Few Southern California trainers are as eager as George Papaprodromou for the resumption of racing at Del Mar on Saturday. Papaprodromou and John Sadler begin the weekend tied for first in the trainer standings with six wins. Papaprodromou is seeking his first training title. Friday’s program was canceled because of overnight rain, leading the track to alter its racing schedule this weekend to a Saturday-through-Monday format. Papaprodromou has nine runners over those days compared to six for Sadler. Papaprodromou could end the weekend with a clear lead in the standings in advance of the final three days of the season from Nov. 28-30. “Let’s win this,” he said from his stable office at Santa Anita on Friday. “That would be great. Why not?” Papaprodromou, 49, has trained since 2003 and has been close to winning a training title. He finished third at the 2024 Santa Anita autumn meeting with 12 wins, two behind leader Bob Baffert. :: Get Gulfstream Park Clocker Reports from Mike Welsch and the Clocker Team. Available every race day.  At the Del Mar summer meeting this year, Papaprodromou finished seventh with 12 wins. At the recent Santa Anita fall meeting, he finished tied for eighth with five wins. To secure leading trainer status at Del Mar’s autumn meeting, Papaprodromou must surpass Sadler. Other trainers with chances for the title are Doug O’Neill (5 wins), Steve Knapp (4) and Baffert (3). Papaprodromou expects a big weekend. He mentioned Can’t Say That and Don’t Ju Forget on Saturday, and Cyprus Moon and Hawker on Monday as four starters he holds in high regard. “I like Monday,” he said. “They’ve all got a shot.” Can’t Say That starts from the inside post in a $32,000 claiming race for maiden 2-year-old fillies at a mile, her longest race in her fourth start. “She should be tough going long,” Papaprodromou said. “We’ve always wanted to go long.” In Saturday’s seventh race, Don’t Ju Forget starts in an allowance race for California-breds at 6 1/2 furlongs. Don’t Ju Forget won a similar race at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Sept. 7, the day he was claimed for $20,000. Don’t Ju Forget is entered to be claimed for $20,000 on Saturday through the optional claimer condition of the race. Sadler starts expected favorite Christel Clean. “I’ve got to beat Sadler there,” Papaprodromou said. Next weekend, Papaprodromou expects to be active. The final weekend of the season are the last racing days on turf in California until the Dec. 26 opening day of the Santa Anita meeting. Los Alamitos has a two-week meeting in December, but does not have a turf course. Papaprodromou plans to start Balladeer in the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup on Nov. 28 and Cabo Spirit in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap on Nov. 29. By then, the stable could be close to a milestone training title. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.