Del Mar Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A field of seven, including one coupled entry, went to the gate for

Wednesday's featured Escondido H. for three-year-olds and upward going 11

furlongs over the lawn. Trainer Bobby Frankel's Qsar (Ger) (Tiger Hill

[Ire]) was scratched from the field as was Julio Canani's Sleepless Joy (Joyeux

Danseur), taking a bit of the luster off of what had been a very solid

field.

After all was said and done though, the race still provided more than its

share of drama as once the field hit the stretch, it became a two horse race

between favorite LAURA'S LUCKY BOY (Theatrical [Ire]), who had been just a

little off the pace early, and last year's champion Sarafan (Lear Fan), who

had been lying next to last early. The pair dueled gamely through the

stretch with Sarafan gaining the lead late to hit the wire a head in front

of his rival, apparently defending his championship and apparently

establishing a new course record of 2:12 for 11 furlongs.

In no time at all though the "Inquiry" light began flashing on the tote

board and the stewards went about viewing replay after replay, which

revealed that there had been some contact made through the stretch drive

with the greatest majority of it occurring just as the pair was crossing the

wire. The stewards deliberated for what seemed like an eternity but

eventually ruled to disqualify Sarafan from first to second, giving Laura's

Lucky Boy the victory.

Continental Red (Flying Continental) put in a game effort from just off

the pace to cross the finish line two lengths farther back in third.

When asked just after the race about what is next for Laura's Lucky Boy,

trainer Richard Mandella indicated that they are aiming for the Del Mar H.

(G2) on August 28.

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela picked up two wins on the day to open up a bit

of breathing room in the rider standings with 16 winners for the meet.

Garrett Gomez also rode two winners and Victor Espinoza grabbed one, putting

the pair in a tie for second with 14 winners each.

Bob Baffert picked up a win on the day to move into a tie with Jeff

Mullins atop the trainer standings. The pair has eight winners each. Doug

O'Neill is still in third with six winners for the meet.

There were four sprints contested on the main track Wednesday and there

was an equal distribution as horses on or near the pace won twice and

runners coming from off the pace captured the other two races. As for the

two main track routes, runners near the pace won both of them. In addition

to the Escondido, there was one other turf route contested today and it was

won in gate-to-wire fashion.

With two full weeks of racing in the book, now would be an ideal time to

take a look at the track bias for the meet as a whole through Monday, August

1. As for the main track sprints, horses on or near the pace have held a

solid advantage. At 5 1/2 furlongs, horses on or near the pace have won 12

of the 16 races, and at 6 1/2 furlongs they have won 10 of 13. The lone

exception would be six-furlong races where horses coming from off the pace

held an advantage early in the meet, but the bias has changed over the past

few days and it now stands that 14 of the 25 races at this distance have

been won by horses on or near the lead.

In the main track routes, the bias isn't nearly as pronounced as 10 of

the 17 races contested at either a mile or 1 1/16 miles have been won by

runners near the front of the pack.

On the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, runners coming from off the pace have

dominated the eight furlong routes, winning 10 of the 11 contested. At 1

1/16 miles, a bias hasn't really been as noticeable given that only six of

the 11 races run were won by horses closing on the leaders. At distances

nine furlongs and greater, three of the four races were won by horses coming

from off the pace. As for the grass sprints, there really haven't been

enough races contested at those distances to provide any meaningful

information as to how they are playing at this time.

Horses to Watch

3RD - MY MISS STORM CAT (Sea Of Secrets) returned from her lay off of

over a year with a visually impressive performance. The three-year-old filly

was content to lay a half length to a length off the lead early in this

allowance event before coming through on the inside to take the lead in a

quarter that went in :21 4/5. The dark bay then opened up through the

stretch, under a hold and without ever seeing the whip, to hit the finish

line six lengths in front.

