SOUPER COLOSSAL (#1, ML 3-1) is reaching his best form after getting off to a late start this year. Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. adds blinkers, and Souper Colossal can upset Divining Rod in this prep for the Pennsylvania Derby, Saturday's Grade 3 Smarty Jones Stakes at Parx.
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DRF Past Performances
Trainer Phil D’Amato saddles Rocko’s Wheel (#7, ML 10-1) in Saturday's third race at Del Mar, the one-mile El Cajon Stakes. Since Jan. 1, 2014, D’Amato is winning at a 25 percent clip in route races, for a return on investment of $2.52.
Below are my horse-by-horse takes on the 55 entrants in Saturday’s six Grade 1 stakes races at Saratoga (now 54 runners after the early scratch of La Verdad from the Ballerina). It would be a great lineup of high-quality racing even without the Triple Crown winner in the Travers. The six Grade 1 races comprise Saturday’s pick six with a guaranteed pool of $250,000, and the last four (races 8-11) make up the late pick four, guaranteed at $1 million.
I would love to make a play on the $1 million guaranteed pick four, but it’s very tough to get past Flintshire and American Pharoah in the last two legs.
Instead, we’ll take a crack at the all-seven furlong pick three comprising the Ballerina (7th), King’s Bishop (8th) and Forego (9th), all of which are competitive on paper.
A low-odds overlay in race 6, a longshot in race 7, and a middle-price overlay in race 10 are the “how-to-play” focal points Sunday at Del Mar.
Race 6
LUCKY STUDENT set a blazing pace and tired in her recent comeback. That race was won by a deep closer who happens to be a stablemate of Lucky Student. Second start back, Lucky Student drops one level to $25k claiming and should be gone up front.
DEL MAR, Calif. – A 50-cent pick four ending with a longshot single is the play Saturday at Del Mar. The wager on races 7-10 is structured using TicketMaker, and the total cost is $54. The bet allows for one “miss” in the early races, trying to “get live” to the single.
Race 7
Despite 10 races carded for the seaside Saturday, options seem limited with a few short fields and four races (2, 4, 8, and 10) loaded with firsters. At least one race, however, with a big, contentious field, provides an opportunity, particularly for trifectas/superfectas.
Race 5
Trainer Ashlee Brnjas saddles Sleepy P (#5, ML 3-1) in Friday's fourth race at Woodbine, a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight race on turf. Since Jan. 1, 2014, Brnjas is winning at a 46 percent clip with first-time turf starters, for a return on investment of $5.34.
Tanner's Popsicle (#5, ML 5-2) returns in Friday's seventh race at Canterbury Park, a 5 1/2-furlong optional claimer. It will be his first start since finishing second by seven lengths in an optional claimer July 2 at Canterbury Park. The first- and third-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.