
Del Mar for Sunday 28 July 2019
One difficult card to decipher as you can see from the clarity ratings. Be back with you on Wednesday.
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
6 Immediate Impact  like a record with a scratch in a grove what else can one write about another Baffert 1st time starter who is seemingly meant and ready to roll off of a strong work tab.......and mom has tossed two winners from 2 starters and both were Stakes winners
1 Lucia's Design  SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE good prolonged work series for this Craig Lewis 1st time starter.......and the veteran trainer has for the most part had his stock fit and ready at the Dmr meeting and that is somewhat hidden.......mom has tossed 4 winners from 4 starters
5 Tacocat  trainer usually does not train his stock very hard in the a.m. but he is with this filly.....that tells me she has some talent and is well meant in her MSW debut
race 2  average clarity Â
4 Shadrack  N Cal invader would be a perfect 3 for 3 on the lawn if not for being disqualified in her debt and placed 6th......and I believe that the locals don't have much talent which lends itself to going elsewhere
2 On Raglan Road  another barn coming on down from up north seeking the big bucks that Dmr has to offer.......both lifetime grass races for this Tamayo trainee are solid and as mentioned above I believe that the locals don't have much talent which lends itself to going elsewhere
3 Mobou  3 of his 5 lifetime grass races fit well in this spot.......colt seems to appreciate ample time between starts and Shirreffs shows patience and gives it to him.......rider has been a little chilly to start the new meeting but Espinoza (he did have a winner Sat.) might get some of his mojo back with this three year old colt
5Â Push Thru
1Â Red Clem
race 3Â Â below average clarity
4 Dueling  lone lifetime win came sprint-sprint-route with a change in riders to Mike Smith......last two racing endeavors were sprints.......route today.......and you guessed it - a change in jocks to Mike Smith
7 Kylemore four year old appears to be at his best racing on fast rated conventional dirt.......but.......maybe more importantly his lifetime best was the only time he ever got to race on the Del Mar dirt.......solid aggressive works suggest Baltas is more than aware of it and want's him 100% ready off of a 3 month break
1 Dukes Up  Kent Desormeaux has won 3 of his last 4 mounts riding for Glatt over the last 2 months.......and he owns 2 wins and a 2nd the last 3 times he has been aboard this gelding........good post and this fellow has been in the exacta 8 of 13 lifetime starts at today's distance
8Â Jammonwithbrandon
6Â Swamp Souffle
race 4Â Â below average clarity
7 Spokane Eagle  good gate horse and he appears to have the best early speed in the field.......solid history at today's distance (6 2 2 1)......improved recent works.......hard not to like
3 Very Very Stella  route to sprint is a strong stat for O'Neill........gelding has shown that he can handle the Del Mar main track........and he has a decent chance to sit 2nd or 3rd early in a race that seemingly favors those sitting close to the front end of things
9 Sightforsoreeyes  seems like a decent claim by Delia and company at Churchill Downs and his newbie doesn't have a bad work showing since the 18 May claim.......and so far the 18 May race at CD which he won has produced two next out winners........dangerous shipper
5Â Top Brass
2Â Italiano
race 5Â Â average clarity
8 Reedley  both life starts sure fit very solidly in this spot so much so that if he has remained in good shape it would seem that only the new dirt surface could stop him from being formidable this afternoon at Del mar
6 Babael  on the improve with each and every start and if the trend continues today he has a shot at turning the tables on our top choice who beat him in his last race.......that and Ron Ellis is firing on all cylinders right now
4 Red Valor  three year old has shown improved speed in his last two races (somewhat ironically with the blinkers taken off) and he had to deal with the one post in both.......4 post today in an improvement........gelding might be able to get away early and open up lead.....and do so a big price
10Â Mutineer
3Â Belden Avenue
race 6Â Â below average clarity
2 Cool Runnings  Keith Desormeaux 1st time starter is working as well as anyone in the field and the trainer is a respectable 2 for his last 9 with horses debuting on the lawn......good post and a rider that Keith can depend on......as in his brother Kent (well at least most of the time)
5 Rip City  very good grass pedigree for this Baltas 1ster and Richard appears to have his two year old colt all cranked up and ready for the big challenge of a two turn turf race at such a young age......rider is in a mini slump......Franco best get things going soon or his good mounts will soon be far and in between
10 Rail Splitter  good MSW debut somewhat hidden in its strength and a good gallop out which hints his 1st a a route will be doable.......good grass pedigree........tough post or would have possible placed him higher
1Â War Beast
3Â Hit the Road
race 7Â Â average clarity
3 Secret Spice  last three "fast" track races for this filly are strong.......and back to Prat (after being absent for two races) who won for fun on this filly the only time he was on her when the track was rated fast
5 Paradise Woods  not the best of trips for this mare or she could have won back to back Grade 2 route races........her latest might do the trick but if she is up to her ace two back the others would be racing for 2nd
1 La Force  ran one strong 2nd to a great racehorse in her lone race at Del Mar which was the 2018 version of the prestigious Grade 1.......good win in her latest where she beat our 2nd choice but wasn't as impressive as our 2nd pick.......still with the big effort that she ran in this race last year she sure is one strong 3rd pick
4Â Ollie's Candy
race 8Â Â below average clarity
5 Desert Oasis  exits a fast MSW heat in the SA version of this two turn grass race in late June.......earned a number that is better than par.......blinkers on - 2nd time on Lasix - 2nd out after a long layoff - all decent stats for Drysdale......believe Bejarano will work out a good trip sitting close to the front end......hard not to like
2 Objective  all three lifetime races were turf sprints and are better than they appear on paper......and all three produced at least one next out winner......1st in a turf route today.....1st with Doug O'Neill as the trainer.......filly has a good pedigree for a route.......good post.......and an underrated turf rider in Cedillo.....should go off at a big number
7 Unicorn  two nice 2nd place efforts to start her career one of which was a turf route.....blinkers come off today and it appears Baltas has made a smart decision as her a.m. work is improved.......might be rated too low
3Â La Shrimp
9 Zest SCRATCHED OUT OF THE RACE