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Check out my Thursday (10-31-24) Del Mar Race 8 analysis below.

DMR 8 (Let it Ride, 8T) – Post Time 7:05 PM ET
Primary – #10 KING OF GOSFORD, #7 Take Me to Church
Secondary – #9 British Isles, #4 Heart Headed

Horse Comments:

#10 King of Gosford (5-2) finished in the top three in 5 of 6 turf starts in this country. He won back-to-back stakes races at 6.5T on April 7 (John Shear) and May 19 (Desert Code). He finished a troubled 6th of 11 as the beaten favorite in the Oceanside at 8T July 20, and stalked and landed the place behind Stay Hot in the La Jolla. Atitlan was third in the La Jolla and he recently beat Stay Hot in the G2 Twilight Derby at SA. Phil D’Amato’s colt had an uncomfortable trip when finishing 3rd of 11 vs. older foes in the G2 Eddie D at 6.5T Sept. 28. He reconnects with Flavien Prat and he booted this one home at 6T March 10. He sports back-to-back 5f bullets for this at SA and is the one to beat if he can work out a trip from the outside post.

#7 Take Me to Church (3-1) was 7-2 in his US bow and he fell into the temporary rail when another rival went down. He was the favorite in the Gio Ponti Oct. 3 and he stalked the pace and finished a solid 3rd of 10. He won three races in Ireland and has worked twice since his last. Brad Cox has good stats with shippers and Antonio Fresu takes the call.

#9 British Isles (12-1) is 1-for-8 with five minor awards on turf. He cuts back to a flat mile after hitting the board in back-to-back longer races. Diego Herrera got familiar with this one Oct. 19 and he guided home Watchtower for Richard Baltas in the G3 Autumn Miss Oct. 27.

#4 Heart Headed (7-2) stretched out, returned to turf, and stalked, pounced, and scored by a neck in a flat mile OC-80k/1x affair at SA Sept. 27. He was 4-1 that day and George Papaprodromou could do no wrong at SA. Can this barn have the same success at DMR? Umberto Rispoli strings along and a stalking trip is expected.

Wagers:

#10 to win

Exacta 7-10/7-9-10

Trifecta 4-7-10/4-7-10/9

October 2024 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners 
Oct. 1 – Beads ($10.20), Exacta ($28.00)
Oct. 3 – Donegal Momentum/Royal Majesty Exacta ($61.00)
Oct. 4 – Sea Runner ($3.60), Exacta ($9.40), Trifecta ($77.80)
Oct. 4 – SA (races 8-9) – $5 Late Daily Double ($47.00)
Oct. 6 – Iron Man Cal ($4.60)
Oct. 9 – Green Light ($3.42)
Oct. 10 – Major Dude ($6.74)
Oct. 13 – On the Whim ($8.00)
Oct. 17 – Peignoir ($6.02), Exacta ($16.34)
Oct. 21 – Bold Fortune ($4.90)
Oct. 23 – Neon Icon ($11.96), Trifecta ($427.64)
Oct. 27 – Watchtower/Medoro Exacta ($37.20)

Please visit The Runaway Horse Shop to purchase my Breeders’ Cup and Del Mar full cards.

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.