4TH - DANCING EDIE (Moscow Ballet) made her second start on the grass an

impressive one as he took the lead out of the gate and never looked back in

this Cal-bred maiden special event to hit the finish line seven lengths

clear of the field.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Thursday, August 4

A mere field of five is scheduled to contest Thursday's featured event, a

6 1/2 furlong optional claiming event for fillies and mares, three-years-old

and up. SIPHON HONEY (Siphon [Brz]) will probably be the one to beat but

beware of FREAKIN STREAKIN (Tactical Advantage), who will be making the turf

to dirt move in her second start for Julio Canani, and Florida invader CUT

THE MUSTARD (Double Honour), who will be making her first start for trainer

Bill Spawr.

Thursday's forecast calls for sunny skies and a high of 76.

Thursday's Best Plays

3RD - COSMIC LADY (High Brite) appears to tower over the field in this

$20,000 claiming event. The bay's BRIS Speed Ratings tops the field and she

holds a solid advantage of over six points in the BRIS Prime Power category.

The three-year-old filly will be taking a bit of a class drop for this event

and trainer Frank Monteleone is a solid 21 percent in the "Down One Class"

trainer category. Valenzuela has ridden Cosmic Lady in each of her last two

starts and will be reunited with her for a third time, only adding to the

list of things to like.

6TH - SONG SUNG GOLD (Sultry Song) will be making the move from the grass

to the main track in this maiden claiming event and trainer Vladimir Cerin

wins 21 percent of the time with the "Turf to Dirt" maneuver. The

four-year-old filly has a 13 point BRIS Prime Power advantage and her BRIS

Pace Ratings indicate that she can have things her own way on the lead.

Cerin has enlisted David Flores for the mount and the two have combined for

29 percent winners over the last 60 days.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A mere field of five went to the gate for Thursday's 6 1/2-furlong

optional-claiming event for fillies and mares, three-years-old and up.

Siphon Honey (Siphon [Brz]) was sent off as the favorite but encountered

trouble before the field ever got into the starting gate. The six-year-old

mare was behind the gate, preparing to load, when she reared and flipped

over backward. Jockey Patrick Valenzuela showed a great deal of agility to

get out of the way at the last moment and avoid serious injury.

Surprisingly, the track vet cleared Siphon Honey to run and allowed her and

Valenzuela to go to the post as scheduled.

In the end, FREAKIN STREAKIN (Tactical Advantage) contested early

fractions that went in :21 4/5 and :44 2/5 before scampering away late to

hit the finish line two lengths in front. Long shot Dawn's Angel (General

Meeting) rallied from off the pace and hit the stretch full of run. The bay

could not chase down the winner though and was forced to settle for second,

two lengths in front of Champ's Rocket (Fabulous Champ) in third.

After contesting the pace early, Siphon Honey faded to finish another two

lengths back in fourth.

Valenzuela picked up another win on the day to widen his lead atop the

jockey standings and now has 17 winners for the meet. Both Garrett Gomez and

Victor Espinoza went winless on the day and are still tied for second having

booted home 14 winners each.

There was no change today atop the trainer standings so Bob Baffert and

Jeff Mullins are still tied with eight winners apiece. Julio Canani picked

up a win on the day to move into a tie with Doug O'Neill for the third spot

in the trainer standings. The pair has six winners each.

There were five sprints contested on the main track on Thursday with

horses on or near the pace winning four of them. In addition, there were

three route races and horses on or near the pace won two of these. For the

first time this meet, there were no turf races scheduled on the day.

Horses to Watch

1ST - GUIDEBOOK (Notebook) looked extremely impressive in her first start

for trainer Mike Mitchell. The five-year-old mare was coming off

back-to-back dismal performances where she beat one horse over the course of

the two races. The move to Mitchell's barn though seemed to revive the mare

as she took the lead early in this eight-furlong claiming event and never

looked back, crossing the finish line with a nine-length margin of victory.

3RD - COSMIC LADY (High Brite) vied for the lead throughout in this

$20,000 claiming event. The three-year-old filly contested early fractions

of :22 1/5 and :44 1/5 before opening up in the stretch drive to hit the

wire seven lengths clear of the field. Trainer Molly Pearson claimed the

gray out of the race so she will be making her next start for a new, but

very capable, barn.

6TH - DIAMOND FOR KACI (Diamond For King [Fr]) put in a very impressive

career debut for trainer Michael Machowsky as she moved up to vie for the

lead early in this maiden claiming event and guided the field through early

fractions of :21 3/5 and :44 2/5. Once the dark bay hit the stretch, she

opened up on the field to hit the wire 7 1/2 lengths in front. Diamond For

Kaci was claimed out of the event and one has to wonder if the connections

are now having second thoughts about running her for a tag as she could have

been extremely competitive at the special weight level.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Friday, August 5

A field of nine is set to go to the post for Friday's feature, an

eight-furlong main track allowance event for fillies and mares

three-year-old and up. TWO TIMES WON (Memo [Chi]) holds interesting

possibilities as she will be making the move from Cal-bred stakes company

into open allowance company.

Friday's forecast calls for a few passing clouds in the morning giving

way to sunny skies in the afternoon and highs in the mid- to upper 70s.

Friday's Best Plays

3RD - CHAIRMAN'S AGENDA (Souvenir Copy) will be making her second start

for trainer Jeff Bonde, who wins 25 percent of the time in the "2nd Start

with Trainer" category. The four-year-old filly's BRIS Prime Power Rating,

BRIS Class Rating and BRIS Speed Ratings are at the top of the field. A look

at her BRIS Pace Ratings indicate that she should be lying on or near the

lead early and have plenty left at the end for jockey Victor Espinoza to

have her in front at the finish.

4TH - SILVER RECALL (Bertrando) has been putting in some very impressive

times recently over the Del Mar strip in preparation for his debut in this

Cal-bred maiden special event. In addition to his works being fast, they

have also been steady, dating back to the early part of June. Bertrando's

progeny win a respectable 13 percent of the time when making their first

start and the dam, Instant Recall (Silver Deputy), has had three winners

from three starters. Espinoza has the call on Silver Recall, who has a

respectable chance in this field at what should be a very square price.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A field of nine went to the post for Friday night's featured event, a

wide open eight-furlong allowance for fillies and mares three-years-old and

up. SHIMMER (Pulpit), under a nice ride from Victor Espinoza, rallied from

the back of the pack and absolutely engulfed the field through the stretch

drive to hit the finish line 1 1/4 lengths in front. Royal Kleven (Kleven)

closed from just off the pace and picked up the place, three parts of a

length in front of a fast-gaining Run For Dessert (Belong To Me) in third.

Espinoza came back to capture the 9TH race as well, giving him two

winners on the card and helping him to gain ground on Patrick Valenzuela in

the jockey standings. Valenzuela picked up one win on the day and still

holds the lead by a score of 18-16. Garrett Gomez went winless and is

currently in third with 14 winners for the meet.

Jeff Mullins and Bob Baffert remain tied atop the trainer standings with

eight winners apiece. Mike Mitchell picked up a win on the day, creating a

log jam in the third spot as he, Doug O'Neill, and Julio Canani all have six

winners each.

There were five sprints contested on the main track with horses on or

near the pace winning four of them but the lone route was won by the

aforementioned Shimmer who closed from last. As for the turf, there was one

sprint and one route with the sprint being won by a front runner and the

route going to a horse coming from off the pace.

Horses to Watch

2ND - ABBI'S CHOICE (Slewacide) was making a nice move up the rail in

this $32,000 claiming event when his hole completely closed on him. Jockey

Espinoza was forced to check sharply and the seven-year-old gelding could

never get back on track afterwards. A cleaner trip next out could yield

better results.

4TH - ASPIRING SUMMER (Siberian Summer) was impressive in his second

career start for trainer Bill Spawr. The dark bay was beaten by 14 lengths

in his debut but rebounded well here as he vied for the lead through early

fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 4/5 before pulling away in the stretch drive to

cross the finish line five lengths clear of the field.

6TH - WHAT SOLDIER (Lost Soldier) is now a perfect two for two on the

lawn. The dark bay vied for the lead early in this five-furlong sprint

allowance event before scampering away in the stretch to hit the wire 2 1/4

lengths in front, setting a new course record of :55 in the process.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Saturday, August 6

Two year-old fillies will have the center stage on Saturday as a field of

nine is set to go to the post for the 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento S. (G3). While

this could prove to be a wide-open event, the betting public will probably

center their attention on HYSTERICALADY (Distorted Humor), recent winner of

the Juan Gonzalez Memorial S. at Pleasanton, and INDIAN BREEZE (Indian

Charlie), winner of the Landaluce S. at Hollywood.

