Delta Downs is in the spotlight Saturday with the Grade 3, $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot, and the Grade 3, $400,000 Delta Downs Princess. These races are supported by a handful of undercard stakes, including the $250,000 Delta Mile and the $200,000 Treasure Chest.
Delta Mile
Aqueduct
Horses to Watch
UNTILTHEREWASYOU
Trainer: Charlie Baker
Last race: Nov. 12, 7th
Finish: 3rd by 3 1/4
Beyer: 61
Broke slowly and middle-moved five wide to get within a half-length of the lead before flattening out, and was claimed from the $17,500 sprint.
Woodbine
Horses to Watch
NIIGON’S SONG
Trainer: Paul Attard
Last race: Nov. 15, 6th
Finish: 4th by 1 3/4
Beyer: 48
She awaited room on the far turn during a frustrating trip in her second two-turn try, both in Ontario-sired maiden special company. She could break through next time if things go her way.
COMMENT: Dynamic Sky finished third behind second-place Big Blue Kitten when they met in the Grade 1 Canadian International at Woodbine Oct. 19. A better trip and better racing luck helped Dynamic Sky turn the tables on his rival. He rallied from far back in the Woodbine race but showed more of his speed here.
A couple of imposing singles on the main track in Sunday’s late pick four offer the chance to spread in a pair of tough-to-figure grass races with a wide range of possible results.
RACE 6: It’s tough to see past LIAM’S MAP (#5), an $800,000 purchase who ran a 90 Beyer Speed Figure when placing second in his debut and graduated soon after with a figure of 98 that would win many stakes races.
DEL MAR, Calif. – Undefeated after two starts, Light the City towers over her rivals in the $100,000 Desi Arnaz Stakes (race 2) on Sunday at Del Mar. Bettors that enjoy wagering on short prices in small fields are welcome to knock themselves out.
Light the City is 7-5 against four rivals. She should win. Hooray if she does. Wagering value will be tough to find in the seven-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies.
I’m going to take the opportunity to observe the main track through an early double with fields of six and seven after scratches. The track was a harrowed “good” throughout Friday’s card, and early speed took a 0-for-8 collar, as the only front-running winner was Party Now in the day’s only turf race to stay on a yielding course.
The turf is yielding again and will be in use only for race 5, a one-mile allowance for New York-breds, and race 7, the Red Smith Handicap, which is the last graded turf stakes race of the season in New York.
Some small fields early in the card dampen enthusiasm some for a pick three shot, as do two races late on the card full of firsters (races 7, 9). In between, however, races 4-6 have decent-sized fields and some form on which to base a wager, so we’ll take a look there.
