Trying to downsize before Del Mar, Barocio has One Smokin Dude spotted aggressively
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Before he sends a dozen runners from Santa Anita to Del Mar, trainer Librado Barocio is trying to pare down his stable. Barocio trainees are up for sale.
The stakes-placed filly Syntax was in the process of being sold privately on Wednesday, and veteran sprinter One Smokin Dude is a candidate to be claimed from Barocio on Friday at Los Alamitos. One Smokin Dude is favored in race 5, an $8,000 claiming sprint on an all-claiming program.
“I’m trying to downsize, I want to get down to eight horses,” Barocio said. The trainer’s Mia Familia Racing Stable led the Del Mar owner standings last summer with six wins from 13 starters, including an upset by Lovesick Blues in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes.
Lovesick Blues will not be ready for this year’s Bing Crosby on July 25; plans for Syntax are pending. She is nominated to the marquee race of the Los Alamitos meet. The Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes on Saturday is a filly and mare sprint in which Sweet Azteca is expected to return.
Barocio, in addition to training horses and operating a racing stable, produces and directs movies. A graduate from the UCLA Film School, Barocio straddles two professions – Hollywood director and racetrack trainer. But his current stable of 15 head is double his preference.
“I don’t want to be a big barn,” Barocio said. “I want to be aggressive, and win.”
An example of aggressive placement is One Smokin Dude, a 4-year-old gelding Barocio claimed in March for $20,000. In his first start for Barocio, One Smokin Dude finished second in a California-bred allowance/optional-claiming sprint, after which he dropped to $12,500 claiming and won.
In two starts for Barocio and owner Cali Kid Stable, One Smokin Dude already recouped his claim price – his win and second earned $27,800, He could add to the total Friday when he drops again to $8,000 claiming.
The placement of One Smokin Dude in a low claiming race typifies the dilemma facing bettors. While the class drop off a winning race makes sense from an owner’s perspective, the gelding’s low odds could render the race unplayable. Droppers tend to be overbet.
Notwithstanding a 2-for-2 record at Los Alamitos, and a speed-figure advantage, One Smokin Dude’s pattern is curious. Since his last race, he was a vet scratch. His pattern – $12,500 claiming win, $10,000 claiming scratch, $8,000 claiming entry on Friday.
The main rival for One Smokin Dude is Winhappy, a six-time winner who will try to wire the field. Only 2 of 16 Los Alamitos races this meet at 5 1/2 furlongs were won by the pacesetter.
The most probable winner Friday is a class-drop 2-year-old filly in race 1. Allons Y set the pace and faded twice in maiden special weight races. She drops Friday to $30,000 maiden-claiming as the speed of the field. Luis Mendez trains Allons Y, who should wire the field at a short price.
Through Sunday, Los Alamitos favorites are 20 for 50. The meet ends Sunday. The median $2 win payoff (half higher, half lower) is $6.20.
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