Skip to main content

Del Mar Recap for Thursday (8-5-21)

Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at 8f on dirt. Stalking types won most of the other main track races. The turf course winners were two midpack stalkers at 8T, and an inside midpack stalker at 8.5T (rail at 24 feet).

With multiple ship and win horses competing at Del Mar, I am keeping track of where the winners are coming from. On Thursday, four winners last started at SA, three last raced at LRC, and the lone out of state winner shipped in from GP.

Hat trick for Abel Cedillo. Two of his wins were at 8f on dirt, and the other was at 8T.

CTBA Stakes Recap – Winner: At The Spa ($8.20)

The pace was lively early and eventual winner At The Spa sat right behind the leaders and patiently waited for room along the inside under Tyler Baze. Trips had everything to do with the final outcome of this race. At The Spa saved all the ground, found a small seam on the rail, and slipped through to score by a neck. Runner-up Drizella was forced out at the start from the outside post, and she stalked wide, led, and was edged by a neck. 30-1 longshot Madiha was lurking in midpack from the inside post and surged late to miss by a neck and a head under Rispoli. Irish Wahine went last to 4th and was followed by Carmen Miranda, It’s Simple, Lion’s Lair, fading front runner Ko Olina, and Gianna’s Wild Cat.

The 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool was $263,597, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $2,089.32. The jackpot carryover stands at $747,277.

Aug. 5 Claims: Race 1 – Mongolian Window ($8k, Jonathan Wong), Paige Runner ($8k, Andy Mathis), Sherilinda ($8k, Isidro Tamayo). Race 4 – House Limit ($8k, Mark Glatt), Jan’s Reserve ($8k, Jesus J. Uranga), Sayin Grace ($8k, Jonathan Wong), T Bones Trick ($8k, Eddie Truman). Race 5 – Bossy Soul ($20k, Sal Gonzalez). Race 6 – Nice Ice ($20k, Peter Miller). Race 8 – Algeria ($50k, Steve Knapp).

Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Thursday (8-5-21)
DMR 5 BOSSY SOUL ($6.80)
Double (races 4-5, $31.00)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $255.40)
DMR 8 ALGERIA ($3.60)
Double (races 7-8, $22.20)

*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.

————–

Del Mar Recap for Friday (8-6-21)

Fast main track and firm turf course. One front running winner at 8f on dirt. Pace pressers won the three dirt sprints, and the 8f finale was captured by a last-to-first longshot. The turf course winners were a front runner at 5T, a patiently ridden stalker at 8T, and a stalker sitting in 4th in an 8-horse field at 8T (rail at 24 feet).

With multiple ship and win horses competing at Del Mar, I am keeping track of where the winners are coming from. On Friday, four winners last started at LRC, and these Los Al runners are over performing at the current stand. Three winners last raced at SA, and the other winner (Bobby Bo) exited a runner-up finish at DMR July 25.

Geovanni Franco and Juan Hernandez both booted home a pair. Phil D’Amato saddled two winners including Elm Drive in the Sorrento (G2).

Sorrento Stakes (G2) Recap – Winner: Elm Drive ($6.60)

Post time favorite Smash Ticket had a bad start and early trouble from an inner post under Rispoli, and she was basically eliminated from win contention before her race started. 79-1 longshot First Promise was the opening quarter leader but was quickly overtaken by Eda and Elm Drive, and those two dominated. Elm Drive took the lead after a half-mile and Eda chased intently. Those two battled all the way to the wire and Elm Drive prevailed by a head. The 1-2 finishers were 13+ in front of Smash Ticket, and the latter did well to finish a clear 3rd after her start. Sax went last to 4th and was followed by She’s So Shiny, Roses for Suzette, Loveherheart, and First Promise. The final time for 6f was 1:10.64.

The 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool was $367,930, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $4,182.14. The jackpot carryover stands at $831,518. I had the first five winners in the Pick 6 but missed the last race bomber. There is also a Super High 5 carryover for Saturday’s finale ($19,449).

Aug. 6 Claims: Race 2 – Li’l Grazen ($20k, Jeff Mullins). Race 4 – Clearly Gone ($25k, William E. Morey), Runway Dreamer ($25k, Peter Miller), Zabava ($25k, Kristin Mulhall). Race 6 – Absolute Unit ($32k, Michael Maker).

Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Friday (8-6-21)
DMR 3 Bobby Bo/Magnificent/Who’s the Star Trifecta ($15.20)
DMR 4 CLEARLY GONE ($7.60), Quinella ($17.80), Trifecta ($131.60)
Double (races 3-4, $18.20)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $218.80)
DMR 5 Connie Swingle/Big Novel Exacta ($9.00)
Double (races 4-5, $13.20)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $31.80)
50 cent Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $179.40)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $91.20)
DMR 7 ELM DRIVE ($6.60), Exacta ($19.80)
Double (races 6-7, $57.00)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $84.00)
SAR 8 ART COLLECTOR ($5.60), Exacta ($21.60)

*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.

————–

Del Mar Recap for Saturday (8-7-21)

Fast main track and firm turf course. Three front running sprint winners on dirt (6f, 6f, 5.5f). The other four main track sprints were won by stalkers and closers. The turf course winners were a stalker at 8.5T, a last-to-first closer at 8.5T, a closer at 8.5T, and a midpack stalker at 8.5T (rail at 12 feet).

With multiple ship and win horses competing at Del Mar, I am keeping track of where the winners are coming from. On Saturday, four winners last started at DMR. One of those was making his first start since November 2020, and the other three were making their second start of the current meet following runner-up finishes. There were two FTS winners in juvenile dirt sprints. One winner last started at SA. One turf route winner last raced in France. The other three out of state winners last competed at CD, GP, and Parx.

Hat trick for Joe Bravo including the Best Pal (G2) aboard Pappacap. Mark Glatt saddled three dirt sprint winners.

Best Pal Stakes (G2) Recap – Winner: Pappacap ($6.60)

Bet On Mookie had no choice but to go early from the inside post, and Thirsty Always battled with him. Papacap sat right behind those two, got first run, and cruised home by 4+ lengths. My top choice Finneus found his best stride in the lane and rallied for 2nd, and Bet On Mookie edged Thirsty Always for 3rd by a neck. Aquitania Arrival was 5th and 34-1 outsider Our Empire eased in the stretch and walked off. The final time was 1:11.66. For comparison purposes, Baffert 2yo FTS Montebello won the fourth race at first asking and completed his six furlong journey in 1:11.53.

Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2) Recap – Winner: Princess Grace ($9.20)

Patient runners continue to have success in local turf routes. The pace of this 8.5T affair was honest and Princess Grace bided her time in midpack under Kent Desormeaux. She waited for room approaching the stretch, and split foes and burst clear and scored by a length and a quarter. Dogtag rallied from the back of the pack and made a nice stretch run while second best. Maxim Rate was best of the rest in 3rd and Bodhicitta completed the superfecta. Keeper Of the Stars, Charmaine’s Mia, Laura’s Light, Brooke, and Raymundos Secret also ran. The final time was 1:40.84.

The 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool was $661,571, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $1,769,38. The jackpot carryover stands at $982,985. I ended up with five for the second straight day.

Aug. 7 Claims: Race 3 – Magic Tiger ($16k, Michael Maker), Twirling Derby ($16k, Rene Amescua). Race 11 – Uncaged Kitty ($20k, Jorge Gutierrez).

Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Saturday (8-7-21)
DMR 2 Queen Goddess/Floral Essence Quinella ($6.20), Trifecta ($49.00)
50 cent Early Pick 4 (races 2-5, $13.30)
DMR 8 LUCK ($5.20), Exacta ($10.60)
Double (races 7-8, $14.60)
Pick 3 (races 6-8, $259.20)
DMR 9 Papacap/Finneus Exacta (DMR Best Bet #2, $27.80), Trifecta ($76.60)
Double (races 8-9, $13.20)
Pick 3 (races 7-9, $52.80)
DMR 10 PRINCESS GRACE (DMR Best Bet #3, $9.20), Quinella ($26.00), Trifecta ($202.60)
Double (races 8-9, $31.20)
Pick 3 (Races 7-9, $91.80)
Double (races 10-11, $44.00)
Pick 3 (races 9-11, $185.60)
50 cent Late Pick 4 (races 8-11, $105.25)
50 cent Late Pick 5 (races 7-11, $465.60)
SAR 8 BELLA SOFIA ($10.40) – Dr. Atlas

*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.

