Del Mar Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

SUNDAY, AUGUST 26, 2007

by Brian P. Turner

Sunday's featured stakes offering was the Del Mar H. (G2) for three-year-olds

and up going 11 furlongs on the grass. AFTER MARKET (Storm Cat) went to the gate

as the heavy favorite in the field of seven and he was looking for his fourth

graded stakes win in a row. In his most recent effort, the dark bay stalked the

pace early on his way to an easy 1 1/2-length victory in the Eddie Read H. (G1)

here on July 22. The four-year-old colt was supposed to go on from there to

compete in the Arlington Million (G1) but a soft turf course prompted his

scratch from that prestigious event. Instead, the connections opted to bring him

back here to Del Mar and it appeared they had found an excellent spot to add

another graded stakes victory to his already impressive resume.

When the gates sprang open, Obrigado (Fr) (Enrique) sprang out of the gate

and onto the lead, guiding the field through opening fractions of :24 3/5 and

:48 1/5 while After Market was content to lay well behind in third. By the time

the field covered six furlongs in 1:12 3/5, Obrigado was tiring badly and

quickly surrendered the lead to Bravo Maestro (Stravinsky), who had rallied from

off the pace, trying to get first run for the wire.

As the field approached the final turn, though, After Market moved into

contention before wrestling away the lead at the top of the stretch. The rest of

the field seemed to come almost as one at this point and it momentarily appeared

that the favorite was about to be engulfed. When jockey Alex Solis asked After

Market for another gear, he responded with an explosive burst of speed and dug

in determinedly to hit the finish line three parts of a length in front.

Runaway Dancer (Runaway Groom), who rallied from 20 lengths off the early

lead last out to claim the victory in the Sunset Breeders' Cup H. (G2) at

Hollywood, made an explosive closing move along the rail to pick up the place.

Spring House (Chester House) finished a nose farther back in third as part of a

multiple horse photo finish.

There were seven sprints, but no routes, contested over the Polytrack Sunday

with horses on or near the pace winning all of them. In addition to the feature,

there was one other turf route contested on the day, which was won in

wire-to-wire fashion.

Michael Baze was unable to add to his total today but still has a more than

comfortable lead in the jockey standings with 44 for the meet. Joseph Talamo

went winless as well but remains in second with 30. Victor Espinoza also blanked

on the day and remains in third with 25.

Doug O'Neill didn't saddle any winners today but still leads the way in the

trainer standings with 20 for the meet. Jeff Mullins didn't send out any runners

today but remains in second with 15. Craig Dollase's lone runner on the day

didn't make it into the winner's circle, but John Sadler saddled a victress, so

the two will share the third spot with 11 winners each.

Horses to Watch

1ST - CRY AND CATCH ME (Street Cry [Ire]) ran well to finish second in her

career debut last out but put in an even better effort here in her first start

for trainer Bob Baffert as she easily broke her maiden against a very nice field

of two-year-olds. The dark bay stalked the pace early before taking command in

the stretch drive and cruising to the wire for an easy 6 1/4-length victory.

2ND - COTTON BAY (El Corredor) was the second Baffert runner of the day to

put in a nice performance. The four-year-old filly returned from a 20-month

layoff here last out to finish third, beaten by 1 1/4 lengths. The dark bay took

a solid step forward off that effort in this allowance, though, as she pressed

the pace early through opening fractions of :23 and :47 1/5 before taking over

in the stretch for a solid two-length victory.

4TH - FLIP THE PENNY (Fusaichi Accele) reeled off his third win of the meet

in this $25,000 claiming event. The three-year-old gelding pressed the pace

through an opening quarter that went in :22 3/5 before taking over in a half

that went in :46 2/5 and opening up from there to finish 4 1/4 lengths clear of

his nearest rival. The gray was never off the board, yet couldn't make it into

the winner's circle, over the course of the first eight starts of his career,

but has been unbeatable since moving to the Del Mar Polytrack.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Monday, August 27

Monday's 7TH race is an allowance/optional claiming event for three-year-olds

and up going 1 1/16 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Several among this

field of seven appear to have a legitimate chance of making it into the winner's

circle so insist on value before wagering. MEDZENDEEKRON (Unusual Heat) has

competed in three straight sprints this year which, including a second-place

finish here last out against allowance/optional claiming company. The dark bay

has had success going long in the past, though, which includes a maiden win here

last summer in which he rallied from nine lengths off the early pace to hit the

finish line 5 1/4 lengths in front. Though trainer Barry Abrams has been cold

for the meet thus far, it appears that this one could be sitting on a bit

effort.

OPTIMER (Arg) (Incurable) has reeled off three second-place finishes in a row, with his

latest coming here at Del Mar against allowance company where he stalked the

pace early only to come up a nose short at the finish line. In his two starts

previous to that, the dark bay missed by only a head on both occasions. Needless

to say, the five-year-old looms a serious threat. OUR PARTNER (Partner's Hero)

has yet to finish worse than second in three starts on the grass. The dark bay

is coming off a nice win here against starter allowance company in which he

stalked the pace early before digging in determinedly late to hit the finish

line in front by a head.

TENT (Ire) (Distant Music) rates a chance here at what should be a

respectable price. In his latest effort, which came against claiming company,

the bay rallied from 17 lengths off the early pace only to miss by less than a

length at the wire. Though he has won one race in 18 career starts, the gelding

fits in well against these.

Monday's Best Plays

1ST - DAISY'S TRIBE (Tribal Rule) could offer a bit of value in this five-furlong turf sprint. The dark bay will be making her first start of the year

after finishing fourth in a listed stakes race at Oak Tree back in October. The

three-year-old filly has been working steadily, though not spectacularly, for her

return to the track, but what draws the most interest about this entrant is her

sire. Tribal Rule (Storm Cat) has produced 44 percent first-on-the-grass winners

thus far from a limited number of starters and his progeny win 28 percent of

their turf starts overall. Toss in the fact that jockey Corey Nakatani has

agreed to take the mount and Daisy's Tribe's BRIS Class rating tops the field

and there is a lot to like.

5TH - HELMSGOLD (Helmsman) appears to be a stand out in this eight-furlong

claiming event as she returned here last out from a near 10-month layoff to

finish second, beaten by 3 1/4 lengths while posting the best last race BRIS

Speed rating in this field. The dark bay should move forward now that she has a

start over the track and will be stretching out to a distance she is more

comfortable with versus the six furlongs she ran at in her last start. The

four-year-old filly tops the field in BRIS Prime Power by more than eight points and

she also leads the way in BRIS Class rating. All in all, Helmsgold could prove

to be a handful against these.