BULLY BONES (Hesabull) is another to keep an eye on as she ran a 102 BRIS

Speed Rating in her only career start at Hollywood back in April. The

chestnut has been burning up the Del Mar strip in the mornings and could

have a shot at a bit of a price. TIGER ON THE LOOSE (Tale of the Cat) is

another coming off of a win at Hollywood where she posted a solid 95 BRIS

Speed Rating against a solid field of maidens.

Saturday's forecast calls for morning clouds giving way to mostly sunny

skies in the afternoon and highs in the mid to upper 70s.

Saturday's Best Plays

1ST - RECKLESS HERO (Smokester) will be making the move from the grass to

the main track in this 6 1/2-furlong allowance event and trainer Gary

Mandella is a solid 17 percent in the "Turf to Dirt" trainer category. The

gray's BRIS Speed Ratings top the field and he holds the advantage in both

BRIS Prime Power and BRIS Class Rating. Reckless Hero's BRIS Pace Ratings

indicate that he should be able to dictate the pace on the front end and

still have something left at the end for the run to the wire.

3RD - ART MODERNE (Woodman) will be taking a big class drop in this N1X

allowance turf event as he has been competing against stakes company in

Europe. His new trainer, Bobby Frankel, obviously has big plans for the

chestnut and has found what appears to be a soft spot for him to make his

North American debut. The five-year-old horse should be ready to go as he

has been working steadily since the middle of June and this is a situation

Frankel thrives in as his 41 percent win percentage in the "Shipper to U.S."

trainer category stands testament. Valenzuela has been enlisted for the

ride, only adding to the list of things to like.

5TH - STEVIE WONDERBOY (Stephen Got Even) should appreciate getting away

from What A Song (Songandaprayer) and back into maiden special company. The

chestnut has had the misfortune of tangling with What A Song in both of his

career starts and has come up on the short end of the stick on both

occasions. Stevie Wonderboy towers over this field in every BRIS category,

including Prime Power where he holds a nearly 12-point advantage. The

two-year-old colt's BRIS Pace Ratings indicate that he should be able to

have things his own way on or near the lead and have plenty left at the end

to hit the finish line in front.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A field of nine went to the gate for Saturday's 6 1/2-furlong Sorrento S.

(G3) for two-year-old fillies. Indian Breeze (Indian Charlie) was sent to

the gate as the favorite by the betting public but disappointed the chalk

players when she moved up to contest the pace early before quickly packing

it in when the field was still on the backstretch. The bay staggered home a

disappointing eighth .

In the end, it was BULLY BONES (Hesabull) who was on the pace from start

to finish and prevailed for the victory. The chestnut was making her first

start since capturing a maiden special event at Hollywood in April but came

back to the races full of run as she contested early fractions of :21 3/5

and :44 2/5 before taking the lead in the stretch and digging in gamely at

the end to hit the wire 1 1/2 lengths in front.

Acceleration (Vision and Verse) was exiting a starter allowance event but

looked like a graded-stakes competitor here as she closed from well off the

pace to pick up the place, three lengths in front of Slick Road (Mud Route)

in third.

Jockey Patrick Valenzuela picked up three wins on the day, giving him 21

for the meet. Garrett Gomez rode two winners to move into a tie for the

second spot in the standings with Victor Espinoza. The pair has 16 winners

each.

As for the trainers, Jeff Mullins picked up a win on the day to regain

the lead in the trainer standings over Bob Baffert by a score of nine to

eight. Doug O'Neill's beast STEVIE WONDERBOY (Stephen Got Even) got him a

win on the day, helping him to regain soul possession of third place with

seven winners for the meet.

There were six sprints contested on the main track Saturday with horses

on or near the pace winning five of them. In addition, there were two

main-track routes which were both won by runners on the pace. As for the

turf, there were two routes contested on the day and they were both won in

front-running fashion.

