Del Mar for Wednesday 10 August 2016
I have had some very nice Arlington Million days over the years going way back to the inaugural. Not too shabby of results in 2013 & 2015 either. Chicago was my racing circuit for some 30 years until switching to Southern California. Great race card with 2 Grade 3 races and 3 Grade 1 races all well worth the price of the publication. Large fields and 8 of the 10 races are on America's top grass course.
Track was off pace and outside seemingly out of nowhere on Sunday at Del Mar so take note how things play out on the four dirt races carded for today.
Best of luck as always!
race 1 Â Â average clarity
6  Chips All In  very consistent on the grass in these abbreviated 5F sprints on the grass (6 3 1 2).......pushed out some on the run-up to the turn and checked a length in the stretch or could have won the 20 July version of this race which was also run with the rail 30 ft out
4  Pay The Fine  no shot whatsoever in the aforementioned 30 July race as this colt checked very hard about 4L and the rider wrapped up.......he appeared to be running just fine and was going to be a factor down the stretch.......won his only other 5F grass race last summer and did it at Del Mar
1  Rangi  didn't draw in from the AE list in an open 40K claiming race and then in an optional 40K nw alw race both times as the morning line favorite.......so it is a bit forced that ends up in this optional 62.5K nw2 alw race......but he is on a rebound of sorts and if it continues he fits fine
race 2 Â Â average clarity
6  Ponder Lea  Baltas is heating things up and appears to have this filly extremely sharp for this afternoon off of the extended hiatus from the game........4 straight gate works to finish off her a.m. preparation and the last two at Del Mar are very impressive given the level of today's race
4  Time and Chance  Ron Ellis appears to have picked up a nice filly out of GP that is on the right end of the learning curve.......and she won her last in hand by over 5L which suggests she will have plenty left in the tank for today.....like that Ellis has been able to work her twice over the Dmr dirt
5  Basie Boots  consistent sort was just claimed by Pender who for the most part has been ready with a majority of his starters at Dmr......nice 4F drill since the claim......not out of this by any means
race 3   below average clarity
4  Ky. Colonel  tepid top selection might have been "out for air" in his debut on the dirt as he sure has a nice grass pedigree.....and if it was a tune-up the fact that Pratt rode in MSW run and is up today only supports the idea of a much improved race in start no. 2......and Mr. Prat is one sharp jock with youngsters on the grass
2  Gentrified  4 straight gate works to finish off his work tab for his MSW debut......seems "well meant" for today........no easy task to get a two-year old to run a winning debut in a grass route but this is a soft looking group
6  Lucky Boots  30 1o 1 in MSW dirt debut for Art Sherman hints the race was a gimme........which makes some sense as mom has tossed 7 grass winners.......big forward move is likely.....to what degree seems to be the ? mark
9 Â Dixie Pistol
Long-shot consideration:   7  Arch Prince  copious furlongs of work (as many as I can remember for a mid August baby) put into this Val Brinkerhoff 1st timer who is bred to handle a route and the grass.....might have plenty of endurance for his debut
race 4 Â Â average clarity
6  Papa Papa Papa  repeat of his last should take this race.....and considering Prat has won 4 of his last 6 riding for Glatt you would think Papa's chancing are pretty darn good of doing just that
7  Candys Promise  (4 2 2 0) since the blinkers were put on this three-year old gelding.......efforts/figs in those 4 efforts are a little short of what our top choice produced in his last but this guy has shown he can succeed on or off the pace whereas the 6 horse has yet to show he can run from off of it
4  Bisinca  improving sort who just popped his lifetime best (and a good fit here) did it on the Dmr dirt.......but......he loses Prat to our top choice.......he does pick up the meetings 2nd leading rider in Santiago Gonzalez
2 Â Bolitar
race 5 Â Â average clarity
7  Too Much Drama   with the significant rider upgrade for today this filly sure can take down this race if she has held form........but she will need to do with new to the scene trainer in Mark Rheinford who takes over for a suspended trainer in Miyadi......lets hope this filly wasn't juiced up in her last
10  Can't Afford It  vastly improved in start number 3 and 1st at a route........and the effort is somewhat disguised by a very wide trip.....might be wide again today but if the track was like Sunday running wide going long will be no problem at all
8  Royal Red  Craig Dollase is ice-cold but is always dangerous 1st time at a route especially with the sprint-sprint-route maneuver
3 Â Albeit
race 6 Â Â average clarity
3  Cedar Rapids  doubt R. Mandella would put in more than a dozen work-outs for a two year old 1st timer and give the colt a tune-up....and the fact he worked him 6F just 5 days ago also supports the notion he is "very meant" in his MSW debut.....mom has tossed 3 winners from 3 starters and two of them won on the grass
9  Billy Big  two year old invaders from Europe are very dangerous in grass races (more so than older ones) as there is little emphasis when it come to grass runners with the babies in the U.S. and their sure is overseas.....colt appears to be on the improve and has only been off 2 months.....very dangerous in his 1st out for the D'A
6 Curly's Waterfront  decent maiden sprint dirt debut in a high price MC......and a good pedigree to handle the sod.......and an adequate pedigree to "go long".....dangerous rider/trainer combo
4Â The All Button
race 7 Â Â below average clarity
4 Songforjohnmichael  last two wins for this Hendricks five year old were the last two times he competed in sprint races ( 4 back & 8 back).......both were run off of ample time off.......6 1/2 weeks since qualifies for that....very sharp a.m. work at Dmr
3 Heir of Storm  on the upswing since Baltas claimed....ran a 114:4 in last and a 121:3 before that....those times look good here
1 Clever Royal  faced way better in latest and did not embarrass himself.....only was beaten by 3 lengths by the likely B C Sprint favorite if the race was run today....solid works.....trainer has cooled off some but might jump start things here
race 8 Â Â average clarity
10 Golden Light   rider upgrade especially for a turf race......Cassidy four year old filly seems likely to sit in a nice stalking position....last (1st time in a grass route) is solid and this filly has put in 5 works since her 18 June race.......should be sitting a a good effort
7 La Premiere Etoile  away a little over 10 weeks but she is training as if she is as good as new.......should be the controlling speed in the race......and with a deadly trainer/rider/owner trio at the helm
2 Starlite Style  best of the deep closers and 1st time Bejarano.....and I like when Raffy rides for a trainer that he seldom rides for.... in this case Palma
9Â Southern Drawl
3Â Haute Style
4Â Lethal Legacy