Check out my Sunday (8-31-25) Del Mar Race 9 analysis below.
DMR 9 (G2 Del Mar Derby, 9T) – Post Time 8:41 PM ET
Primary – #5 THE PADRE, #4 Iron Man Cal
Secondary – #3 Geometry
Horse Comments:
#5 The Padre (5-2) won his all-weather route bow over a dozen foes at 33-1 odds in Ireland Jan. 29. He moved to the D’Amato barn and ran on nicely for the place in an OC-100k/1x affair at 8T June 13, and show finisher Game Warrior returned to upset the Oceanside on opening day. He earned a quality late pace rating on June 13 and I made him my top choice in the La Jolla on Aug. 3, and he stalked the pace and got up by a half-length as the even money favorite. Dam has produced eight turf winners and Umberto Rispoli sticks with him, and he owns the best late pace ratings.
#4 Iron Man Cal (2-1) followed up a local flat mile maiden turf win last summer with a win in the G3 Zuma Beach (placed first through DQ). He rallied to miss by a neck in the G1 BC Juvenile Turf, and returned from a layoff and was 6th of 14 in the G1 American Turf at CD on good ground May 3. Winner Zulu Kingdom and runner-up Test Score were next-out stakes winners. He was the 1-2 favorite in the Oceanside on opening day and he stumbled at the start and rallied to miss by a half-length. He was probably best last time and can take this if he gets out of the gate in good order.
#3 Geometry (8-1) owns an ascending numbers pattern for Jonathan Thomas. He stalked and scored in a turf route at KEE second time out last fall, and he returned from a layoff and won a local flat mile turf affair on Aug. 10.
Wagers:
#5 to win
Exacta 5-4
Trifecta 4-5/3-4-5/3-4-5
August 2025 Bettor Bet$ Free Pick Winners
Aug. 1 – Speedy Wilson ($5.20)
Aug. 3 – The Padre ($4.00), Exacta ($12.00)
Aug. 5 – Real Naughty/Thalberg ($13.20)
Aug. 6 – Parchment Party/Digital Ops Exacta ($9.60), Trifecta ($30.40)
Aug. 8 – Sammy Davis ($5.80), Trifecta ($33.80)
Aug. 9 – Privman ($4.00), Exacta ($5.80)
Aug. 11 – Grounded ($12.80)
Aug. 12 – Dreaming of Kona ($8.80), Exacta ($20.40)
Aug. 14 – Roselee May/Thebestisyettobe/Eternal Reign Trifecta ($141.40)
Aug. 16 – Nitrogen ($6.10), Exacta ($11.20), Trifecta ($36.20)
Aug. 21 – Thirsty Trickster/Liquid Spirit/Perfect Life Trifecta ($276.60)
Aug. 23 – May Day Ready/Play With Fire Exacta ($12.20), Trifecta ($30.20)
Aug. 30 – Tommy Jo ($4.00)
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