Hammersly: How I'd play Del Mar for Sunday, Aug. 24

The card gets off to inscrutable starts as four of the first six races are for maidens and a couple of those are loaded with firsters, so it’s tough to take a stand using any of those since you won’t be able to see betting patterns and physical appearance before you post your multi-race wagers. Another race in that sequence (race 5) is the Grade 2 Del Mar Mile where Obviously appears, well, obvious, and you’re looking at odds of 3-5 or so on him. So, we’ll wait until ace 7 to get more serious.

There HURRICANE LAKE and ACCELERANT appear to have some things in their favor. First, what they do not have in their favor are outside posts for this 1 1/16-mile race, Nos. 10 and 9, respectively. HURRICANE LAKE, however, has the versatility to give rider Rafael Bejarano options from way outside. Hurricane Lake rallied for third for $32,000 on this track Aug. 13, and the two-level drop here may be just what the doctor ordered.

ACCELERANT was a decent third for $16,000 going a mile here Aug. 3. He wasn’t ready for the start and got away poorly. It was first time with blinkers and they were probably expecting to use more speed, but the poor break didn’t allow for it. Instead, he made an early move before finishing a bit one-paced. He can do better, though he hasn’t won in a long time.

BARUTA is going to crack through the first allowance level some time (she has five straight seconds) and it might be in race 8. The Brazilian import was good enough to be multiple Grade 1-placed in her native land and she’s run well here, showing some versatility. She’s worked smartly twice since her last. ZANBO, on the AE list, was third, just behind BARUTA in a race similar to this here July 26. She has tactical speed, though she’ll have an outside post if she goes. BURNS TURN comes off a game win over $25,000 foes on the main track here July 24, but she may actually be better on turf. It’s most encouraging trainer Bill Spawr claimed her for $25,000 June 5, brought her back for that price for that game July 24 win here, but this time does not risk her for a tag. ANOTHER SKY had a difficult post and all sorts of trouble at this level here July 26, eventually fading to ninth well behind BARUTA and ZANBO. She’s capable of better and that last ugly running line means she’ll be a price.

FED BIZ is a nice horse, yes, but he’s a real nice horse on this track. He’s not only perfect in three starts here but his best races have come here, including a fine off-the-pace win in this very race last year, defeating GOLDENCENTS, whom he must deal with again here in race 9. His super win in the Grade 2 San Diego here July 26, which was his first start in almost eight months, shows he’s as good as ever and loves this place as much as ever.

No doubt SHARED BELIEF and GAME ON DUDE will attract the most play in the Pacific Classic (race 10), as they should. But a couple price options are there for the supporting roles in the exacta, tri and super, as well as for your multi-race wagers in case the big two don’t fire. FRAC DADDY showed big-time Polytrack talent at Keeneland and Woodbine this spring/summer. He didn’t fire in the Grade 2 San Diego here July 26 (ran fourth) but trainer Ken McPeek said he thought the horse wasn’t here long enough to get acclimated. He said that’s not an issue this time and a bullet six-furlong work here Aug. 12 (1:11.20) may signal McPeek is right. IMPERATIVE looked like a real comer in the spring, topped by a smashing win (over GAME ON DUDE) in the Grade 2 Charles Town Classic. He was then gone a couple months, came back with a decent run when third in the Grade 1 Gold Cup at Santa Anita June 28 before an eighth in the Grade 2 San Diego. But his connections feel good enough about him to give him another go at this level and rider Kent Desormeaux stays up.

PRESSURE TIME is attractive in the nightcap (race 11), particularly at the 8-1 morning-line odds. He had a troubled run in a similar spot here Aug. 9 but was far from disgraced in finishing fifth. Some better racing luck can result in a victory, and that last finish may mean his price stays high.