Del Mar for Sunday 26 July 2015
Between not having any history for which horses appreciate the new Dmr dirt surface and the track being biased to the outside (for most of the meeting) and the weirdness of heavy July rain in S Cal my job has never been more difficult. Things will settle down as they always do. New tracks are almost always tough to handicap and yield significant and crazy results.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
5  Gold Journey  nicely improved since the blinkers and/or Gonzalez were put on......filly seems to fire to some degree every time out......likes running wide and contrary to the way tracks should play wide is often a good thing at the new Dmr dirt surface so far
6  Hide My Heart  decent work tab and time off.......and another drop in claiming.........not much left in this diminishing filly but I think she's got something left for today
8  Warrensdollarsigns  need race two back a very key race....last might have been the gimme to go go go today
3  Lucky Mo   seems to be running into shape.....needs more and might give it today
race 2 Â Â below average clarity
6  Aloha Ke Akus  consistent GG invader is 1 for 1 on conventional dirt......filly ran competitively versus much tougher in her latest which was at GG
2  Haaay Sexy Lady  capable of rating and the way the track has played that might be wise here as in get off the rail.......trainer Morey is dynamite 1st out following a claim
7  Private Terrace  won at one level higher in last......back in short rest and the only other time she ran off of short rest she won for fun
4  Jan's Spirit  alarming drop but Baltas is hot........toss a coin as far his her physical condition is concerned
Long-shot consideration:  5  Shallot  strong move forward in last......Mario Gutierrez is riding great of late......definitely has a shot with a small move forwardÂ
race 3 Â Â below average clarity
3  L's Choice  jock upgrade........and that ever magical drop out of the MSW ranks.......and maybe more importantly working the best of his career of late....should fire best of his career today
6  Visibility  very consistent and seems best at a route........Paula Capestro won (by many lengths) on Friday with a runner well placed to win.....similar here
9  Admiral Jaxon  MSW gimme.....mid priced maiden claimer go......Mullins is back in business these days following a prolonged dry spell
1  Third Division   works sure hint the connections want a strong race out of this 1st timer.....no easy task when your debut is at a route of ground
race 4 Â Â above average clarity
10  Newfound Gold  only 3rd out following a long layoff so this Miller eight year old likely has something left in the tank ........he should stalk and pounce and go on with it here....an unreal 32 0f 37 in the money lifetime on fast rated conventional dirt surfaces
7  Justa Splash  consistent late runner invades for high win percentage trainer John Martin......seems like a hot pace should develop which can flatter his late run
4  Brando the Birdman  horrid claim by Spawr and friends......connections drop once again but with plenty of time off to help their new shooter recover......toss a coin
1  Oh Daddy  very dangerous speed horse if the rail is better than yesterday.....big race in latest and strong works since
race 5 Â average clarity Â
(AE 11 Â Osceola Pond has a shot if he draws into the field from the AE list)
3  Rideo  grass pedigree.......works.....and Mandella.........all suggest this two-year old 1st time starter is ready for the challenge of being highly competitive in his debut which is at a route on the grass.....no easy task but Mandella is the right guy for the jobÂ
5  Clude  sprint dirt MSW debut was the tune-up for what he was bred to do and that is run on the grass......O'neill did decently last year in the early two-year old grass route races
9  Handful of Strips  same as above but toss in a rider upgrade as well
8  Rare Candy  decent turf sprint at Belmont.......OK route pedigree......rated this low only because Hofmans is 1 for his last 30 46 to 90 days off
race 6 Â Â above average clarity
5  Masochistic  one of the better sprinters in the Country should hound the 2 horse and put him away......best not get too close to the wood in the process
6  Appealing Tale  if the track is biased like yesterday this fellow should get a wonderful 3 wide stalking trip hoping for a nasty duel up frontÂ
3  Caminetto  on the improve.....continues to train like one very sharp individual.......will be coming late
race 7 Â Â average clarity
1  Songbird  Hollendorfer is ever so stout with two-year old filly 1st timers and this girl is all cranked up and ready to roll.....post might be a problem
11  Sutton's Smile  very dangerous looking work tab for this D"Amato 1st timer.....and if the track plays like yesterday a very good post in which to break
6  Lady Cloud  51 to 1 in his MSW debut (especially for a Carla Gaines 1ster) hints this youngster wasn't all that cranked up and should move forward in his 2nd lifetime start
7  Tiz a Tommy Town    very solid MSW debut.....would have rated higher if her works since weren't so dull and I didn't believe the one horse (Hollendorfer's other starter) was so live
race 8 Â Â below average clarity
3  Rock Me Baby  very consistent grass horse should sit mid back and get 1st jump on two stout late runners in the 7 & the 8.........relatively fresh and working well
2  Ambitious Brew  trip horse here....seems likely to sit close up t0 a pace that should be beneficial to those that do.....and his rider is red-hot
8  Awesome Return  heck of a late runner and very consistent (11 for 12 in the money on the sod) ........connections will have their fingers crossed that more pace will develop than appears on paper
6  Lucky J Lane  hot trainer/hot rider and especially as a team....last was dull......rebound time
Long-shot consideration:  1  Poshsky  hard to get Prat and Miller at a price but that might occur here........this gelding seems likely to get a great trip today stalking the pace.....big adjusted for trouble fig two back......way too wide and close to a hot pace
race 9 Â Â below average clarity
8  Power of Hope  Ellis sure looks ready with this MSW 1ster.....plenty of endurance put in and some works of merit
3  Lucky for Danny  one start in Peru way back in Sept. seems OK.......shows up in the Miller barn and his a.m. prowess hints his 1st in the good old U S of A will be better than OK
7 Colonial Power  poor start and then showed plenty of life in his MSW debut........better trip and a move forward in start number two and "presto"
4  Sleepwalker  moved forward in 2nd lifetime start....needs another
Long-shot consideration:  10  Madikwe  so so mc 50K debut on the turf.......but something sure has changed as the works are now vastly better so much so Sadler steps him up into MSW racing for today
race 10 Â Â average clarity
7  Abets Abet  totally took to the grass in his 1st run  on it.....checked badly early and then ran somewhat wide and still won.......and she sure seemed to leg up on the grass as the works since are very stout........and scratched out of a 200K Stakes race yesterday for this alw race
4  Majestic Heat  won MSW debut on New Year's Day by almost 6L.......off till 17 July where she showed plenty of life versus a tough open company alw. field.......back versus Cal-breds today......love her turf pedigree
2  Diamond Cut  so so in last number wise but did win at 1 1/8th on the grass.....strong fig two back at today's one mile turf distance.......one mile today and wisely retains Espinoza who has been aboard for both races
8  Temeeku  finished off 2014 with 2 straight turf wins.....been away since but training as if ready and Smith wants the mount......danger city
12  Wonderful Lie  believe she is better on the dirt but if I am wrong about that she is a player in this spot
1  Thermodynamics  fell off in last.....needs a rebound