Race 6: Starter Allowance, 1-Mile, Three-year olds and upward
On a basic review of the running lines in this field one can anticipate a really fast early pace and TimeformUS pace projector sees this race unfolding at a rapid clip. Touching Rainbows will go straight for the early lead but will be chased or pressed by Dirt in your Face and Knight of Drama down the backstretch. My Son John, Junior Gilliam, and Radio Silent will be midpack getting first run ahead of the closers Spitfire and Lamaan.
The morning line favorite Radio Silent anticipates to get a fast early pace to set up for his stalking style but he has failed more than once as the favorite. In seven starts this Candy Ride colt has lost as the favorite three times and in his last two starts has been the beneficiary of two fast paced race scenario and has not lived up to expectations at 6-5 and 7-5 respectively. He will receive strong support at the windows even though his trainer has yet to find the Winner’s Circle here at Del Mar in eight starts this meet and his last race 77 Beyer Speed Figure gives him no advantage over this field that have run equal or faster than Radio Silent in their most recent starts. For all those reasons I will look to beat him from the win status but his three runner-up efforts make him a prime horse to use underneath in the exacta or trifecta wagers.
He lost his only start on a fast main track by 11-¼ lengths but Lamaan (#4) will be facing the easiest field he has faced in three starts in 2016. The Henrythenavigator gelding made his first start as a four-year old off a layoff of more than six months on May 29 and ran he respectable fourth defeating more than half the field in what has returned to be “key” race. In that race on the turf he raced in midpack between rivals early behind fast early pace set by Boone Docks early (22.43 and 45.63). The pace continued to be lively as Gunslinger made a premature move around the far turn into the teeth of that hot early pace, Lamaan continued saving ground on the rail into the far turn, moved up, split rivals into the stretch, and ran evenly to the wire to be fourth finishing in front of Gunslinger who came back to win with an 81 Beyer Speed Figure and Boone Docks who came back to win his next two starts with Beyer Speed Figures of 87 and 88 respectively. He switched to the main track on July 2 in a spot where he cannot be claimed, Allowance N1X, written for horses which broke their maiden on a turf or synthetic track. He fit the conditions of this race because he broke his maiden on the turf at Golden Gate on October 31, 2015. The Paul Aguirre trainee was sent off as the longest shot on the board at 34-1 and finished last after chasing the uncontested gate to wire winner To the Bar towards the rear of the field while saving ground on the rail and made no impact beaten 11-¼ lengths in a highly rated affair that earned 96 Beyer Speed Figure. Despite this defeat, the 77 Beyer Speed Figure he earned is the co-highest last race speed in the field and now he drops in class to this Starter Allowance event restricted to horses which have started for a claiming price of $50,000 or less and he fits the conditions because was risked and claimed for $25,000 on May 29. He will get a significant weight allowance from seven to ten pounds with the hustling apprentice Chad Lindsay in the irons. This gelding has three works over this Del Mar main track including a five furlong move from the gate in 1:00 ⅘ that National Turf’s Andy Harrington caught going faster stating “Made up 7 lengths on barnmate and a martin trainee going smoothly in 36.1, 100.0 (23.4 LQ). Maybe some perk up for the Aguirre barn.” He will go off at a juicy price but he fits on speed figures, is at the right class level, and odds will compensate for the fact he was beaten double digit lengths in his only dirt start.
In my exotics I will use another closer Spitfire (#2). The Artie Schiller gelding returned as a new gelding in his first race on the main track here at Del Mar on July 24 and encountered a very fast early pace that set-up perfectly for his closing kick. From his outside post position seven he angled over to the rail and saved ground as the leader Storm the Shore and his pace rival Above Board set fast fractions through the first half mile per Moss Pace Figures (+11, +7). He had dead aim on the tired leaders into the stretch and rolled by them to win by 4-¼ lengths earning a 75 Beyer Speed Figures that is the second highest last race speed figure in this field. He should receive another perfect race set up for his closing kick as Joe Talamo can allow this gelding to break, find his stride early as Touching Rainbows will set a rapid early pace while pressured by Dirt in your Face and Knight of Drama and can make the last run.
The Play: In this field of eight I look to limit the number of combinations I play in my exacta wagers so I will restrict it to my top two choices Lamaan and Spitfire and only use morning line favorite Radio Silent underneath.
WIN bet on (4) LAMAAN
Main Exacta Box: 4, 2
Small Exactas: 2-7, 4-7. No reverse.
Race 7: Green Flash Handicap, 5 Furlongs Turf, Three-year olds and up
The early pace of this race on paper is as straightforward as TimeformUS pace projector predicts two horses that will compose the early pace of this race. Rocket Heat who has pressed Pure Sensation who has five turf sprint victories will go straight for the early lead but will be hounded or chased by Richard’s Boy early as those two look to separate themselves from the field early. No Silent and Holy Lute will be position behind this duel early looking to get first tun. Recent Allowance N2X winner Why Two will be position in mid-pack of ahead of closers Hunt, Horse Laugh, and returnee Sawyer’s Hill.
