Del Mar – August 19th, 2017 – Pacific Classic Day
Download full card selections and analysis for Pacific Classic Day right here.
| Race: | Selections: | |||
| 1 | 1) 8- Inhibition 2) 3- Bucky Goldstein 3) 6- Hoppitty | |||
| This is a race void of any early speed. Inhibition is trying sprint distances for the second straight time after finishing third last time out against similar. He gets the blinkers on and finds a race that should let him get loose early. If he flashes the speed he showed in his race at the beginning of the year, he should be able to take this. Eligible to move up second off the layoff.
Bucky Goldstein ran the best last out race of the field, even though it was a well beaten 6th, he was coming off a layoff and trainer change. He should be able to move up here well and with the blinkers off. Last race performance could win this. Hoppitty is always an early runner but fades badly after just about a furlong or two. He has always been in against other speed horses and now finds himself without any speed. Gets Evin Roman who may be able to find out what this horse needs to do. |
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| 2 | 1) 5- Distinctive B 2) 4- Taman Guard 3) 3- Lord Simba | |||
| Distinctive B ran a winning race last time out and has been no worse than 2nd in his last six races. He comes back at this level and has a very good record at Del Mar. Should be able to win this here now second off the layoff.
Mike Smith is back aboard Taman Guard, who he has led to 2 of his 3 wins. Taman Guard returns to sprint distance and back to a track he likes. Very much to favor with this horse. Lord Simba comes in out of a live race in the Kona Gold. Gets a good rest before coming in against lesser here for Bob Baffert and Martin Garcia. Live to take this race. |
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| 3 | 1) 5- El Tovar 2) 8- Love My Bud 3) 6- Rare Candy | |||
| El Tovar steps up to a mile in distance here, which should be more in his wheelhouse based on his wins at Santa Anita going downhill. A major threat here.
Love My Bud tries turf here for Martin Jones and Kent Desormeaux. He is eligible to move up here on the turf route and looks to be a good longshot in this spot. I’ve always been a big fan of Rare Candy and liked his last race. Faces a similar field here and on a turf course that favors his running style. Could play nicely here. |
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| 4 | 1) 9- Special Story 2) 8- Oopper Wallah 3) 6- Rockin My Mojo | |||
| Dropping to face lesser today, Special Story showed a lot of speed last time out on the drop right here at del Mar. He had a similar draw as today and is eligible to improve second start at the meet.
Oopper Wallah returns to the dirt in this start and Gary Stevens stays aboard. Stevens has been able to get a lot out of this horse in his tries and I’ll give him a start here. Rockin My Mojo doesn’t come in against too tough a field and won very well with Laura Werner last time out at Del Mar to break the maiden. I don’t think he will win, but a very good play underneath. |
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| 5 | 1) 4- Lucky Soul 2) 1- Aussie Fox 3) 7- Potent | |||
| Lucky Soul has been having troubled trip after troubled trip, especially last time out. His closing kick will come in handy in a race with a lot early pace and a turf track that has been favoring late runners.
Aussie Fox showed a lot of speed last time out and fought hard down the stretch. That effort should help propel him here to a better performance. Like the inside draw and Bejarano stays on. Potent showed a lot of ability in his first turf start of his career. Should progress better in his second try on the turf and gets Mario Gutierrez. Worth a play. |
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| 6 | 1) 5- Moonshine Memories 2) 1- Crownstone 3) 6- Tyfosha | |||
| Mike Smith teaming up with Simon Callaghan instead of going with the Bob Baffert/Godolphin on the rail is all I need to know. Moonshine Memories has great first out pedigree and workouts supplement that. Lets see how she does.
The Baffert first time starter is still worth a play, owned by Godolphin and ridden by Rafael Bejarano. A very live pedigree for a first out winner, she has a play. Smith choosing off is only worry. Tyfosha is going to win eventually. Two straight seconds at this level; I’ll use her on my ticket, especially underneath the two runners I have on top. |
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| 7 | 1) 2- Inordinate 2) 3- Big John B 3) 8- Ashleyluvssugar | |||
| DEL MAR HANDICAP (G2) – Inordinate came onto the west coast scene after switching from Chad Brown to Richard Baltas after last year. He has come off to run well in two of his three races, including a win in the San Juan Capistrano. I loved his run in his last race, where he had a troubled trip, had every excuse to lose, and still won very impressively in between horses. Faces a bit tougher here, but looks to be in the form of his career.
