There are two races at Del Mar on Saturday that I’m particularly interested in, and they couldn’t be farther apart from a class standpoint; one is for non-winners of two races lifetime, and the other is a graded stakes event. Nonetheless, they each have the potential to offer value, albeit in different fashions.
RACE 2
A Del Mar daily double is the play of the day for Saturday after a modest play-of-the-day win last week ($63.50 pick-three payoff from a $15 wager). This week’s $2 double includes two runners and four runners; total cost: $16.
Race 7
Maiden 2-year-olds race 5 1/2 furlongs, and first-time starter Sigalert is ready to fire. Purchased for $420,000 at a March 2-year-old sale, Sigalert was sired by Street Sense. He will get speed from his dam.
Race 5:
Precieuse (#5)
Is arguably the class of this field, having won the Group 1 Poule d’Essai des Pouliches (French 1,000 Guineas) last year.
Has apparently been working very well up to this start, while more than holding her own against some of her best stablemates.
DRF Formulator Fact: Over the past five years, Chad Brown is 5 for 10 (50 percent, $3.95 ROI) first off a trainer switch with foreign shippers on turf at Saratoga.
3-1 on ML
Race 4:
Zeven (#7)
The Pace Projector is predicting that she will be on the lead in a situation favoring the front-runner.
Actually handled the dirt well early in her career and even successfully routed on multiple occasions.
Was unwisely rated last time when facing a better field at Monmouth.
6-1 on ML
Race 5:
Give Me a Hug (#6)
Was very green in her debut, bearing out around the turn before galloping out strongly after the wire.
It’s a Grade 1 stakes doubleheader Saturday at Saratoga with the $1.2 million Whitney and the $500,000 Test stakes topping a card that also includes three other stakes scheduled for the turf but that could be adversely affected by potential heavy rain.
It’s also the biggest day of the year at Mountaineer Park, where the Grade 3, $500,000 West Virginia Derby is the main event. The feature at Del Mar is the Grade 2, $200,000 Yellow Ribbon.
Race 1:
Gypso Jo (#3)
The 104 TimeformUS Speed Figure that she earned for her maiden win is among the fastest figures in the field.
Drops down to an appropriate class level after trying tougher company last time.
May play out as one of the main speeds in a race that does not feature an overwhelming amount of pace.
8-1 on ML
Race 4
Wingman (#12)
Ran some competitive speed figures last summer and fall – albeit against maidens.
He ran much better than it appears in his first start against winners in December after a rough opening quarter-mile.
The TimeformUS Pace Projector is predicting that he will be racing up close in a situation favoring horses on or near the lead.
12-1 on ML
Race 7
Crossways (#3)
Was extremely impressive winning his turf debut last time at Aqueduct.
SPLIT MY PANTS
Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips
Last race: July 28, 10th
Finish: 6th by 5
Beyer: 70
He was bottled up in traffic along in the inside throughout most of the stretch in a non-winners-of-three turf sprint for Ontario-sired allowance types and $40,000 claimers.