Horses to Watch

2ND - ROBERT E (Boston Harbor) went winless in his first 14 career starts

but once he came to life, he did so in a big way. After wiring the field in

this eight- furlong Cal-bred optional-claiming event, the five-year-old

gelding has now reeled off his third victory in a row. Robert E bounded to

the early lead and guided the field through early fractions of :22 1/4 and

:46 1/5 and dug in gamely at the end to hit the wire three parts of a length

in front.

5TH - Stevie Wonderboy was the easiest of winners in this 6 1/2-furlong

maiden special event as he stalked the pace early before taking over at the

top of the lane and opening up an insurmountable lead in the stretch drive.

Jockey Garrett Gomez began winding him down well before the finish but still

hit the wire four lengths clear of the field. Owner Merv Griffin indicated

afterward that the next start for Stevie Wonderboy would probably come in

the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G2) on closing day. The distance should

suit the chestnut just fine as he appears to be one that will only become

more dangerous the further he stretches out.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Sunday, August 7

Sunday's feature will be the Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) for fillies and

mares, three-years-old and upward. A field of eight is set to go to the gate

for the 1 1/16-mile event headed by ALPHABET KISSES (Alphabet Soup), who is

coming off a solid three-length score in the A Gleam Invitational H. (G2) at

Hollywood in early July. While the gray is definitely a solid contender in

the field she could be a tad vulnerable as 1 1/16 miles is definitely not

her best distance.

For those willing to play against her, there are several choices as this

is a very competitive field and all of them appear to have chinks in their

armor. GIRL WARRIOR (Elusive Quality) is coming off a victory in the El

Encino S. (G2) at Santa Anita in January but will be making her first starts

since then. STAR PARADE (Arg) (Parade Marshal) is a multiple Grade 1 winner

but her form has been on the decline over her last few starts. If her recent

works over the Del Mar strip are any indication though, she could be ready

to make another run toward glory.

VALENTINE DANCER (In Excess [Ire]) came up only three lengths short of

Alphabet Kisses last out in the A Gleam. Grade 1 winner HOLLYWOOD STORY

(Wild Rush) likes the distance and is more than capable in this situation.

Mostly cloudy skies are on tap for Sunday with highs in the mid- to upper

70s.

Sunday's Best Plays

6TH - DA STOOPS (Distorted Humor) has had the misfortune of hooking up

with a couple of nice ones in each of his first two career starts and

finishing second both times. It started in June when he crossed paths with

eventual Graduation S. winner Cougar Mtn Lodge (Comic Strip) and then he

followed that up with a defeat on opening day of the Del Mar meet to the

Doug O'Neill-trained Bro Lo (In Excess [Ire]). There appear to be no beasts

of that caliber in this Cal-bred maiden special event which should mean he

can finally make it to the winner's circle.

9TH - MIGHTY WILL (Mighty) has been showing improvement since moving into

the barn of O'Neill. The three-year-old gelding's recent BRIS Speed Ratings

are better than anyone's in the field and he holds a BRIS Prime Power

advantage of over 11 points. The bay's BRIS Pace Ratings indicate that he

should be able to compete on or near the lead early and have something left

for the drive to the finish.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

Sunday's feature was the Clement L. Hirsch H. (G2) for fillies and mares,

three-years-old and upward, going 1 1/16 miles. A field of eight went to the

gate headed by Hollywood Story (Wild Rush), who was sent off as the

post-time favorite. The four-year-old filly put in a game effort, closing

from well off the pace, but came up a nose short at the wire.

In the end, it was TUCKED AWAY (Unusual Heat) who rallied from off the

leaders and closed with a nice turn of foot through the stretch to cross the

wire in front. The Cal bred was virtually ignored by the betting public as

she had not been to the winner's circle since September of last year, though

that victory came right here at Del Mar. When the race was finally made

official, Tucked Away lit up the tote board with a $40.40 pay off.

Valentine Dancer (In Excess [Ire]) proved to be the best of the rest as

she finished 2 1/4 lengths behind Hollywood Story in third.

