Del Mar Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2007

by Brian P. Turner

Monday's featured stakes offering was the Del Mar Debutante S. (G1) for

two-year-old fillies going seven furlongs. A field of 12 went to the gate with

Spring Awakening (In Excess [Ire]) being sent to the gate as the favorite. The

bay was coming off an impressive maiden special weight score at Del Mar in which

she rallied from just off the pace to hit the finish line 5 1/2 lengths in front

while posting the best BRIS Speed rating of any member of this field.

In the end, the day belonged to SET PLAY (Van Nistelrooy), who was

content to lay just off the pace early through opening fractions of :22 2/5 and

:46 1/5 before taking over coming off the turn. The chestnut dug in determinedly

through the stretch drive and finished well late to cross the finish line two

lengths in front.

After breaking her maiden in her first career start, Set Play returned to

finish third in the Landaluce S. then second in the Sorrento S. (G3). The filly

had been showing improvement in each of her starts before putting it all

together here with a very impressive performance.

Spring Awakening rallied from off the pace with a nice move along the rail,

but just could not run down the winner and was forced to settle for second, a

half-length clear of Izarra (Distorted Humor) in third.

Also on Sunday, a field of 10 contested the I'm Smokin S. for Cal-bred

two-year-olds going six furlongs. Despite the fact that he was still a maiden,

Raise the River (Moscow Ballet) was sent to the gate as the favorite due to the

performance he put in during his career debut. The bay was sent off as the

favorite in that event but encountered his of trouble, including being steadied

and jockey Tyler Baze losing his whip. Still, the gelding finished well late and

hit the finish line in second, beaten by 3 3/4 lengths.

When the gates sprang open, TOPPER SHOPPER (Old Topper) bounded out onto the

lead and guided the field through opening fractions of :22 4/5 and :47 1/5. Once

he hit the stretch, the colt continued on determinedly and dug in gamely late to

hit the finish line a half-length in front. The chestnut was coming off of a

very nice maiden win here at the end of July in which he displayed the same

front running style on his way to an easy 3 1/2-length victory.

Raise the River finished with a nice turn of foot late and was gaining ground

on the winner but, in the end, was forced to settle for second. It was another

half-length back to My Redeemer (Valid Wager) in third.

In addition, a field of six contested the Windy Sands H. for thee-year-olds

and up going eight furlongs over the Polytrack. Heatseeker (Ire) (Giant's

Causeway) was sent to the gate as the heavy favorite as the betting public

obviously felt that the drop from graded stakes company would be enough to get

him into the winner's circle in this spot. The chestnut was exiting a

fifth-place finish, beaten by six lengths, in the San Diego H. (G2) on July 21.

In the end, it was WANNA RUNNER (El Corredor) who took the lead out of the

gate and guided the field through opening fractions of :24 2/5 and :49 before

continuing on gamely through the stretch drive on his way to an easy 2

1/4-length victory. The chestnut had last visited the winner's circle back in

May of last year when he won the Lone Star Derby (G3) by 5 1/4 lengths. The

gelding had fallen on hard times since as he had only finished in the money once

in his last six starts, but he turned things around today with an impressive

performance.

Heatseeker rallied from the back of the pack and finished well late, but he

was forced to settle for second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of Plug Me In (Hold For

Gold) in third.

There were a total of five sprints contested over the Polytrack today with

horses on or near the pace winning three of them. As for the two routes, both

were won in wire-to-wire fashion. In addition, there were three turf routes

contested on the day with horses closing from off the pace winning two of them.

Michael Baze was unable to add to his total today but already has the jockey

title all sewn up with 48 winners for the meet. Joseph Talamo went winless as

well and remains in second with 35. Victor Espinoza booted home a winner on the

day and remains in third with 31.

Doug O'Neill saddled two winners today and still leads the way in the trainer

standings with 23 for the meet. Jeff Mullins added one to his total as well and

remains in second with 19. Mike Mitchell went winless on the day but still has

sole possession of the third spot with 15.

Pick 6 players get ready because there will be a rare double carryover of

$993,898 going into Wednesday and, given that it is the final day of the meet,

there will also be a mandatory pay out.

Horses to Watch

2ND - BRO LO (In Excess [Ire]) began his career with two straight wins which

included an impressive 7 1/2 length victory in the 2005 edition of the I'm

Smokin S. here at Del Mar. The dark bay was unable to return to the winner's

circle again though until today when he took the lead out of the gate in this

allowance/optional claiming event and never looked back; eventually crossing the

finish line 1 1/4 lengths clear of his nearest rival.

7TH - Raise The River appears that he will only improve as he stretches out.

Regardless of the distance he returns at next time though, the gelding should

break his maiden with ease.

Outlook for Wednesday, September 5

Wednesday brings an end to the 2007 Del Mar meet, but the Southern California

track is going out in style by offering three stakes races on the final day, highlighted by the seven-furlong Del Mar Futurity (G1). A field of 13

two-year-olds is entered and, as is the case with most juvenile

races, several in the field appear to have a shot of making it into the winner's

circle. SALUTE THE SARGE (Forest Wildcat) will be looking to run his record to a

perfect four for four with his latest victory coming right here at Del Mar in

the Best Pal S. (G2). The bay stalked the pace early before taking the lead at

the top of the stretch on his way to a solid one-length victory. The colt has thrown in

a couple of nice maintenance works since that effort and appears to be the one

to beat.

GEORGIE BOY (Tribal Rule) attempted to lead the field from gate to wire in

the Best Pal, but was caught in the stretch drive and forced to settle for

second. Prior to that, the dark bay rallied from off the pace to win the

Graduation S. here on July 25 by three lengths. The gelding is more than capable

of turning the tables on Salute the Sarge. WHATEVER WHENEVER (Delaware

Township) finished third behind Salute the Sarge in the Hollywood Juvenile

Championship S. (G3) on July 4 before capturing a stakes race at Santa Rosa in

his latest start. The chestnut appears to be the speed of the field and could

be a serious threat if allowed to have the lead to himself early.

KANAN DUME (Malibu Moon) could offer value for those looking for a price. The

chestnut has only one start to his credit but that came here at Del Mar as he

vied for the lead from start to finish, breaking his maiden by a neck. Kanan

Dume was extremely impressive in that effort and has been working well since.

GOOD MAN DAN (Proud Citizen) finished third behind Kanan Dume before returning

to break his maiden by five lengths. The chestnut has finished behind a few

members of this field in the past, but he appeared to take a major step forward

last out.

LEONIDES (Richter Scale) rallied from off the pace to miss by a nose in the

Hollywood Juvenile Championship after easily breaking his maiden in this career

debut. The bay will be closing late and could claim the victory if he gets the

right kind of pace to run at. DRILL DOWN (El Corredor) posted the highest BRIS

Speed rating in the field while breaking his maiden last out. The dark bay

stalked the pace early in that effort on his way to an easy 2 1/4-length

victory. The colt can't be ruled out.

SKY CAPE (Najran) finished eighth in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship

before returning to finish third in the Best Pal. The chestnut could have an

impact here if he continues to show improvement. E Z'S GENTLEMAN (Yankee

Gentleman) rallied from 6 1/2 lengths off the early pace to break his maiden by

a half-length here last out. The bay has drawn the services of jockey John

Velazquez which makes this one worth an extra long look.

DIXIE CHATTER (Dixie Union) has not raced since rallying from off the pace to

break his maiden by a length at Hollywood on July 7. Though his BRIS Speed

rating was a bit light compared to the best of these, the bay is more than

capable of showing improvement. DREWTHEGENTLEMAN (Yankee Gentleman) was claimed

out of his career debut at Del Mar for $80,000. The dark bay vied for the lead

throughout in that event on his way to an easy two-length victory. The new

connections are in a great spot to get their investment back if the colt can

make it into the winner's circle.

OVEREXTENDED (Monarchos) and FORD ISLAND (Thunder Gulch) are both still

maidens and maybe overmatched against the best of these.

