Weekend Warrior for Saturday, Aug. 18: Picks for Del Mar Handicap, Breeders' Stakes, Alabama Stakes

Del Mar has the stakes spotlight Saturday as that track’s signature summer event – the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic – tops a card that also includes the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, and the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap.

There is, of course, also important racing at Saratoga, where the feature is the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, supported by the Grade 2, $300,000 Lake Placid Stakes.

Del Mar Handicap

From a betting standpoint, I find this to be the most intriguing stakes event on the Del Mar card, and that is because many of the horses who are likely to take money are vulnerable.

For example, Itsinthepost is more than good enough to win, but he was ice on the board last time in the Eddie Read and he backed up through the stretch, and for all he’s accomplished in his career he has never won on the Del Mar turf course.

Flamboyant is also winless on Del Mar grass, and at this point of his career I think he wants a shorter distance than the 11 furlongs he must travel on Saturday.

Kenjisstorm, Ritzy A. P., and Unapologetic (who will appreciate getting back on turf) all have good recent form, but they aren’t so good as to dissuade you from taking a shot against them.

I’m taking a flyer here on Fashion Business. Fashion Business was also dull in the Read, but I’m willing to overlook that outing because his price should be big enough to be more forgiving, and he ran well narrowly missing in two races last year on Del Mar turf, including the La Jolla.

Fashion Business looked good walloping much weaker allowance company three starts back in his seasonal bow at Santa Anita, and he ran sneaky well two starts back when fifth in the Grade 1 Manhattan at Belmont, beaten only one length at 43-1. Fashion Business was four wide on the far turn in the Manhattan, yet still finished ahead of Robert Bruce, who came back to win last week’s Arlington Million.

Breeders’ Stakes

This is the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown and those contesting it should be grateful Wonder Gadot has left the series in search of bigger game. Wonder Gadot, of course, dominated the first two legs of the Canadian Triple Crown – the Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales – and will take on males again in next week’s Travers at Saratoga.

Aheadbyacentury was easily second in both the Queen’s Plate and the Prince of Wales, and he’s a logical candidate to capitalize in Wonder Gadot’s absence. However, this will be Aheadbyacentury’s first career attempt on turf. Sure, the fact that Aheadbyacentury handles Woodbine’s synthetic surface bodes well for a transition to turf. Still, I can think of better things than to take a low price on a horse running on a new surface for the first time.

Neepawa, who underscored his preference for turf most recently with an improved third in his return to it in the Toronto Cup, and Say the Word, who should appreciate the surface switch back to turf, are the logical alternatives. And I prefer Say the Word.

Three starts back in his last attempt on grass, Say the Word was a visually impressive winner at Keeneland, crushing maidens, all while showing exactly the kind of turn of foot I want in this spot.

Alabama Stakes

I have great respect for Midnight Bisou and Talk Veuve to Me. They are two very talented and classy fillies. But I have real doubts that either is suited to the Alabama distance of 1 1/4 miles. Although she didn’t have ideal trips, Midnight Bisou also didn’t really finish up in her two attempts at 1 1/8 miles, while Talk Veuve to Me has the look of a middle-distance horse and has yet to even race beyond 1 1/16 miles.

Eskimo Kisses is my pick because she might be best suited to handle this distance.

Eskimo Kisses, second in the Ashland and Fair Grounds Oaks, and fourth after a less-than-perfect trip in the Kentucky Oaks, recently returned from a 2 1/2-month freshening in the CCA Oaks earlier in the Saratoga meet. She finished a soundly beaten fourth of five, but her late kick was compromised by a very slow early pace. Nevertheless, Eskimo Kisses should benefit from that outing, and she has the kind of pick-up-the-pieces running style that could be an asset in a field where ability at the distance is a major question mark.