
Del Mar for Monday 31 August 2020
Kentucky Derby day 2020 full card selections : Do not miss out on our full card (likely 14 races) special pub. for Kentucky Derby day on 5 September. Please sign up as soon as possible as logistically speaking it helps us out. As usual the selections will be sent to your email at about 4 p.m. pacific.
Best of luck as always!
race 1Â Â average clarity
6 Lil Richards Bello  after an OK turf race it is back to the dirt for his 3rd start........his MSW debut on the dirt was quite strong and disguised in its strength by a wide trip........and today we get a much more accomplished rider on his back
3 Crooked Finger  decent efforts in both lifetime races and he was a smooth looking easy to handle runner in both......that can go a long way in putting "decent efforts" in the winners circle
5Â Tough to Break
1Â Zero Down
race 2Â Â average clarity
5 Althea Gibson  both lifetime races were on the dirt and are par like efforts for today's level.........1st on the grass but this filly owns a pedigree that should appreciate the surface switch........and when the D'A turns to Prat for the 1st time his horses are almost always "live"
1 Starship Leia  mom has tossed 3 grass winners so the surface change has the potential of being a "positive"..........blinkers today and with this girl's best work to date showing........jock upgrade.......should be a price
2Â All Star Heat
8Â Capital Heat
9Â Scream and Shout
race 3Â Â average clarity
2 Impression  bet hard in his latest and did not disappoint.......trainer is solid getting claiming horses to repeat.......that and he shows confidence in his gelding as he steps him up a level.........like last race he should be in the mix from the get go
3 Little No Way  somewhat disguised wake-up in his latest as he stalked a hot pace but did so on a dead inside at Dmr on 31 July 2020......he did lose to our top choice but might turn the tables and at a decent price
6Â The Creep
5Â Plum Dandy
race 4Â Â average clarity
10 Luxury Liner  like the cut back in turf distance (8F to 5F).........and........this stat sure stands out for Steven Miyadi who is still looking for his 1st win at the meeting: 33% win with his last 50 with the sprint-route-sprint move........seems like he has a shot to get that elusive win this afternoon
1 Teddy's Barino  dangerous looking work tab for this debut runner and she lands Prat who has won 3 of his last 7 for Mark Glatt
7Â Sky On Ice
6Â After Midnight
2Â Closing Remarks
race 5  below average clarity
1 Big Dress  Yakteen is 3 for his last 5 with the sprint-route-sprint move and leading rider Umberto Rispoli sticks with the filly.......and it is reassuring that this filly broke well from the rail in both of her lifetime starts........not that much speed in the race and this two year old filly has some
2 Take Her Temp  decent debut and Prat stays put......likely needs a small forward move and she might provide it
3Â Vanna
8Â Dancing Dana
6Â Big Moon
race 6Â Â average clarity
3 Invincibella  trainer Hector Palma likely saw something positive for his filly to step her up following 3 dull efforts at the 25K level.......she ran a solid 2nd in a decent time for the day and level showing vastly improved route speed........two reassuring drills since.......should be in the mix from the get go
6 Red Bunting  seems best of the late runners signed up and she is racing 2nd out following a layoff so she might show more this afternoon because of it
11Â Colombian Gold
8Â Lady Noquez
4Â Danceformunny
race 7Â Â average clarity
5 Paige Runner  trainer Lorenzo Ruiz is 24% win 1st after a claim and he wisely puts up Figueroa who is (5 2 1 0) on this filly.......Ruiz is also strong with the route - sprint move which is the case here......and her race 2 back at Dmr was one fast heat for the 8K level on 31 July and fits well at today's significantly higher level
1 Dorita's Lemon  filly should get a nice stalking trip sitting behind our 3rd selection who should be loose on the lead but tends to flatten come crunch time......such a deal
4Â Bounty of Gold
8Â Wishful
3Â Zillinda
race 8Â Â below average clarity
2 Scarto  good post and retains the top turf jock on the grounds in Rispoli.......latest is very solid for the level and fits at today's higher level of racing........the race was the 1st time this three year old got to race of off 4 weeks or less........24 days since her latest........might be feeling awfully good
7 Mecklenburg  brutal trip in her 1st in the U S of A as she broke poorly and ran rank for quite some think......Prat stays put despite of the lack of control.......lookout if this girl settles down
8Â Ajourneytofreedom
1Â Ekklesia
4Â Great Power
race 9  average clarity (Super High Five carryover of $13.5K here)
4 Into Victory  O'Neill just claimed and year in and year out that is a dangerous proposition for opposition.......lone dirt race was run in her latest race and is solid for today's level.......that and the one mile to 7F cut back is quite often a very good move........jock upgrade to boot
3 Caught in a Trappe  2 of 5 lifetime races are par like efforts for today's MC20K level and both are better than they appear in print.......decent chance to get a nice stalk or mid pack position which often works well in 7F races
10Â Big Game Plan
5Â Suezaaana
1Â Apache Pass
9Â Foxy Carmela