Del Mar Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2006

by Brian P. Turner

A field of seven went to the gate for Thursday's 7TH race, an allowance event

for fillies and mares going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. VIKKI'S HONOR (Bartok

[Ire]) was sent to the post as the overwhelming 3-5 favorite and rewarded chalk

players, pressing the pace through early fractions of :22 2/5 and :45 2/5 before

wrestling the lead away in the stretch and continuing on gamely to hit the

finish line a neck in front.

The dark bay was making her first start since finishing third against

Cal-bred stakes company at Hollywood back in April, but she had been working

solidly and steadily for her return. Vikki's Honor appears ready to try

stakes company again in her next start.

Pacesetter Hello Lucky (Lucky Lionel) crossed the wire in second, three parts

of a length clear of longshot Cyber Slew (Siberian Summer) in third.

Four sprints were contested on the main track Thursday and horses on or near

the pace won three of them as well as both of the main track routes. The two

turf routes were split, with an off-the-pace winner and a front-running victory.

Victor Espinoza booted home a winner today to move into a tie atop the jockey

standings with Alex Solis. The pair has three winners each. Martin Garcia rode a

pair of winners to grab sole possession of the second spot.

As for the trainers, Jerry Hollendorfer saddled a winner today to move into a

tie with Wesley Ward for the top spot in the standings. They have two winners

each. There are currently 12 other trainers with one win each.

Horses to Watch

2ND - WARRIOR SONG (Unbridled's Song) looked extremely impressive in this 1

1/16-mile allowance/optional claiming turf event. The chestnut sprang to the

lead, guiding the field through early fractions of :23 2/5 and : 46 2/5 while

opening up a four-length lead. Once the field hit the stretch, the four-year-old

colt dug in gamely to hold off his rivals and cross the finish line a length in

front.

6TH - ROBADOR (Robannier) returned from more than a year layoff full of run.

The bay dropped back off the pace out of the gate but quickly moved into

contention after a quarter in :23. Once the field hit the stretch, the

four-year-old colt rallied to take the lead on the rail under a stiff ride from

David Cohen, and Robador then held off the late challenge of favorite Moonlit

Habit (Malibu Moon), crossing the finish line a neck in front.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Friday, July 21

A field of eight is scheduled to go to the gate for the California

Thoroughbred Breeders' Association S. for Cal-bred two-year-old fillies going 5

1/2 furlongs on the main track. A. V. FLYNN (Valid Wager) is coming off an

extremely impressive career debut where she crushed a maiden claiming field at

Pleasanton by 13 lengths, establishing a new track record and posting an

eye-popping 109 BRIS Speed Rating in the process. A repeat of that performance

would make her tough to beat here.

SHAROANA (Lord Carson) has put in nice efforts in each of her last three

starts, posting solid Speed ratings each time. The dark bay has a ton of early

speed and will undoubtedly be vying for the early lead with A. V. Flynn. SWISS

ROSE (Swiss Yodeler) will be looking to improve off a third-place effort

against open stakes company and could prove to be capable with a top effort.

Friday's forecast calls for mainly sunny skies with highs in the mid-80s.

Friday's Best Plays

2ND - BELLA BANISSA (Good and Tough) will be making her first start since

September, but her works have been steady and solid, including a bullet in :46

3/5, the fastest of 27 here on July 17. Trainer David Hofmans is very solid in

bringing back his runners off the long layoff as he wins 25 percent of his

starts in the "90+ days away" trainer category. The bay holds the best BRIS

Speed Rating at the distance and on the surface and her BRIS Class Rating tops

the field. The four-year-old filly has drawn the rail and at last year's Del Mar

meet, 25 percent of the five-furlong turf races were won by horses breaking from

post 1.

4TH - LOST MEMO (Benchmark) will be dropping back into state-bred claiming

company after an impressive four-length victory against conditioned open

claimers in her last start. The dark bay possesses the best last-race BRIS Early

Pace ratings in the field and should have things her own way on the lead, which

could make her hard to run down over the speed favoring Del Mar strip. The

four-year-old filly's last-race BRIS Speed and Class ratings also top the field.