McGee: How I'll play Del Mar for Sunday, Dec. 2
I’ll take an immediate swing at the fences on “get out day” at Del Mar by playing the early pick five. Here’s the layout:
Race 1: Trying just to get alive, Encountress (2) makes her first start for a claiming tag as a mild upset threat to the deserving favorites, One Upper (3) and Token Vow (4).
Race 2: Powder (5) is the likely favorite when making her fourth start for a different outfit from her last five starts, but this spot demands more coverage by way of Sunrise Royale (1), Venue (6), and Coco Kisses (7).
Race 3: All-in here on Englander (8), who has been training forwardly for the last couple of months in anticipation of this return, which comes at two turns following two promising down-the-hill tries in the spring at Santa Anita. He should loom prominently from the opening bell when taking careful rating from Joe Talamo.
Race 4: Again, just trying to survive and advance in this wide-open race while using the lukewarm morning-line favorite, Go Ghetto (7), in conjunction with Banze No Oeste (2), Monterey Shale (5), and Hard Arch (6).
Race 5: Both Worthy Turk (1) and Foxtail (8) are capable of rallying off the ample speed in this turf mile after they settle into midpack for the early running. Let’s hope one is good enough to come through.
Here’s the straight-A ticket:
R1: 2, 3, 4
R2: 1, 5, 6, 7
R3: 8
R4: 2, 5, 6, 7
R5: 1, 8
50-cent ticket = $48
Here’s the DRF TicketMaker™ link: