8/11/12 DMR Race 7 - Horse Watch

The seventh race at Del Mar Saturday was a first level AOC ($40k) for fillies and mares, three years old and up, run at a distance of six furlongs over the plastic main track.  The winner of the race, to the surprise of virtually no one, was Smart and Single, crossing the wire five and a half lengths ahead of the field, paying $2.60 / $2.40 / $2.20.  Sired by Smart Strike and trained by Bob Baffert, Smart and Single is now two-for-two for her career, having broken her maiden in her debut July 5, in Race 6 at Hollywood Park (FYI, the Place horse in that race, Princess Ash, also trained by Baffert, is entered in today's sixth race at Del Mar).

The reason I bring all this to your attention is because of the speed at which this race was run.  Smart and Single's final time of 1:09.15 is impressive for this level, being as it is exactly half a second slower than Amazombie's final time in last month's Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at this track, and just slightly less than a second off the track record for the distance set by Euroears in last year's Bing Crosby.  I don't know how it will rate as a Beyer, but the raw time is certainly eye-catching.

Perhaps equally impressive is the improvement Smart and Single's final time shows from her debut victory, when she covered six furlongs in 1:11.22.  Granted, some of that improvement may be attributed to the change in venue; but I think the ability to chop more than two seconds off her six furlong time in just a little over a month demonstrates that this is a filly on the rise, and ready to take on stiffer competition.  It will be interesting to see where Baffert slots this three year old as Summer turns to Autumn.

Also worth mentioning from Saturday's race is the fourth place finisher, Self Preservation.  A three year old filly sired by Lion Heart and owned by Reddam Racing LLC, Self Preservation (Final Odds 9.5-1) was, according to the chart caller, "steadied between horses in the early stages".  Self Preservation was last after the first quarter, eight and three-quarter lengths behind the leader.  The remaining four furlongs were run in a time of 46.81 seconds, during which Self Preservation gained two and a quarter lengths on the lead (which, incidentally, made her the only horse in the field (besides the eventual winner) to gain on the lead from pace call to finish).  Such an effort after a poor start means that Self Preservation is worthy of a good, long look her next time out.  At least, in my humble opinion.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo