Del Mar Stakes Recaps for Friday (7-31-20)
Real Good Deal Stakes – Winner: El Tigre Terrible ($4.20)
Let’s Rejoice and Margot’s Boy matched strides early, and Clayton Delaney chased those two. Rookie Mistake was not far behind from the inside post, and El Tigre Terrible was between rivals and in the thick of things throughout. The eventual winner swung out in the stretch, took over from there, and power home by a bit less than five lengths. He was much the best. Rookie Mistake held off Lightning Fast for the place, and Phantom Boss was an even 4th. Margot’s Boy weakened to 5th and was followed by Clayton Delaney and Let’s Rejoice.
Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Friday (7-31-20)
DMR 3 LIBERALISM ($4.20), Quinella ($7.60), Trifecta ($14.50)
DMR 4 Cajun Treasure/Honos Man Quinella (Best Bet #1, $17.00), Trifecta ($35.15)
Double (races 3-4, $15.60)
DMR 5 HAPPIER ($4.40), Trifecta ($5.00)
Double (races 4-5, $18.40)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $10.05)
DMR 8 MADONE ($12.00), Quinella ($15.60), Trifecta ($47.65)
DMR 9 EL TIGRE TERRIBLE (Best Bet #3, $4.20), Quinella ($8.00), Trifecta ($13.90)
Double (races 8-9, $22.60)
SAR 9 She’s My Type/Miss J McKay Exacta ($41.80)
————–
Del Mar Stakes Recaps for Saturday (8-1-20)
Shared Belief Stakes – Winner: Thousand Words ($20.40)
Uncle Chuck and Anneau d’Or scratched, and we were left with one of those odd 4-horse field stakes races. Honor A. P. was the overwhelming favorite, and I picked him on top knowing full well that he already qualified for the Derby and 8.5f was too short for him. I thought he would win on class, but not so fast. Multiple graded winner Thousand Words got loose through moderate fractions from the inside post. Honor A. P. bumped into Kiss Today Goodbye at the start and was last early. Mike Smith steered him outside and he tried to put some pressure on the early leader. Honor A. P. Is not really a speed horse, so Cezanne went after his stablemate Thousand Words, and the favorite dropped back to 3rd at that point. Thousand Words has always been a fighter when he has the lead, and this race was no exception. He turned away Cezanne and Honor A.P.’s late bid fell short by 3/4ths of a length. Kiss Today Goodbye was last for much of the running and edged Cezanne for 3rd by a neck in the late stages. Thousand Words was very good as a 2yo and started 2020 with a gritty points race win. He lost his way in a pair of subsequent starts before rebounding with a clear runner-up finish in the Los Al Derby (G3). He is back on top of his game after this win, and the $1 million purchase was always cut out to be a good one. Honor A. P. probably got something out of this race and was running on nicely at the end. Cutting back to 8.5f in his final Derby prep was not ideal, but nothing about 2020 is normal. He will need to run much better under the Twin Spires, and an honest pace at a mile and a quarter should lead to a strong effort. Cezanne did not look like a $3.6 million purchase despite winning his first two outings. He is not ready for prime time.
CTBA Stakes – Winner: Governor Goteven ($8.80)
Everything changed with the defection of strong favorite I’m So Anna. Five runners went to post, and race favorite Big Andy brushed the gate from the rail and was away last. Reign of Fire and Governor Goteven dueled and opened up on the other three. The latter put away his pace rival and was 3-1/2 lengths clear at the wire. Big Andy ran on nicely for the place and Reign of Fire was best of the rest in 3rd. Righteously and Jasmine Chieftain trailed.
Bing Crosby Stakes (G1) – Collusion Illusion ($5.80)
The pace was fast and contested with Desert Law, Anyportinastorm, Law Abidin Citizen, Wildman Jack, and Fashionably Fast battling through an opening quarter in 21.58. Heartwood was a length behind that group, and talented sophomore Collusion Illusion was in a perfect spot in 7th. Lexitonian was well behind the rest at this point. Law Abidin Citizen had a short lead after a half-mile in 44.73, but the pace took a toll on all of the early runners. Collusion Illusion found room inside and got just enough of a jump on Lexitonian to score by a nose. Those two were clear of show finisher Law Abidin Citizen, and Wildman Jack was another neck back in 4th. Heartwood and Fashionably Fast were next, followed by Anyportinastorm and Desert Law.
Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Saturday (8-1-20)
DMR 3 FREEDOM FIGHTER ($3.00)
Double (races 2-3, $39.60)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $42.20)
Double (races 3-4, $9.40)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $36.65)
DMR 5 Shortlist/Nolo Contesto Quinella ($12.80)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $14.50)
DMR 10 COLLUSION ILLUSION (DMR Best Bet #3, $5.80)
Double (races 9-10, $23.00)
Double (races 10-11, $15.80)
Pick 3 (races 9-11, $22.05)
SAR 11 CROSS BORDER (SAR Best Bet #2, $6.40)
————–
Del Mar Stakes Recaps for Sunday (8-2-20)
Graduation Stakes – Winner: Positivity ($13.20)
Good With People was quick early from the inside post, and she looked gone after opening up a 4-length lead in the stretch, but Positivity kept on chasing, and was able to reel in the front runner late to score by a half-length. Good With People held 2nd and first time starter Scooby was along for 3rd in an okay debut. None Above the Law was next, and Rantanen and Jazz Hands were behind that one. Post time favorite Touchdown Brown was bumped and steadied early, and never got involved.
Clement L. Hirsch (G1) – Winner: Fighting Mad ($5.60)
Fighting Mad was able to get out there and control the pace again, and when that happens, she has proven to be an elusive target. She was able to get enough of an early cushion over Ollie’s Candy, and that made the difference. The latter kept on chasing and was slowly getting to the winner in the lane, but she could not quite get there in a half-length defeat. Ce Ce chased the top two throughout but could not keep up in the lane. She was 4+ back in 3rd and was getting tired late. Perhaps she wants less ground, and seven panels might be in her future. Hang a Star was 4th and surface switcher Dogtag was 5th. Hard Not To Love did not have a great start and trailed throughout. She is definitely better sprinting.
Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Sunday (8-2-20)
DMR 2 KLEEN KARMA ($10.20)
Double (races 1-2, $24.40)
DMR 3 POSITIVITY ($13.20), Quinella ($20.00), Exacta ($20.60)
Double (races 2-3, $53.40)
Pick 3 (races 1-3, $36.20)
DMR 5 Soothing/True Mischief/Gotta Be Lucky Trifecta ($52.45)
DMR 6 P R RADIO STAR ($2.60)
Double (races 5-6, $7.40)
Article by Jarrod Horak
