Del Mar Sunday (8/11)

[rrbauer]

Not much today. Stuff I like is chalk and I'm still licking my wounds over getting nodded in the 7th at the spa!

R1
Diamond Hope deserves to be favorite.
I would put Splendid Times in a couple of exactas.

R2
Couple reputation horses in here. Santa Catarina draws the rail which could be a problem. In her last start (8/5) she was bumped and in tight qtrs and snatched up at the 3/8 and still managed to run par for my 5f power figs. Godolphin has Ashraaf in here. (3/5) in debut. Both of these have worked back well since raced.

R3
??

R4
Again, chalk! Respectmyauthorita (2-1) has worked very well for her comeback and O'Neill is doing no wrong these days.

R5
Maybe a little price here. Like First Titanium (6-1) to stalk and pounce with Eddie D.

R6
Toughie. I'll stick with Ohforcraftsakes (5-1)

R7
??

R8
Azeri (a scoop!) is (1/5) Hate to see them waste a race with Irguns Angel here.

R9
Sportz Biz (8/5) takes a big drop and has the best numbers.

[rrbauer]

Del Mar Damage
R1
Diamond Hope (2nd) set lollypop fractions but that wasn’t enough. (Sometimes when you have the best horse in the race you should just go out and win the damn thing and not be cute with how much you can slow it down…IMHO!) Anyway, Leprechaun Kid got a perfect ground saving trip and got the inside hole in the stretch and just got up. Splendid Times got the worst of the trips in upper stretch and finished 4th beaten about ¾ length for it all.

R2
Santa Catarina “in a walkover” according to Trevor. Got away from the gate well on her own and got the lead after a furlong. Smith just sat chilly. Never moved his hands. Never cocked the whip and never bothered to look over his shoulder! Ashraaf tried early but backed out by the turn. Major Idea was ridden hard from the 3/8 to no avail but was easily 2nd.

R3
Best horse won: Candida. Best luck horse, Midnight Meeting, got a dream trip and was clear into the stretch but couldn’t hold off the winner and lost 2nd late.

R4
Respectmyauthorita (1-1) away a step slow, rushed to the lead and had 2 lengths clear on the turn. Saxony (2-1) (good work since her debut where she missed the break) raced wide on the BS and used the 3-path on the turn into the stretch. She collared the fav inside the 1/8th pole and that was that. Misty Echo got 2nd late.

R5
Eddie D. forgot about the “track and pounce” part, and just pounced! First Titanium put Resolve away early up the backside, caught a little breather into the turn, let Most Likely come along side into the stretch and then just hauled ass to the wire. Fast closing Kachamandi got up for 2nd and was well clear of Most Likely. $17.40 for the win!

R6
Ohforcraftsakes battled Summerwood for the lead into the stretch. Shezasummerbreeze tracked wide (3-path FT/TOS) looked like the one mid-stretch. Then Lafitt got serious with the stick, and on the 3rd crack, ‘Sakes surged out again and won nicely. Chastity Belle touched ‘Wood out of 3rd. $12.60 for the win and $295 twice for the P3 (5 times if ‘Respect wins the 4th). Up for the day. Up for the week! But it ain’t over till it’s over!

R7
Indiahoma tracked the pacesetter Worthy Deed into the lane and got up to win clear. Deed held 2nd. Storm Signal the fav was 3rd.

R8
10 MTP. $381k in the show pool. $371k on Azeri! PT. $764k pool. $725k Azeri.
Azeri a little wet going to the gate. (Where’s the bridge!)
Irguns Angel took the lead then lugged out on the first turn. That gave Azeri a seam and Smith went up inside and got the lead off that turn. ‘Angel took a couple runs on the backside and Smith let out a notch each time. Azeri ran away from them and won for fun striding out nicely at the end. ‘Angel finished DFL and a damn shame they would waste a race with this fine filly, a G2 sprinter for sure, in this one. The owners of ‘Angel are Cubs’ fans….get it now?

R9
Going to dinner. Hope you had a good day!