Check out my Thursday (9-3-26) Del Mar Race 4 analysis below.
Scratches (race 4): 9 – Still Unwritten
Updated Tickets After Scratches:
DMR 4 (Str-OC-50k, 5T) – Post Time 6:37 PM ET
Primary – #4 NOT A SINNER, #1 Unbinding
Secondary – #3 Nikolina, #5 Hey Lil Lady
Horse Comments:
#4 Not a Sinner (3-1) is 2-for-22 with 15 minor placings and she was part of the trifecta in her last six starts. She won at 6T March 14 and settled for minor awards in all three starts since. She returned from a short layoff and rallied to finish a close second at 5T July 31 and the show finisher was a next-out winner. Antonio Fresu chose her over #1 Unbinding (2-1). The latter won both of her local turf starts at 5T. She graduated from post 12 at 5T last summer and the 2-3 finishers were next-out winners. She was a close third at 6T last fall, and returned from a long layoff and wired the field by 4 lengths at this course and distance July 23. Her winning rider Fresu jumps ship but she loses nothing in the saddle with sharp turf pilot Umberto Rispoli.
#3 Nikolina (5-1) is back in a preferred turf sprint after chasing and finishing a flat 5th of 8 (beaten 3 lengths) at 8T Aug. 8. This is her second start off a short layoff and her winning rider Kazushi Kimura stays put.
#5 Hey Lil Lady (6-1) ran well in all three turf starts this year for Robert Hess, Jr. She turned back and rallied for the place at 6T in January, and dueled and prevailed by a head at 6.5T in February. She stretched back out and rallied for the place in a local 8T affair Aug. 8. Julien Leparoux got to know her last time and she should be heard from late in this abbreviated turf sprint.
Wagers:
#4 to win
Exacta box 1-4
Trifecta 1-4/1-3-4-5/1-3-4-5
Recent 2026 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Aug. 15 – Vronti ($5.00), Trifecta ($235.20)
Aug. 16 – Goodies ($3.60)
Aug. 19 – Discotheque ($8.24)
Aug. 20 – Green Zone/Suntory Time Quinella ($15.20), Trifecta ($137.00)
Aug. 22 – Tam Tam ($7.40), Trifecta ($875.20)
Aug. 28 – Sand Bagger ($3.20)
Aug. 29 – Test Score ($7.20), Trifecta ($313.80)
Aug. 30 – Rabeeba/She’s No Quant Exacta ($14.00), Trifecta ($88.00)
*All winning wagers based on $2 payoffs unless noted otherwise.
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