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DEL MAR NOTEBOOK AUGUST 5, 2010 by John Mucciolo A trio of graded tilts took the spotlight last week at Del Mar. Bing Crosby S. (G1): Klein and Lebherz's SMILING TIGER (Hold That Tiger) proved to his elders that he was ready for this jump with a decisive, 1 1/2-length win in here beneath Victor Espinoza. The Kentucky-bred sophomore colt led at every call and stopped the teletimer in 1:09 1/5 for six panels. This is the second straight year that a three-year-old has captured the Bing Crosby (Zensational in 2009), and Smiling Tiger gave 55-year-old conditioner Jeff Bonde his first Grade 1 victory. San Diego H. (G2): Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer et al's DAKOTA PHONE (Zavata) finally broke through at the graded level with a last-to-first run in this one. The five-year-old gelding finished off 1 1/16-miles in 1:43 2/5 under the guidance of Joel Rosario. Third in the Santa Anita H. (G1) earlier this season, Dakota Phone had placed in a total of six graded events and snapped a 16-race losing skein in the San Diego. Cougar H. (G3): B. Wayne Hughes' homebred TEMPLE CITY (Dynaformer) set easy splits under Joe Talamo and never gave his foes a chance in the lane with a facile tally for Carla Gaines. A head second in the American H. (G2) previously, the five-year-old dark bay notched his first graded win with a 3 1/4-length decision and completed 1 1/2-miles on the Polytrack in 2:30 2/5. Track Stats From a total of 43 races held over the coastal racetrack during the five-day race week, favorites won at a 35 percent clip and the top two betting choices combined for 60 percent of the wins. From 34 frays contested on the Polytrack oval, 13 animals won in wire-to-wire fashion (38 percent), while two of the nine grassy tussles went all the way on the lead (22 percent). The week started with all of the main track winners breaking from posts 4 and wider, but that changed in a big way, as inside speed was very good for the remainder of the week, especially in sprint events. Horses were winning from off the pace some this week, but pacesetters often held on for a minor award if they didn't go all the way. Turf racing still favors horses from off the pace in our view, which is common at Del Mar. Thursday, Friday and Sunday combined for 10 wire jobs on the Polytrack from 21 races, with the innermost three post positions accounting for 11 wins in total. Meet Totals
HORSES TO WATCH Thursday (7/29) 2ND -- In his first outing since November, the once stakes-caliber INDIAN ASHTON (Tribal Rule) ran a big one to just miss at the wire for conditioner Wesley Ward. The gelding wasn't claimed out of this and proved he still has something left in the tank. 5TH -- LIMITED PASSION (Cactus Creole) didn't miss by much when third in her debut performance in here, and we'll tab the four-year-old as one to keep an eye on next out for trainer Robert Troeger. Friday (7/30) 5TH -- CEE'S PRYME (Cee's Tizzy) was well-backed and surely ran like a good thing in a daylight score at first asking for Gaines, who seemingly has one like this every year at Del Mar. The gelded sophomore could be of stakes-quality down the road. Saturday (7/31) 1ST -- It was good to see GOLDEN MEXICO (Ire) (Daggers Drawn) back in the winner's circle after holding on late beneath Talamo. The speedy gelding wired a field over a turf course that it makes it tough to do so, so we'll watch him in the near future, especially at other Southern California venues. 7TH -- FAISCA (A. P. Warrior) opened up a huge early lead, and maintained it throughout, in a dominant maiden-breaking tally for conditioner Caesar Dominguez. The juvenile California-bred could be any type. 8TH -- Multiple stakes hero BATTLE OF HASTINGS (GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) proved that he can handle synthetic ovals as well and nearly pulled off this win for trainer Jeff Mullins, finishing well clear in second nonetheless. The consistent gelding now has that many more options as the season unfolds. Sunday (8/1) 7TH -- JET BLUE GIRL (Gimmeawink) was a good third in here and could be tabbed for further improvement following this, her first outing since January of this year. A Look Ahead Saturday's $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1) is easily the top draw of the weekend at Del Mar, with an appearance from defending two-time champ and unbeaten Zenyatta (Street Cry [Ire]) likely. The babies also get their due in the form of Friday's $150,000 Sorrento S. (G3) and Sunday's $150,000 Best Pal S. (G2).
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