As has become the norm at Del Mar, the "Inquiry" light began flashing on

the tote board at the conclusion of the event. The question was whether or

not Tucked Away had interfered with Muir Beach (Skip Away) in the stretch

drive. After careful consideration, the stewards ruled that while Muir Beach

was forced to check when Tucked Away came over in front of her, the incident

was actually caused by Star Parade (Arg) (Parade Marshal) drifting out from

the inside. The order of finish was allowed to stand.

There were four sprints contested on the main track today and horses on

or near the lead won three of them. In addition to the feature, there was

one additional main-track route which was won by a horse coming from about

three lengths off the pace. There were three turf routes contested on the

card with horses rallying from off the pace winning two of them.

Patrick Valenzuela picked up a win on the day to give him 22 for the

meet. Victor Espinoza and Garrett Gomez went winless and remain in a tie for

second with 16 winners for the meet. Alex Solis picked up three winners on

the day, including his victory aboard Tucked Away in the feature, to gain

ground on that pair and now has 14 winners thus far.

Both Jeff Mullins and Bob Baffert picked up a winner on the day, making

the score in the trainer standings 10 to nine with Mullins holding the

advantage. Doug O'Neill picked up a win as well and has soul possession of

third place with eight winners for the meet.

Horses to Watch

2ND - MISS NORMAN (Artax) was a $300,000 purchase that began making her

money back in earnest in this maiden special event as she guided the field

through early fractions of :22 1/5 and :45 2/5 on her way to a 1 1/4-length

victory. The two-year-old filly looked solid throughout, though she was

becoming a little leg weary at the end. Still, the dark bay is definitely

one to keep an eye on.

4TH - EL DON (Cee's Tizzy) put in an outstanding effort in his first try

on the grass by rallying from well off the pace and closing with a blazing

turn of foot in the stretch drive to win this optional-claiming event by 1

1/2 lengths.

6TH - DA STOOPS (Distorted Humor) made short work of this field of

two-year-old Cal-bred maidens by sprinting to the lead early and guiding the

field through early fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 3/5. Once he hit the

stretch, the dark bay opened up on the field, widening his margin with every

step without ever once seeing the whip, to hit the wire 8 1/4 lengths in

front.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Monday, August 8

A field of 10, including two who are also eligible, is entered for

Monday's 6TH race, a five-furlong optional-claiming event for

three-year-olds and up which will be contested on the grass. CELTIC SWORD

(Arg) (Hidden Prize) is one among the field to keep an eye on as he has had

a great deal of success sprinting on the lawn.

SEX MACHINE (Aus) (Shagny) is another in the field that will garner some

attention and is more than capable despite the fact that he has failed as

the favorite in each of his last two starts.

Monday's forecast calls for clouds early giving way to mostly sunny skies

in the afternoon and highs in the mid-70s.

Monday's Best Plays

2ND - NOTNERASGOODASHERS (Gold Fever) will be taking a class drop and

will be moving to the main track in her second-career start for trainer Doug

O'Neill. The three-year-old filly has put in a couple of solid works over

the main track since her last start, including a clocking of :46 4/5, the

second fastest of 35 that morning, over this same Del Mar strip. The

chestnut will be adding blinkers for this event and O'Neill's runners win 18

percent of the time in their first start with the "peeps." O'Neill is

consistent in that he also produces 18 percent winners in the "2nd Career

Race" and the "Turf to Dirt" categories. The filly could have a big shot in

this maiden claiming event at what could be a square price.

7TH - BRITE LORELEI (High Brite) is a best play that comes from the

"Horses to Watch" list. The three-year-old filly was impressive last out as

she rallied from off the pace to pick up the win by three lengths against

$40,000 claiming company. Jeff Mullins claimed her out of the race and is

stepping her up to the $50,000 claiming level but she still tops the field

in BRIS Prime Power and her new trainer produces 26 percent winners in the

"Up One Class" trainer category. In addition, Mullins is also a solid 33

percent in the "1st After Claim" category. Jockey Garrett Gomez rode her to

victory in her last start and has elected to return for the ride in this

event, only adding to the list of things to like.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A field of eight went to the gate for Monday's featured race, a

five-furlong grass sprint for three-year-olds and up. CELTIC SWORD (Arg)

(Hidden Prize) was sent to the post as the 2-1 favorite and rewarded his

backers by rallying from the back of the pack, making a nice move up the

rail, to hit the finish line 2 1/4 lengths in front.