————–

Del Mar Recap for Sunday (8-8-21)

Fast main track and firm turf course. Two front running winners at 5.5f on dirt. The turf course winners were a front runner at 5T, a dueling inside front runner at 5T, and inside front running FTS at 5T, a stalker at 5T, and a closer at 8.5T (rail at 12 feet).

With multiple ship and win horses competing at Del Mar, I am keeping track of where the winners are coming from. On Sunday, five winners last started at DMR. One of those was making his first start since August 2020, and the other four were making their second start of the current meet. There were two FTS winners. One winner last started at LRC and one last competed at SA. One turf route winner last raced in Great Britain (Zoffarelli).

Juan Hernandez guided home three 5T winners. Edwin Maldonado booted home a pair of sprint winners. Doug O’Neill saddled two turf sprint winners.

Graduation Stakes Recap – Winner: Rock N Rye ($3.40)

Stay Thirsty figured to sire the winner of this race, and he actually was responsible for the first three finishers in this 4-horse compact field. Trip To Spain and Mr. T’s Thirsty dueled on the lead and Rock N Rye sat in 3rd behind them. The latter pushed to the front from the outside and drifted out while well clear in a 4-1/4 length victory. Trip To Spain edged away from Mr. T’s Thirsty in the battle for the place, and Northvale Road raced wide and trailed throughout. The finish time for the 5.5f state bred dirt dash was 1:05.77.

La Jolla Handicap (G3) Recap – Winner: Zoffarelli ($17.80)

Stilleto Boy set the pace and Cathkin Peak chased from 2nd, but neither of those two were around at the finish, and things got strange in the stretch. Umberto Rispoli made a bold, decisive early move aboard my value top choice Sword Zorro (IRE), and he led in the stretch and crossed the line first by a nose over Zoffarelli (IRE) and Hudson Ridge. Hold all tickets! Sword Zorro was disqualified and placed 3rd for bumping into Zoffarelli, which caused Hudson Ridge to get bumped and pushed out. Since there was a blanket finish, the bumping could have caused the 2nd or 3rd finishers a better placing, and a chang e was made. Overseas import Zoffarelli was placed first for Drayden Van Dyke and Jeff Mullins, and Hudson Ridge was moved up to 2nd. Sword Zorro was demoted to 3rd and the order of finish was completed by Wyfire, Stilleto Boy, and Cathkin Peak.

The 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 pool was $631,033, and multiple tickets with six winners paid $3,350.98. The jackpot carryover stands at $1,127,461.

Aug. 8 Claims: Race 2 – Palace Coup ($40k, Vann Belvoir). Race 3 – Bench Judge ($20k, Jamey Thomas), Castle ($20k, Kristin Mulhall). Race 4 – Bright Leaf ($80k, John Sadler), Walking Boss ($80k, Mike Puype). Race 8 – Bonita Leona ($50k, Bob Hess Jr.), Sally Stanford ($50k, Doug O’Neill). Race 10 – Hot Pursuit ($20k, Ron Ellis), Safe Combination ($20k, Jorge Gutierrez).

Del Mar Full Card Highlights for Sunday (8-8-21)
DMR 2 DEFUNDED ($3.00)
Double (races 2-3, $47.60)
Pick 3 (races 2-4, $210.20)
DMR 5 IVA TOGURI ($13.80), Exacta ($46.60)
Double (races 4-5, $53.60)
Pick 3 (races 3-5, $715.20)
DMR 6 Rock N Rye/Trip To Spain Exacta ($7.60)
Double (races 5-6, $27.00)
Pick 3 (races 4-6, $109.00)
Pick 3 (races 5-7, $87.40)

*Full card highlights based on $2 wagers unless otherwise noted.

​Article by Jarrod Horak

Jarrod Horak

Jarrod Horak posts stakes recaps from Del Mar and Santa Anita Park, along with full card recaps and free stakes picks from Southern and/or Northern California.