Hammersly: How I'd play Del Mar on Saturday, Aug. 29
Despite 10 races carded for the seaside Saturday, options seem limited with a few short fields and four races (2, 4, 8, and 10) loaded with firsters. At least one race, however, with a big, contentious field, provides an opportunity, particularly for trifectas/superfectas.
Race 5
ODIN always has struck me best as a turf sprinter, particularly when given a patient ride. Oh, he has ample speed, but he seems best when he can stalk with a target and go after said target. He returns to grass and sprinting here vs. Cal-bred optional claimers after chasing the pace and fading on dirt July 10 at Los Alamitos. The freshening since and return to grass may be just what the doctor ordered, and it doesn’t hurt that he doesn’t face all that much power.
With that last dull run and a few losses prior in tow, his price may stay more than fair (he's 5-1 on the morning line). I’ll use him on top in both the trifecta and the superfecta with SIGNATURE CAT (interesting claim by Philip D’Amato), OIL (very fast; tries turf for the first time; may go favored), LAW DOG (freshened; returns with Rafael Bejarano aboard; all four wins have come on turf at this distance), GLOBAL MAGICIAN (shown turf talent), and AVANTI BELLO (returns from a long layoff for a barn that’s good off the bench; was regarded highly enough to get a stakes turf try at Santa Anita when last seen last Dec. 27).
A $1 trifecta play costs $20; a $1 superfecta play costs $60. I also might use him in the two spot in those same bets, putting the other five on top, and in the three spot in the trifecta, on top, in the three spot and four spot in the super.