There was a blanket finish for the second and third spots but when the

photo had developed, it showed Outofthe Blue Slew (Slewledo) crossing the

finish line in second, a nose in front of Crosscut (Woodman) in third.

Though it now sounds like a broken record, the "Inquiry" sign immediately

lit up on the tote board and the stewards began sifting through the various

angles of film which showed a great deal of bumping involving the eventual

winner and Zayed (In Excess [Ire]) during the stretch drive. Once all was

said and done though, it was revealed that the fourth-place finisher, Sex

Machine (Aus) (Shagny), had created a chain reaction that led to Zayed

getting sandwiched between the winner and the Art Sherman-trained Greenie

(Iron Cat). Sex Machine was disqualified and placed last.

Patrick Valenzuela rode a winner on the day, giving him 23 for the meet.

Garrett Gomez picked up two wins on the day to close some ground and take

sole possession of second with 18 winners thus far. Victor Espinoza is in

third with 16.

As for the trainers, Jeff Mullins picked up a win on the day to widen his

lead in the standings over Bob Baffert. The score currently stands at 11 to

nine. Doug O'Neill is in third with eight winners for the meet.

There were three sprints contested on the main track with horses on or

near the pace winning all of them. As for the two main-track routes, one was

won in gate-to-wire fashion while the other was won by a runner coming from

well off the pace. In addition to the feature, there were two turf routes

contested on the grass Monday and horses coming from off the pace won both

of them.

Horses to Watch

1ST - AN ANNIKA MOMENT (Mecke) went to her knees at the start of this

eight-furlong claiming event and, though she righted herself, it looked as

is she had lost all chance. The four-year-old filly didn't quit though and

put in a nice closing move from well off the pace, even wrestling the lead

away late in the stretch drive, only to lose by a head bob at the wire.

5TH - DYNAWHITE (Lite The Fuse) vied for the lead early in this claiming

event, contesting early fractions that went in :21 4/5 and :44 2/5. Once the

field came off the turn, the gray sprinted away, widening his margin through

the stretch to hit the wire six lengths in front.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Wednesday, August 10

A field of 12, including two who are also eligible, is scheduled to go to

the post for Wednesday's Osunitas H., for fillies and mares three-years-old

and up going 1 1/16 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. TICKER TAPE

(GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) will be dropping out of graded stakes competition

in search of a return to the winner's circle. The four-year-old filly is

coming off of a last place effort in the John C. Mabee H. (G1) but should

find the competition here a little more to her liking.

SECRET CHARM (Ire) (Green Desert) will be making her second start in

North America for trainer Neil Drysdale and has been working steadily over

the lawn, including three works right here at Del Mar, since finishing

fourth in the Royal Heroine Invitational S. (G3) at Hollywood last out. BOND

DEAL (Pivotal) is another European import of interest that will be making

her first start in North America for trainer Ben Cecil.

SCROFA (Unusual Heat) holds some interesting possibilities in this event.

The Cal-bred's BRIS Speed ratings are near the top of the field and she will

be getting Valenzuela for the ride.

Wednesday's forecast calls for cloudy skies in the morning giving way to

mostly sunny conditions in the afternoon and highs in the mid-70s.

Wednesday's Best Plays

5TH - BLUE STELLER (Ire) (Barathea [Ire]) returned from a near 18-month

layoff with a solid second-place effort against claiming company at

Hollywood in July. The bay was only going eight furlongs that day and

appeared to want more ground, which he will get in this nine-furlong $62,500

claiming event. The seven-year-old horse tops the field by over 10 points in

the BRIS Prime Power category and has never been out of the money in four

starts at Del Mar. Jockey Alex Solis is a solid 21 percent grass rider and

trainer Bobby Frankel wins 24 percent of his turf starts.

7TH - Secret Charm came up just short to Ticker Tape last out in the

aforementioned Royal Heroine but that was her first start in over nine

months. The bay has been working steadily since that time and should show

improvement in her second start for Drysdale at what could be a square

price.