Trio of statebred sprints top eight-race card

DEL MAR, Calif. – Subtleties mesh with handicapping fundamentals in three California-bred races that highlight the Friday card at Del Mar.

Pedigree considerations in a pair of maiden turf sprints for 2-year-old fillies precede a condition-book clause that benefits the favorite in an allowance for filly and mare sprinters. The Friday card is a no-frills, eight-race program on the penultimate weekend of Del Mar’s five-week autumn meet.

The maiden turf sprint was divided into races 2 and 6. The allowance sprint for California-bred fillies and mares goes as race 7. All three races have relatively big fields – eight are allowed to run in the turf sprints; 10 entered the allowance dirt sprint.

Race 2 looks like an advertisement for California stallion Sir Prancealot. Five in the race are by Sir Prancealot, an Irish-bred Group 2 winner who stood his first season in California in 2020. His progeny in this race include Rosa Parks, a second-time starter who finished an okay fourth in her debut, and Guiltyofhavingfun, who flashed speed and faded first out.

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The horse to beat is We the Hobby, sired by Om. The stallion’s 2024 juveniles are his second California crop. And though Om won three Grade 2 routes, his best races were second-place finishes in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2016 and 2019. His progeny like turf sprints as well.

We the Hobby finished last in her career debut on dirt, then improved significantly switching to turf for her second start. It’s a recurring pattern. Om progeny have combined to win 6 of 24 turf sprints overall. We the Hobby is quick enough to set or press the pace.

Race 6, the split of the turf sprint, presents a dilemma. Lil’ Boom Boom is a habitual bridesmaid. She has finished second in four straight on dirt, and is sired by Stay Thirsty, whose progeny prefer dirt. Their win rate is less than 9 percent on turf, more than 14 percent on dirt. But it’s not a deal-breaker for Lil’ Boom Boom, as her dam won seven turf races.

Lil’ Boom Boom’s trainer Steve Miyadi has won with four of his last six starters. The filly’s rivals include route-to-sprint Only After Midnite, and second-time starter Freya.

Race 7 is a six-furlong California-bred allowance, a race Wishtheyallcouldbe has won five times. She is eligible because she is entered for the optional $20,000 claim tag. A seven-time winner, including four at Del Mar, Wishtheyallcouldbe has speed to chase front-runner Barbera. Nene Diamond switches surfaces following an allowance turf sprint win. She won a maiden dirt sprint in her debut last year.

Horses such as Nene Diamond that win a statebred allowance on one surface retain eligibility for the statebred condition on the other surface. But the most significant condition-book quirk is the optional-claiming clause that allows California-breds to run back in a condition they already won.

Ten sprints this year in Southern California for statebred fillies and mares have included runners entered for the optional tag. Although they made up only 25 percent of starters, optional-claiming runners won six of the 10.

Wishtheyallcouldbe is likely to make it 7 of 11 as the most probable winner on the card.

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