He has a splendid record of 4-3-1-0 over this Del Mar turf course at today’s five furlong distance and that will attract many over to Rocket Heat (#7) but I am going to try to beat this Latent Heat gelding. The Vann Belvoir trainee accomplished biggest victory with the beneficiary of an uncontested lead in the Turf Sprint on May 6 at Churchill Downs. In that race, he was able to set the early pace down the backstretch with little early pressure, shook free on the far turn, kicked away in the lane, and was dominant to the wire with career best 105 Beyer Speed Figure. He was caught in the final sixteenth of a mile in the Jim McCay Stakes at Pimlico by a pair of opportunistic stalkers in Ben’s Cat and Spring to the Sky who rallied from 4th and 3rd after the first quarter of a mile to catch this uncontested leader. In his next two starts he got caught in a speed duel with the speedy Pure Sensation and paid the price for it in the lane weakening to finish 10th and 5th respectively. He returns to Del Mar with only one half mile work in thirty-four days and it did not impress National Turf’s Andy Harrington as he stated this was a “Very disappointing spin for this gelding taken care of crossing the line while going the last 3f in 13.0, 39.1. More life required.” He projects to be on the lead per TimeformUS pace projector but will be chased or pressed by Richard’s Boy early and might not be 100% cranked up for this race.
A son of Bob and John that showed signs of talent as a three-year old but did not pan out as his connections hoped, Why Two (#3) won more impressively than his head margin of victory would suggest in his only start over this Jimmy Durante turf course at this distance on July 20. He did show flashes of returning to top form with an excellent third-place finish behind King’s Bishop bound DreFong on July 4 at Santa Anita. In that race he sat on the rail chasing the loose leader Guy Code who was allowed to set an uncontested lead through a very fast opening quarter per Moss Pace Figures (+9). He continued on the rail as DreFong made his for the lead after a 43.80 second half mile, moved up into second into the stretch, and lost the battle for the runner-up spot by the opportunistic closer The Gomper in a highly rated sprint that earned 103 Beyer Speed Figure. The Michael Machosky trainee was placed on the turf for the first time on July 20 and he had to overcome a very wide journey per Trakus to win by a head. He was parked three wide stalking the congested front end early lead by the pacesetter Act early. He made his move on the far turn while parked four wide through the turn and had aim on the leader into the stretch where he rallied past that tired pacesetter and held off the late charge of Bottle Rocket to win by a head. Despite the margin of victory this was a better than looked win because he covered 31ft and 15ft more than the second and third place finishers. The form of this race received a significant upgrade when the runner-up, third-place, and seventh-place finisher returned to run 1st, 4th, and 2nd in their next start in the same common race August 10 here at Del Mar. Although the TimeformUS pace projector sees this gelding placed towards mid-pack, he does have more positional early speed as his third-place finish to DreFong on July 4 would indicate. I believe hot turf riding Norberto Arroyo Jr. (four turf wins this meet) will save ground in the first flight behind the dueling leaders Rocket Heat and Richard’s Boy early, continued riding the rail around the far turn, and deliver this gelding’s late kick. Trainer and jockey teamed up with Secreto Primero (August 3, $4.10-1) and can deliver this trainer’s third victory at five furlongs on this turf course at what should be a juicy price.
In my exotics, I believe the only horse that can contend for the win that will be part of the early pace is Richard’s Boy (#6) who was my top choice in the Sensational Star on February 27 at Santa Anita where he set the pace at each call but was worn down by opportunistic stalker Boozer to lose by a head. While the turnback is questionable for Hunt, the cut back to five furlongs should pose no issue for this Peter Miller trainee as he is undefeated at this distance from two starts. Jockey Victor Espinoza who was aboard this gelding lone victory over this layout last November is back aboard and should get the best trip sitting off Rocket Heat and get first run of the stalkers and closers. Hunt (#1) is on a roll as he returns from a 68-day layoff with a record of four wins and one third from his last five starts sprinting down the hill at Santa Anita. In his most recent victory in Siren Lure Stakes he chase the uncontested leader Act who set a quick opening quarter in 21.58 seconds, continued hunting down that rival down the hill, made his run entering the dirt crossing and into the main turf course, and won going away earning the field’s highest last race 100 Beyer Speed Figure over subsequent Wickerr Handicap winner Toowindytohaulroux. A splendid B+ move on August 4 suggest this Phil D’Amato trainee is sharp but the lone concern is the distance too short for him and this race appears to be a prep with the ultimate goal being Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.
The Play: The belief in this corner is that Rocket Heat is not 100% cranked up for his return to Del Mar and that will leave him vulnerable when Richard’s Boy attacks him on the far turn and when closers such as Why Two and Hunt are running in the stretch. I will construct my wagers looking to beat Rocket Heat from finishing first or second.
WIN bet on (3) WHY TWO
Main Exactas: 3-1, 3-6. Small reverse for each.
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