Weekend Warrior for Saturday, Aug. 20: Picks for Del Mar Handicap, Del Mar Oaks, Fourstardave Handicap

NEW YORK – Del Mar offers the race of the summer Saturday in the Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic, which lured 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome, the three-time champion mare Beholder, and the highly talented Dortmund, who gave California Chrome all he could handle in last month’s San Diego Handicap.

The Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks and the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Handicap are the supporting features.

Saratoga also has two Grade 1 races Saturday – the $600,000 Alabama, in which the brilliant Songbird will be heavily favored to stretch her unbeaten streak to 10, and the $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap, which was rescheduled after last week’s rainout.

Del Mar Handicap

Ashleyluvssugar, Flamboyant, and Finnegans Wake are all logical contenders, and none would be a surprise if he won this race. Finnegans Wake is a Grade 1 stakes winner, Flamboyant looks primed for a top effort in his second start back from Dubai and was razor-sharp early in the year, and Ashleyluvssugar ran well in both of his starts this year and finished second in this race last year as the favorite.

That said, I’m taking a stand against all three. Finnegans Wake was beaten only about two lengths when fifth in last month’s Eddie Read Stakes, in which Ashleyluvssugar and Flamboyant finished a narrowly beaten second and third. But while the stretch-out to 1 3/8 miles should be no problem for Finnegans Wake, he didn’t do much running in the Read, and you have to wonder if he isn’t well past his Grade 1-winning peak.

Flamboyant’s form isn’t the problem, as he is sharp now, but the distance might be. Even though he won the San Marcos Stakes going 10 furlongs in February, I sense that 11 furlongs might be outside of his best range.

And as for Ashleyluvssugar, the only real issue with him is the short price.

I’m going with the up-and-coming new face in Metaboss. Metaboss has questions, too, as he is jumping up in class and distance. But he beat a good allowance field in good time in an impressive score most recently in his first start for trainer Phil D’Amato, and unlike his well-established opponents, he still has room for improvement.

Regarding the distance factor, that Metaboss flew home in his recent victory with a final quarter in 23.29 seconds bodes well for a stretch-out, as does the fact that early in his 3-year-old season, he ate up nine furlongs. It also helps that D’Amato won the last two runnings of this race with Big John B, so he knows the kind of horse who gets this trip.

Del Mar Oaks

Mokat was a play in this space in last month’s San Clemente Handicap, the local prep for this, and she romped at 7-1. And yet, at the risk of seeming ungrateful, I’m going against her Saturday. Mokat has really found her niche on turf, but I just prefer Harmonize.

My preference is based on the company Harmonize has kept. Catch a Glimpse, unbeaten in seven starts on turf, is the best 3-year-old grass filly in the country, and Harmonize ran huge against her in the Edgewood Stakes three starts back, finishing a fast-closing third after being hopelessly out of position to the top of the stretch. And Time and Motion might be the second-best 3-year-old turf filly in the country, and she beat Harmonize by just a half-length when Harmonize was second in the Wonder Again Stakes two back.

Harmonize didn’t do as well against those two last time in the Belmont Oaks but was compromised by a sluggish pace and a three- to four-wide trip throughout, and I think she’ll appreciate the slight cutback in distance in this event.

Fourstardave Handicap

Tourist was the pick in this race last week, and I see no reason not to feature him again.

I initially was disappointed when Tourist didn’t win the Shoemaker Mile last time out after looking 1-5 turning for home, but I’ve since changed my mind. Midnight Storm controlled the pace, and when he’s on the lead and on his game, he is very hard to beat. And Midnight Storm is on his game, winning the Eddie Read Stakes in his next start. Tourist will get a more active pace to shoot at this time, and that will help him.