Race 5:
The red coded on the TimeformUS past performance suggest that this Starter Allowance will feature a fast pace as comebacking Paladar, Broon, and Synthesis will be vying for the early lead in this 1-1/16 event and one horse that will appreciate the contentious pace scenario will be POLAR WIND (#1, 4-1). The son of Super Saver has had excuses in his last three starts on the main trackthat has resulted in one in the money finish from three starts. He finished seventh and last on August 1 but he encountered a very wide journey running anywhere from three to four wide throughout and had no chance to save ground finishing last beaten 10-¾ lengths in a race where the also ran, Tizamagician, returned to win Allowance N1X with a 93 Beyer Speed Figure on September 5 at Del Mar. In his next start, he rallied from next to last to finish third in a race where the first two finishers, Cajun Treasure and Dr. Troutman ran second and first after the first half mile as POLAR WIND was the only horse to make up any ground through the stretch. He dropped for a claiming price of $50,000 in his last start where he finished fifth in a race that saw the first two finishers, Bronn and Signofthecross, run first and second throughout in a merry go round race that earned below average Moss Pace Figures (-20,-11) and corresponding blue coded TimeformUS pace figures. The homebred son of Super Saver is protected in this Starter Allowance event off a poor effort, a positive sign as he makes his first start as a gelding. Moreover, he is bred to love the expected off going by 17% wet track sire and she is by the dam Wind Gust whose only foal to race, Tidal Effect, was second in three starts on a wet track including a runner-up effort beaten a neck on the wet sealed main track here at Del Mar on November 29, 2018. Top rider Umberto Rispoli remains in the irons, he is ideally drawn on the rail to save ground into the first turn, and should be a contentious pace scenario to set up for his late kick. At 4-1 on the morning line he is good gamble to spring the minor upset in a race that begins the late Pick 4.
The Play:
WIN bet on (1) POLAR WIND at 3-1 or better.
Main Exacta part-wheel: 1-2, 1-8. Small reverse for each.
Race 7:
The featured Betty Grable Stakes does not have a red coded designation on TimeformUS past performances to indicate fast early pace but the lineup of horses in this field suggest it should be swift. TimeformUS has designated Miss Megan, Hotitude, and Mo See Cal with running styles of “Speed” or “Leader” and all prefer to be on or near the early lead and with Mo See Call returning off a 357-day layoff and wearing blinkers this pace should be contentious. My top three should selections should all benefit from this pace and one that will be suited best to it is SMILING SHIRELEE (#2, 8-1) whose last two starts you can totally draw a line right through them. She was off the board in two previous turf starts and her fifth place finish in the California Distaff Handicap at 5-½ furlongs on the turf was excusable because of the surface. Two races she finished fifth and last beaten 16-½ lengths in the Tranqulity Lake Stakes but she doesn't want to go a route of ground against open company. This daughter of Smiling Tiger wants to sprint on the main track versus California bred company and she will do that today. The last time she raced over this Del Mar main track sprinting happened in the Fleet Treat Stakes on July 24 where she raced off the pace in the two to three path down the backstretch, made a three wide run on the far turn, was outrun by the leaders at the top of the stretch, and one paced to the wire. This performance was the result of a lack of early speed as it earned moderate Moss Pace Figures (-1,-4) and blue coded TimeformUS pace figures. Instead the best way to judge this Jeff Bonde trainee is her win in the Evening Jewel Stakes on May 16 at Santa Anita where she rallied behind a very fast early pace earning Moss Pace Figures (+9,+2) and red coded TimeformUS pace figure to get up to win by a half length. She has come back with two half mile moves in the interim including a maintenance spin on October 30. Regular rider Mike Smith remains in the irons and he is off to fast start with four wins from his first ten mounts this meet and with the anticipated quick pace I expect SMILING SHIRELEE to make that patent late run to spring the upset.
The Play:
WIN bet on (2) SMILING SHIRELEE at 4-1 or better.
Main Exacta part-wheel: 2-1, 2-8. Small reverse.
Daily Double part-wheel: 1,2,8 with 2.
Race 8:
In the finale there are two clear speed entrants in this field with the TimeformUS running style designation “Leader,” Microrithms and our top choice ANYPORTINASTORM (#2, 4-1) who is drawn inside of his speed rival and is the speed of this field. The son of City Zip has won stakes on the main track and Tapeta surface at Zia Park, Golden Gate, Emerald Downs, and Pleasanton. In his previous win on July 4 in the Oak Tree Sprint Stakes, he dueled in the four path in a three horse battle for the early lead, continued racing in the four path in that intense three horse duel on the far turn, shook clear of those two pace rivals into the stretch, and inched clear as the 1-9 post time favorite in a four-horse field that he was expected to win. He took a giant leap from a class standpoint when he ran in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby here at Del Mar on August 1 and finished seventh beating one rival to the wire but the 9-½ length margin of defeat does not reflect the intense speed duel he was involved in. He broke from post position two and was sent up inside of a six horse battle for the early lead and was part of this speed duel through very fast fractions earning off the chart Moss Pace Figures (+13,+8) earning corresponding red coded TimeformUS pace figures. He continued with this fight for the lead all the way to the five-sixteenth pole when he was the first to quit from the duel and steadied as he tired past the quarter pole and jockey Juan Hernandez wisely wrapped up on this six year old to the wire in a race where the fast fractions saw the first two finishers rally from seventh and eighth early. He will make his first start for trainer Peter Miller with the addition of blinkers and he concluded his work tab for his new trainer with a five furlong move on November 1 that National Turf’s Andy Harrington stated “Cedillo up; went willingly in this solo spin for the Miller barn in 35.1, 59.4. Holds speed well.” The expected wet weather will not bother ANYPORTINASTORM as his sire City Zip produces 18% winners on wet track and his dam La Defense broke her maiden by 2-½ lengths on a sloppy main track and she has produced four siblings that won on an off track. With being the speed of this field making his first start for the high percentage Peter Miller barn and bred to love an off track I expect ANYPORTINASTORM to return to his winning ways on the drop in class in the finale on Sunday at Del Mar.
The Play:
WIN bet on (2) ANYPORTINASTORM at 3-1 or better.
Main Exacta part-wheel: 2-3, 2-9. Small reverse for each.