Big John B returns to the turf after a few tries on the dirt that didn’t go too well. He loves the Del Mar turf and this looks to be a tune up for the Breeders’ Cup Turf. He is going to run very well, even with the loss of Bejarano. Ashleyluvssugar is far from his form from last year, but still is able to put in good efforts. I don’t love him in this spot, and feel as if he has regressed, but will still use him underneath cause he has finished no worse than 3rd in 9 of last 10 races (only race was Breeders’ Cup Turf). |
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| 8 | 1) 8- Arrogate 2) 6- Donworth 3) 2- Collected | |||
| TVG PACIFIC CLASSIC (G1) – I have watched the San Diego over and over again, and each time I come to the same conclusion, something spooked him and Cat Burglar. Right as they turned for the stretch, both horses seemed to straighten up and shy away from one another. Cat Burglar veered sharply to the left right as he fell into Arrogate’s shadow while Arrogate just decided to stop. Maybe I am grasping at straws; maybe it was the nonexistent Dubai bounce; maybe it was the track; maybe he wasn’t in form. Whatever the reason, Arrogate didn’t show up last time out. However, I still think this horse is far and away the best horse in the field, bar none. He draws the far outside, just like in the Classic, and he gets back to the distance he excels greatly at, 1 ¼ mi. This is his last race before the Breeders’ Cup Classic – this will be his show.
Donworth has it tough – his first two races back off the layoff were to runaway winners, Collected by 14 and Accelerate by 8 ½. This is now his third start off the layoff, and he looks to have a much improved fitness level. This Reddam horse has been fighting many battles, and he looks to fit right in with this field. 1 ¼ mi seems to be right in his wheel house. Baffert has more than just Arrogate up his sleeve – before Accelerate romped in the San Diego, he was beaten by Collected to the tune of 15 lengths. Collected has reeled off three straight wins at Santa Anita since coming back off the layoff. He looks to be the one that will pressure Accelerate early, trying to give Arrogate the perfect pace to close into. I wouldn’t doubt this one holding on to finish well; he has a lot of talent and a bit of back class – don’t forget about him. |
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| 9 | 1) 3- Street Vision 2) 10- Edwards Going Left 3) 5- Dangerfield | |||
| Street Vision gets to be on the inside, come off a race with a win, and have a lot of early speed. He ran his career best race last time out going course and distance. The lightbulb looks to have come on for this horse. Not a huge of Tyler Baze not choosing here, but couldn’t say no to the John Sadler runner. Solid choice to win here.
Edwards Going Left is where Baze ends up and he has a horse dropping from state bred stakes into this open optional claimer. He showed a lot of skill stalking the pace last time out before getting completely blocked off down the stretch. If he can get a better trip here, watch out. I don’t mind using Dangerfield off of the layoff since I think he runs much better off a layoff. This Doug O’Neill 3yo steps into this race here for his first start since the Robert B. Lewis in February. Brings in a lot of class and has been working well. Has a good chance to win at first off the layoff. |
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| 10 | 1) 5- Con Te Partiro 2) 2- Madam Dancealot 3) 12- Beau Recall | |||
| DEL MAR OAKS (G1) – Wesley Ward ships in Con Te Partiro after her win in the Sandringham Handicap during Royal Ascot. She took up on the stand side of the course, which had winners galore during the week and just showed an electric turn of foot. Anything near that performance will win this one. Only knock is that she still has yet to win over a firm turf course.
Madame Dancealot coasted over this course last time out in the San Clemente. She didn’t start off the best, but she just roared on home under Jamie Theriot. She loves this course and has great form – big chance here. Beau Recall ran behind very good Sircat Sally much of this year, before making up some ground in the Belmont Oaks. She has had some time to rest up now and comes into this race very fresh. She fits really well in this spot. |
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| 11 | 1) 6- Powder 2) 8- Laynee 3) 7- Unusually Stylish | |||
| This 3yo filly for Ian Kruljac nearly took them all the way in open company. Powder drops back down into state bred company to try and break her maiden in only her third career start. She has continued to improve in each start and enters this race off of a layoff. Her works have looked good and she had a good tightener last time out. In form.
Laynee tried open company up at Golden Gate and failed to break her maiden there. She moved down to Del Mar and nearly got a win, just getting caught on the wire. Bejarano steps back aboard which is a huge plus. Has a shot here. Blaine Wright is a dangerous trainer with horses making their 2nd career start, with 34/68 finishing in the money this year. Unusually Stylish makers her 2nd start today off a speed and fade effort last month at Del Mar. Eligible to improve. |
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| Best Bet of the Day: | Special Story (Race 4) | Live Longshot of the Day: | Street Vision (Race 9) | |
Horse Racing Station 