Del Mar Friday (8/9)

[rrbauer]

I'll post some opinions after I get the scratches about 10:30 this morning. A little "heads up" about Friday racing at Del Mar.

Friday is track maintenance day. Because of the big workout tabs on the weekend and extra races on both days they don't have time to do any extended maintenance on the weekend. So, with the later post time on Fridays there is extra time to work on the track: Digging it up, adding amendments, etc. and doing stuff that the maintenance crew deems necessary. (In years past they used to water the turf course on Thurs night/Friday am, too. I don't know if that is still the procedure because the new turf course, installed last year, may have different requirements and may even have a new watering system. A few years ago they forgot to turn off the sprinklers and had to take some races off the turf!)

Anyway, on Friday, I suggest watching a couple dirt races to see how the track is playing before making any serious plays. As you're probably aware, speed and the rail have been king this week. That could change. Stay tuned!

[rrbauer]

OK. 12:45 PDT. Here we go:
How will it play today?
R1
Watch this one. Literally. Lot’s of questions here. And, the answers are too short-priced.

R2
Breakfast at T’s, Proud Gal & Zam Zam look to be the speed.. Foggerinthevalley is a grinder that could benefit from the new distance for this bunch (6f) and Skippingtomontana has a couple nice 6f works since raced but also has an oh-fer trainer! What I’m saying is: Tough race!

R3
Why don’t they go up the ladder with Rippin N Roarin ? Those 92 Beyers just jump out at you. 8/5 on the line? Shoot, it will be 3/5. If they’re scared to raise it, I’m scared to bet it (and wouldn’t be it at 3/5 anyway).

R4
Very tough Starters Alw race. At least 5 of these can win it. I dunno!

R5
OK…Who gets the lead? Insane Reality improving, stretching out from a great post and good works since raced. Catch me—beat me! Probably 4-1 is more like it. (6-1 ML) There are others that can win but Reality is best positioned. I’ll also use Classic Chrys, Ufology & El Prado In Action in my P4.

R6
In another tough turfer I’ll go with the one horse that is doing well and has some capacity to keep improving. That would be Cat Flight and I should get a decent price. My P4 single.

R7
Another toughie with many questions. I’ll go with a dutch on Whoopddoo & Run Rate and use them both in the P4.

R8
Look closely at the running styles represented here. How many E’s do you see? EP’s? P’s? Uh oh! Any sprinters stretching out? They would be Rasty & Cosmic High.
And I’ll use the fav Golden Hours in my P4, too.

Go Baby Go!

[pic6vic]

have some really good mentions on Insane reality. Take a chance and single. 5/2 at best.

Also why Woopddoo in the 7th. Think he is just a sprinter and turf breeding is not great. I guess you figure he will be lone speed. If that's the case then he can be included. If he can't get the lead I don't think he can win by stalking. Just an opinion, these turf races never turn out the way you figure. If you like Cat Flight
I will play a pick 4 as follows.

5th---1
6th---5
7th---1,2,3,4,7
8tj----2,5

$10 ticket

[rrbauer]

Vic
Race 6 is NOT on the turf. I'm curious as hell why Garden in the Rain is in there. One failure on dirt; a whole career on turf. Guess they couldn't find a spot; or, Dollase knows something I don't.

Whoopddoo has 2-turned OK before and is a much better race horse now.

[rrbauer]

Oops! that's Race 7 not on turf (the Whoopddoo race)

[rrbauer]

Today’s Damage:

R1
Speed is still good. Don’t think the rail bias is as pronounced. Outside speed will do!

R2
Breakfast at T’s stumbled at the break. Zam Zam pressed and got the lead after a ¼. From there it was a matter of the winning margin. Foggerinthevalley ground his way up into 3rd in mid stretch. The firster King of the Cats got 2nd in a nice effort.

R3
Rippin N Roarin went off at 1-1. Clean legged and dry at the gate. Shoot, I singled it in a P3. It broke out and bumped. Got shuffled back. Ran the rail to the turn. Came out and got a seam off the turn after Kent on The Buggy Whip did a pinch job that Lafitt ignored: “Hey Cajun, I’m comin’ thru, ready or not, man!” Got through and was striding out nicely at the end. Don’t think this one was a “92” Beyer, but it was a win. Hasta Lavista Baby ran a nice race and deserves a look next time.

R4
Well since I did a P3, I had to do some pickin’! I used Buster B Bimbo, Pool Music, Special Matter & R Mclennen . The rail was out 15 feet and that worked to Winning Fever’s advantage. (Rail out means that the turns are more rounded. Harder to cut the corner and get through inside.) . Anyway Fever took them to mid-stretch where Buster took over, only to get nailed 5 yds from the finish by Special Matter coming back on 6-days rest. BTW—Having the rail out 15 ft makes this a very narrow course. (It’s a 7.5F course to begin with being inside the 1M dirt oval).

R5
Insane Reality was pressured from the getgo by Ultro and never got a breather up the back side. Classic Chrys came along to the lead off the turn and whistled “Dixie”. Ufology got up for 2nd. I had $10 P3’s to Reality ($48) & Chrys ($42) so I’m up for the day…..Yea!

R6
Cat Flight never ran a lick. In fact when they hit the stretch, Duke of Green just cruised to the lead and cleared immediately. No contest. (P4 is history.)

R7
Cee’s Elegance tried to steal it on the front end and missed by two jumps!
Mind for Gold tracked early, came to 4-path off the turn, and was life and death to get up for the win. Run Rate & Whoopddoo ran 3rd/4th and weren’t close at the end.

R8
When Golden Hours [b] (3/5) got left at the gate and neither [b]Rasty or Cosmic High made the lead I was history. Spoonman got the lead and took them right up to the wire and lost a heartbreaker to fast-closing Fly Me Faster . Rasty got 3rd.