Del Mar Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007

by Brian P. Turner

Wednesday's featured stakes offering was the Green Flash H. for

three-year-olds and up going five furlongs on the grass. A field of eight went

to the gate with Scottsbluff (Siberian Summer) and Bonfante (Fruition) vying for

favoritism. The pair crossed paths last out in the Robert Kerlan Memorial H.

with Scottsbluff prevailing by a nose at the wire. The betting public seemed to

feel that this event was little more than a rematch between these two.

In the end though, it was BARBER (Storm Boot) who took the lead out of the

gate and guided the field through an opening quarter that went in :22 before

digging in determinedly through the stretch drive to hit the finish line a neck

in front. The chestnut paid $25.60 for the effort despite the fact that he was

coming off a second-place effort against stakes competition at Pleasanton. In

his last effort on the lawn though, which came at Santa Anita back in March, the

gelding had finished ninth, beaten by 16 1/4 lengths so the betting public had

justifiable doubts about his ability to handle the grass.

Scottsbluff, who was trapped behind a wall of horses coming off the turn,

finished well late to cross the wire in second, three parts of a length in front

of Indian Breeze (Indian Charlie) in third.

The stewards did take a look at the race after it was over as Indian Breeze

came out on Bonfante, which may have caused him a placement, but eventually

decided to leave the order of finish intact. Bonfante finished sixth.

There were four sprints contested over the Polytrack Wednesday with horses

closing from off the pace winning three of them. As for the two routes, both

were won by horses on or near the pace. In addition to the feature, there was

one turf route on the day which was won by a closer.

Michael Baze added two to his total today and still leads the way in the

jockey standings with 33 for the meet. Joe Talamo booted home a winner today and

remains in second with 26. Victor Espinoza went winless on the day but remains

in third with 17.

Doug O'Neill was unable to add to his total today but still leads the way in

the trainer standings with 12 winners for the meet. Jeff Mullins went winless as

well and remains in second with 10. Craig Dollase added a win to his total today

which moves him into a tie for the third spot with John Sadlerl and Peter

Miller. The trio has eight winners each.

Horses to Watch

3RD - CELTIC WAY (Benchmark) was absolutely mauled at the start of this

claiming sprint event as the horse to her outside reared leaving the gate and

slammed into her side, almost sending the mare into the inner rail and leaving

her well off the pace early. Talamo may have panicked a bit at this time as he

immediately rushed Celtic Way not only back into contention but onto the lead by

the time the field had covered a half that went in :47 2/5. The chestnut

continued gamely but hit the wall in a huge way as she neared the wire and was

overtaken late to finish second, beaten by a head. A clean trip and Celtic Way

would probably have won this one easily.

4TH - POWEROFVOODOO (Unusual Heat) has now narrowly missed in two of her

three starts for the meet. On July 23, the dark bay rallied from well off the

pace, and closed well late, to miss by a half-length. After missing by 3 3/4

lengths after a troubled trip in her last start, the three-year-old filly once

more finished well here but ran out of ground to come up a nose short at the

wire. Powerofvoodoo has been running well as of late so it is hard seeing her

being denied much longer.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Thursday, August 16

A small field of six has entered Thursday's featured Harry F. Brubaker H. for

three-year-olds and up going 1 1/16 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

CHATTAHOOCHEE WAR (War Chant) will be making his first start in a year, having

last finished second against allowance/optional claiming company on the grass at

Saratoga. Prior to that effort though, the bay had been competing strictly

against stakes competition, including a victory in the 2005 Transylvania S. (G3)

on the grass at Keeneland. The five-year-old horse has been working steadily

since the middle of June for his return to the track and there is little doubt

that trainer Bobby Frankel will have him sitting on a top effort.

QUASIMODO (A.P. Indy) encountered a bit of trouble last out in the Wickerr H.

in which he was trapped a bit tight at one point before coming well at the end

to finish fifth, beaten by 3 1/4 lengths. The one knock against the bay would be

that he has yet to hit the board in three starts over the Del Mar grass. FAST

AND FURIOUS (Fr) (Singspiel [Ire]) finished a well-beaten fourth last out here

on July 22 in the Eddie Read H. (G1). That group was much tougher than what he

will be encountering today and he fits in well here.

WARRIOR SONG (Unbridled's Song) could offer a bit of value for those looking

for a price. Though he will be making his first start since September of last

year, the chestnut appears to be the speed of the field and he won his only

other start here at Del Mar.

Thursday's Best Plays

2ND - A P CHARLIE (Indian Charlie) will be looking to rebound off a

lackluster performance last out at Pleasanton, where she attempted to lead the

field from gate to wire only to tire badly at the end to finish fifth. Prior to

that though, the three-year-old filly broke her maiden over the synthetic

surface at Hollywood as she pressed the pace throughout before taking command in

the stretch drive for an easy 1 1/2-length victory. The bay's BRIS Pace ratings

indicate that she is the speed of the field here so she should be able to

dictate the pace early and still have plenty left in the stretch drive for the

run to the wire. A P Charlie is near the top of the field in BRIS Prime Power

and she also possesses the best BRIS Speed rating at the distance.

6TH - I'MAGAMBLER (Slewdledo) will be making his third start of the meet in

this claiming event and is coming off a very impressive performance against

similar last out. The dark bay rallied from more than five lengths off the early

lead and finished with a nice turn of foot late to hit the finish line 4 1/4

lengths in front. The gelding tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and BRIS Class

rating.