Opening day Del Mar. Life is good!
A special welcome to those of you that only play Del Mar and maybe a few other special days at the other tracks. Great to have you back!!
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
4 Debt Monger  Bill Spawr sends out very few MSW 1st time starters but when he does they are very often quite "live and ready".......numerous weekly works dating back to at least mid August supports the notion this colt is also ready at 1st asking
5 I Will Not  sprint-route-sprint......turf to dirt.........1st time blinkers........tough trio coming off of a fantastic SA Fall meeting of O'Neill/Gutierrez/Reddam.........a superfecta of reasons to consider this two year old colt
1 Summer Fire  races two and three back fit decently here and today the colt gets Prat on her back for the 1st time........tossed a clunker in his latest but the fact Prat landed here hints a rebound might be in the cards
race 2Â Â average clarity
3 Wildman Jack  all three of this gelding's lifetime races fit solidly here and they all were turf sprints like today.......trainer & rider (O'Neill/Bejarano) have been deadly as a team as in 9 for their last 21 as a combo over their last 2 months.......three old ran a sizzling 55:2 in August in his debut......that time is outstanding for today's level
1 Big Runner  impressive MSW debut and like our top choice his time of 102:1 is awfully stout and supported by a 4 length gap to 2nd.......in that race he also started from the one post and broke about 2 lengths slow.......best not do that today vs tougher
6 Restless Rambler  gelding has one way to go and that is all out from the opening bell.........trainer and the rider are both extremely dangerous with turf speed-balls.......but at what price today as the race is loaded with early speed
5Â Truck Salesman
race 3Â Â average clarity
6 Fire When Ready  2 for 3 at today's one mile distance and one of the wins was at Del Mar.......2 for 2 with Bejarano in the saddle......last win was three back in a claiming race (only race up for a tag) and it came following two straight weak efforts.......same scenario today........hmmmm
8 Impression  earned a somewhat disguised par like number for today's lower level and he sure appears to be a better dirt horse than a turf horse......and he surely has the right to move forward 2nd out after an eight month hiatus from the game
1 Dawood  might be a good claim by Metz of a four year old who sure has found his nicth in dirt route racing and is steadily getting better........latest is better than it appears in print...........gelding might be able to keep his positive trend moving forward
7Â Roaring Rule
3Â Wilshire Dude
race 4Â Â average clarity
6 It's a Riddle  very dull MSW race in her 2nd lifetime start which likely came from this two year old filly dueling in a very fast quarter mile........MC debut was vastly better.......needs a rebound to that effort and if she is up to it she faces a soft looking bunch
5 Golden Chrome  double barrel action for O'Neill as he also conditions our 3rd selection.......this filly flashed a solid quarter in a 5F MSW turf sprint 3 weeks ago getting caught wide on the turn and predictably cashed it in.........might have always been pointed for today.......we shall see about 2 pm pacific time is that is the case
4 Ladies Luv Munny  1st time starter has a decent fairly new inexpensive (so far) sire and decent drills considering the given level of racing......just bought in June for $28K so why not race for MC32K.......that and this is one weak looking group of MC 32K runners.......thus a good spot for a 1ster for O'Neill and company
2Â Golden Missile
3Â Happy Trails
race 5Â Â average clarity
1 Hootie  two of this gelding's last three races are very strong adjusted Santucci figs (for pace/position/trouble)......hopefully his latest which was 4 weeks ago isn't too strong and causes him to regress some.......because........he should sit up close and save ground in a race that seems to set up for those that do
8 Volubile  just claimed by Hess off of a lifetime best for this three year old gelding........and Hess changes riders from one who struggles to one that does not especially on the sod in Flavien Prat
2 Storm the Bastille  only lifetime race getting to compete off of short rest (21 days) was a win......looking for his 2nd lifetime win off of short rest today this time around off of 26 days rest
5Â Tartini
9Â Blame It On Kitty
race 6Â Â average clarity
2 Remember to Smile  not much cooking in her 1st two lifetime starts then in her 3rd which was her 1st on the sod she improved some......and her two works since the 13 October race hint the grass muscled her up and she is likely sitting on her best to date.....that and it appears to be a good spot for someone like herself who has some early speed
1 Adorably Sweet  pounded at the windows to favorite in a 9 horse field MSW debut but got hurt during the running of the race......off since the 2 December race and she is training as if she will bet bet again.....and the fact that Prat and his agent see fit to ride an individual who was vanned off in her debut supports the idea she is ready and has some ability
6 Twirling Diamond  one of Dallas Keen's better maneuvers in the sprint-route-sprint scenario and that is the case here with his three year old filly.......last race was on the grass at a route and like our top selection her works hint it muscled her up......and being a route it likely has improved her endurance which she needs more of
4Â Too Hot for Curlin
5Â Into Rissa
race 7Â Â average clarity
1 La Sardane  only win in the U S of A for this Drysdale five year old mare came the lone time she got to race 2nd out after a long layoff off of relatively short rest........same scenario today.........very impressive hopefully telltale 5F bullet work just put in on the SA tr.t just 4 days ago.......very sharp when it counts the most as in right before her race
3 Poster Girl  might be an excellent claim by Bill Spawr and company of a mare who is arguably at her best racing level of her career........trainer has won 3 of his last 6 in non-Graded Stakes races like this one......mare should sit pretty 2nd, 3rd or 4th down the backstretch with a weak front runner to catch........dangerous sort
7 Super Patriot  nicely improved since Richard Baltas snatched up this filly by way of the claiming box 4 races back.......latest two races definitely fit at today's level provided she works out a decent trip.........as usually she should be motoring late
2Â Storming Lady
9Â Excellent Sunset
race 8Â Â average clarity
5 Road Test  trainer Trela is an amazing 7 for her last 14 1st following a claim which is the case today........five year old mare has been in the exacta at today's distance 12 of 17.........jock smartly rides thru the claim and he is (6 1 4 0) on this mare........tough stats to ignore despite the move up in class today especially considering almost the whole field is "moving up"
3 Tiz Toffee  might be up for a move forward as she just worked a best of 38 5F drill at GG one week ago..........mostly "a need the lead type" but she owns plenty of early speed to get the front end.......last win was the last time today's rider Delgadillo had the mount
7 Whoa Nessie  only lifetime race at Del Mar on the main track was his best to date and at today's 8F distance.........he won the race turf to dirt and that is today's scenario........the 11 length win came despite racing a touch wide and doing it pressing a par like set of fractions for the day
1Â Bunny Yogart
9Â Meso