8/11/18 Del Mar Late Pick Four - Preview

The Grade 2 Best Pal is the featured race in Southern California Saturday.  But as that event has been positioned in the early portion of the card, it is not a contest that I'll be looking at below.  Instead, I'll be giving my views on the final four races on the program, as I take another run at The Late Pick Four at the place Where The Turf Meets The Surf.

RACE 7 - (F) OC 80k/N1X - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 3 Luminoso (Morning Line 7-2)

B’s

# 1 Kodiak West (Ire) (ML 5-2)
# 8 Whirling (ML 6-1)

C's

# 6 Silken Spy (ML 12-1)
# 7 Ladybug (ML 12-1)

# 9 Camino Song (Ire) (ML 6-1)
# 10 Hey Negrita (ML 10-1)

Note that Race 7 and Race 9 have identical conditions, as the race drew enough entrants for the contest to be divided into two divisions.

Luminoso took the Place behind a next out winner at this class level last time out.  Kodiak West (Ire) is making her North American debut for Trainer Neil Drysdale, and she appears classy enough to win at this level.  Whirling took the Show at this class level in her turf debut last time out.

Silken Spy should be prominent early, and she fits well here on class; but I'm not sure that Silken Spy will get early fractions soft enough to allow her to wire this field today.  Ladybug and Camino Song are two last out graduates running for conditioners (John Sadler and Phil D'Amato, respectively) who tend to do well when placing their last out maiden winners.  Hey Negrita, shipping in from the east, could get a nice stalking trip courtesy of the outside draw.

RACE 8 - Clm $16k - Six Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 6  Burn Me Twice (ML 7-2)

B’s

# 2 Papa Turf (ML 6-1)

# 7 Ninety Nine Proof (ML 6-1)

C's

# 1 Twirling Tiger (ML 12-1)
# 4 Bow and Arrow (ML 5-1)

# 5 Braddock (ML 5-2)

Burn Me Twice took the Show at this class level last time out, and is two-for-five lifetime over this main track.  Papa Turf could be the speed of the speed in this field.  Ninety Nine Proof has been victorious both times that he has competed over this main track.

Twirling Tiger could improve with the turn back in distance.  Bow and Arrow enters this event with a three race winning streak, albeit against less competition.  Braddock looks to be ambitiously placed here; but if he can rate off the leaders, then Braddock just might be the one to get his picture taken Saturday.

RACE 9 - (F) OC 80k/N1X - Eight Furlongs Turf

A’s

# 10 Highland Lass (ML 9-2)

B’s

# 3 One Fast Broad (ML 6-1)

# 7 Nice Ice (ML 6-1)

C's

# 5 Pacific Strike (ML 6-1)

# 6 Nonna Gianna (Ire) (ML 12-1)

# 8 Sappho (Ire) (ML 5-1)

Scratch # 2 Pursuing The Dream (Ire) (ML 7-2)

Note that Race 7 and Race 9 have identical conditions, as the race drew enough entrants for the contest to be divided into two divisions.

Highland Lass fits well here on class, and her breeding suggests that she'll do well with the surface switch.  One Fast Broad looks to be in good form, and One Fast Broad ran well in her one prior try over this turf course.

Pacific Ice, Nonna Gianna (Ire), and Sappho (Ire) all exit a common race at this class level, and all three appear to be in position to improve.  Nice Ice closed well to win last time out, and may be able to handle to rise in class.

RACE 10 - [S] Md $50k - Six Furlongs Dirt

A’s

# 6 Handsome John (ML 5-2)

B's

# 1 Red Clem (ML 10-1)

# 4 Irish Terrier (ML 7-2)

# 7 Silent Alarm (ML 9-2)

# 10 Hey Sal (ML 8-1)

C's

# 2 Small Town Boy (ML 20-1)
# 3 Lucky General (ML 8-1)
# 5 Cyprus Souljah (ML 20-1)
# 8 Empirical Data (ML 12-1)
# 9 Warrensdirtydancer (ML 8-1)

Handsome John and Silent Alarm filled out the bottom two rungs of the Trifecta at this class level last time out.  Red Clem took the Show at this class level two starts back.  Irish Terrier has missed graduation by less than a length in each of his two prior starts.  Hey Sal could improve in his second career start with the blinkers being added.  The backup "C" Selections are everyone else.

OK, that's the analysis.  Playing my tickets in modified Crist fashion, I get:

All A Entries

$1.00 P4: 3 with 6 with 10 with 6 $1.00

All A Entries with All B Entries

$0.50 P4: 1,3,8 with 2,6,7 with 3,7,10 with 1,4,6,7,10 $67.50

A's with One C

$0.50 P4: 6,7,9,10 with 6 with 10 with 6 $2.00

$0.50 P4: 3 with 1,4,5 with 10 with 6 $1.50

$0.50 P4: 3 with 6 with 5,6,8 with 6 $1.50

$0.50 P4: 3 with 6 with 10 with 2,3,5,8,9 $2.50

Total: $76.00

Post Time for Race 7 is 8:03 EDT / 5:03 PDT.  Good luck to all.

Peace and Love,

Jimbo