GUNMETAL GRAY
Trainer: Jerry Hollendorfer
Last race: Aug. 22, 2nd
Finish: 1st by 6 3/4
Beyer: 89
A second-start 2-year-old stretching from a sprint to a mile, this Exchange Rate colt pressed the pace and ran away late. Big win by a colt with graded stakes potential.

GOLDTOWN
Trainer: Ross Armata Jr.
Last race: Aug. 22, fourth
Finish: fifth by 5 1/2
Beyer: 59

In her first start outside the maiden ranks, she dropped back along the rail on the turn and had traffic problems in the stretch vs. $20,000 non-winners of two types, from which she was claimed.

Aug. 25

Saratoga
H. Allen Jerkens (race 6)

Race 3:
Big Mischief (#2)
Closed well to be third in her Monmouth debut despite not changing leads in the stretch.
Has some turf pedigree, as a daughter of Into Mischief out of a Rock Hard Ten dam.
DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Chad Brown is 3 for 4 ($7.80 ROI) with horses making their turf debuts while dropping into maiden-claiming company for the first time.
4-1 on ML
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I’m going to combat my Travers hangover – which is both literal and figurative – with a play in the double connecting the eighth and ninth races.

The late pick-four sequence at Del Mar on Sunday appears to be a competitive one, and there are a couple of favorites throughout whom I’m not entirely sold on. I’ll hope to beat at least one of them with this ticket.

RACE 7

Race 2:
Blahnik (#1)
Took a ton of money in her debut, so she clearly was thought to have some talent.
Is actually better bred for turf than dirt despite being a daughter of Bernardini, as her damside pedigree is all grass breeding.
Had more gate speed in her recent morning drill, so she should show speed this time.
6-1 on ML

Sharp form and an affinity for the Del Mar turf course make Conquest Typhoon an attractive wager in Saturday’s sixth race at Del Mar.

Claimed for $40,000 in June by trainer Jack Carava, he was freshened to await Del Mar and responded with an immediate victory for the same claiming price, recording his third local turf win from four tries. Though he is now stepped up a notch to $50,000, his back class suggests he is capable of handling the rise. From his inside post, he ought to be able to save ground and potentially work out a pocket trip, drafting right behind the speed.

Catalina Cruiser is the best horse running Saturday at Del Mar and is favored to win race 7, the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes. Catalina Cruiser, 3 for 3, is the low-odds key in the first leg of a play-of-the-day pick-three wager. We’ll single Catalina Cruiser and use four runners in the middle leg and three in the finale. Bet size: $1. Ticket cost: $12.

Race 7

Race 4: Americano (#8)

Is bred to handle the turf, since his dam won over $600,000 racing exclusively on grass and synthetic surfaces.

Figures to show more speed with this stretch-out in distance.

Gets a positive rider switch to Jose Ortiz.

12-1 on ML

Race 5: Tathqeef (#1)

Ran very well despite getting an impossibly wide trip on Travers Day last year.

Should work out a favorable stalking trip in a race that does not feature a ton of early speed.