Also on Wednesday, a small field of six is set to go to the gate for the

Pirate's Bounty H. for three-year-olds going six furlongs over the Polytrack.

RELATO DEL GATO (Tale of the Cat) appears to be the one to beat in this event as

he has compiled a record of 5-2-0 over the course of his last seven starts.

Though the dark bay took a pretty big class hike here last out in his first

start for trainer Jeff Mullins, he handled it with ease as he pressed the pace early

on his way to an easy 2 1/2-length victory against allowance/optional claiming

company. Though this will once more be a class hike, it appears that the

six-year-old horse is capable of making the transition.

DECLAN'S MOON (Malibu Moon) will find this group to be a bit easier than what

he faced last out in the Bing Crosby H. (G1) when he finished sixth, beaten by 8

1/4 lengths. While this is not the same horse that won the Santa Catalina S.

(G2) as a three-year-old back in 2005, the champion juvenile definitely fits in well against these.

FLY DORCEGO (Brz) (Choctaw Ridge) had an impressive North American debut here

last out against allowance/optional claiming company as he rallied from off the

pace for an easy four-length victory. A Group 2 winner in Brazil, the bay posted a very solid 100 BRIS Speed

rating in that event and a repeat of that performance would make him a definite

contender here.

MOTH BALL (GB) (Royal Applause) will be making his first start of the year

and first start on a synthetic surface. The bay is a graded stakes winner

sprinting on the grass and could pose a threat here if carries his turf form

over to the Polytrack.

In addition, a field of 14 has entered for the CERF H. for fillies and mares,

three-years-old an up, going six furlongs. This is an extremely competitive

group as several members of the field have been competing against graded stakes

competition over the majority of their career. JUMP ON IN (Jump Start) will be

making her first start since finishing last, beaten by 14 1/2 lengths in the Las

Virgenes S. (G1) at Hollywood back in February. In the start prior to that

though, the bay stalked the pace early on her way to an easy 3 3/4-length

victory in the Santa Ynez S. (G2). The three-year-old filly has been working

forwardly for her return over the track and stands a

legitimate shot of making it into the winner's circle if she is ready to roll

after the long vacation.

SINDY WITH AN S (Broken Vow) finished second last out as the heavy favorite

in the Azalea Breeders' Cup S. (G3) in which she pressed the pace throughout

only to come up 4 1/4 lengths short in the end. In her lone start over a

synthetic surface, the three-year-old filly finished third in the Railbird S.

(G3) at Hollywood back in May. Toss in the fact that the dark bay has yet to

finish off the board in five career starts and there is a lot to like.

THEVERYTHOUGTOF U (Unbridled's Song) is coming off of a very nice effort in the

A Gleam H. (G2) at Hollywood in which she stalked the pace early and finished

well late to cross the finish line in third, beaten by two lengths. Prior to

that effort, the bay had reeled off two wins in a row over the Hollywood strip.

The four-year-old filly fits in well against these and rates a solid chance.

EX CAELIS (Fusaichi Pegasus) won an allowance/optional claiming event here

last out in her first start for trainer Richard Mandella. The dark bay can be

expected to move forward off of that effort as that was her first start since

finishing third in the Raven Run S. (G2) over the Polytrack at Keeneland last

October.

Wednesday's Best Plays

4TH - MIDNIGHTER (Gulch) showed a great deal of improvement last out in his

first start for trainer Melody Conlon. Though he finished second by three

lengths, the bay was 5 1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field and he will be

returning at the exact same $50,000 maiden claiming level today. The

four-year-old gelding is near the top of the field in BRIS Prime Power and BRIS

Class rating while his last race BRIS Speed rating absolutely towers over this

field.

8TH - HUNSLEY BUNSLEY (Montbrook) should offer value in this seven furlong

starter allowance event. The three-year-old filly has looked like an entirely

different animal since discovering the Del Mar Polytrack. After breaking her

maiden by four lengths, the bay returned to finish second, beaten by one length, against $25,000 claimers. Though this will be a bit of a class jump for

her, Hunsley Bunsley owns the best last race BRIS Speed rating and fits in well

here at what should be a respectable price.