under a number of runners in the exacta/trifecta (HOPPERTUNITY, BEHOLDER, HARD ACES, and CATCH A FLIGHT).