DEL MAR OAKS. Grade I. Purse $300;000 Race 8

[JustRalph]

Saturday 08/17/13

What a head knocker this one is going to be..........

This race is driving me crazy looking at it. Tough one.......

When they are this tough....... I default to price horses........

So....... in Honor of Jesse Jackson Jr.......

:7: DoingHardTimeAgain is my longshot pick.

Hollendorfer horse with Bejarano up.....not as classy as the rest, but looks like a hard knocker who is making only her 2nd start on turf. Just on the numbers, going to take a price which I think I will get

:10: Unusual Way 12-1 brings Russell Baze down south and it's not a Hollendorfer horse? Intrigues me very much and will also be a price I believe. This horse finished less than 2L behind the :1: Wishing Gate last out, and the :1: is 3.5-1? These two are my bets.........

I am sure a fav will probably take it.....but this is a toughie......lots of horses riding planes to get to this one.

Opinions?

[Bennie]

Ralph - I don't like playing poly tracks such as Delmar but always look at Turf races, stakes races and one of my "pet plays" blinkers-off. This race fits the bill for me and I am playing a exacta box 6 with 7,9 and using the 6,7 in a small pick-4 ticket, as I came up with 6-7-9-10-4 as my live horses (before any changes)

[wonatthewire1]

Should be a good race!

For some price horses, I'm leaning toward Need You Now and Emotional Kitten.

:8: - Need You Now - usually sits on the pace maker and had been steady to flat into the stretch 2nd and 3rd back before getting a nice trip and blowing by the field last out. Has been working steady up to this race.

:4: - Emotional Kitten - is more of the mid pack runner with a good kick into the lane (as does Kitten's Dumplings). Almost pulled off the win in the longer American Oaks at Hollywood last month. Speed fig regressed in that race due to a slow early pace. We won't get that this time with Discreet Marq, but in prior with faster paces, she moves more from the back of the pack and has closed to win 2nd and 3rd races back.

[iceknight]

the :4: Emotional Kitten is my top pick. Seems to have improved the game, matured and doing well inspite of not little issues along the way. Seems to be gunning for a G1.

:1: Wishing gate seems to have a decent late turn of foot and it seems to be consistent of late. With Garett Gomez as the jockey on a closing style horse, it's always a danger. He is back and hungry for big wins.

as is :3: Discreet Marq - who will likely be really up close to the pace and try to steal a G1. But.. I think :3: will be within the super, but not a winner perhaps today. Not at 1 1/8ths.

I am taking the view that in this larger field, the early speed horses might get into a 'sort of duel' and that :8: Need you now, the Mike Mitchell trainee or :3: Discreet Marq, would not be able to pull away from the field.

Plays:

WP on :4: Emotional Kitten

Exacta 4,1 box.

Dime super 4,1 w 4,1 with 3,8 with ALL

[iceknight]

the :4: Emotional Kitten is my top pick. Seems to have improved the game, matured and doing well inspite of not little issues along the way. Seems to be gunning for a G1.

:1: Wishing gate seems to have a decent late turn of foot and it seems to be consistent of late. With Garett Gomez as the jockey on a closing style horse, it's always a danger. He is back and hungry for big wins.

as is :3: Discreet Marq - who will likely be really up close to the pace and try to steal a G1. But.. I think :3: will be within the super, but not a winner perhaps today. Not at 1 1/8ths.

I am taking the view that in this larger field, the early speed horses might get into a 'sort of duel' and that :8: Need you now, the Mike Mitchell trainee or :3: Discreet Marq, would not be able to pull away from the field.

Plays:

WP on :4: Emotional Kitten

Exacta 4,1 box.

Dime super 4,1 w 4,1 with 3,8 with ALL wow.. sorry for the wrong call that Discreet Marq was -3-..he was :2: ..
but in any case.. i sucked at underestimating Discreet Marq and Leparoux on turf and tried to penny pinch by not playing 4-1-2 ex box but instead played 4,1 w 4,1,2 exacta and played WP on 4 and 2.. .. :bang:

just got some place money on 1...