Bob Baffert has rather quietly had another exceptional meet and can emphatically make it even better with a big week ahead.
Bob Baffert looks to get an intriguing Pacific Classic week off to a hot start with a pair of runners in Wednesday’s featured first-level allowance optional claimer at 1 1/16-miles on the main track with six fillies chasing a $71,000 purse.
Our favorite horse of the meet on the heels of bringing us home a nice Pick-5 pay day in her debut, Maker or Breaker stretches out in her second career start as the 8-to-5 favorite. A 3-year-old daughter of Empire Maker, she should get the two turn distance, however both of her noteworthy siblings are lightning fast sprinters.
Grade I placed off a third-place finish in the Hollywood Starlet last December, Lady Pecan is the “other” Baffert and 5-to-1 fourth choice. While none of today’s rivals have ever competed in a stakes race, the 3-year-old daughter of Concerto drops out of stakes company for the first time in five stats in her 2012 debut, however her previous form indicates she’ll likely need a race before we see her best.
Romantic Wish has been consistent with 13 in the money finishes from 18 career starts and exits a similar race at this level where she was the runner-up to a horse dropping out of a Grade I. The 4-year-old British-bred daughter of Hawk Wing was compromised by a bad start in her last and should be much closer early even with Garrett Gomez back in the irons.
If she can relax on an easy lead, 3-to-1 third choice Flashy Dame is a threat to lead all the way after fading to fifth in her last while getting no such early breather. With Rafael Bejarano opting to stay on Maker or Breaker, Joe Talamo pilots the 3-year-old daughter of Afleet Alex for the first time.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,2,5,7,8,9) – The connector leg is ripe with opportunity to land a nice price in a wide-open group of maiden allowance runners going long on the main track so we spread with No. 1 Timberlite, No. 2 Toruk Makto, No. 5 Jules Journey, No. 7 Regulus, No. 8 Tiznow Or Then and No. 9 Seal the Deal.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (1,4,8,9,10) – No. 9 Briteyednbushytail is a threat to lead all the way with crafty turf rider Corey Nakatani aboard for the first time. In her last try at a mile on turf she was engaged before turning for home, but dug in to finish second.
No. 10 On Time Again is likely to be stalking as both try and save ground breaking from the outside and should improve in her second for Mike Mitchell.
No. 1 Budidinha can save ground and is also likely for improvement in her second local try.
Both No. 4 Always a Chance and No. 8 Chimi Dee deserve another shot after tough starts in their last.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (2,5) – The potential is endless with No. 5 Maker or Breaker and No. 2 Romantic Wish has the best current form.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (2,5,7,10,11,12) – Six more runners to book end the sequence with No. 2 A Natural, No. 5 Three Cuties, No. 7 Tiz the Route, No. 10 Somenchantd Evenin, No. 11 Huntington Harbour and No. 12 Bila Shaka.
Recap – (1,2,5,7,8,9) w (1,4,8,9,10) w (2,5) w (2,5,7,10,11,12) – Total cost of ticket = $180
Sunday’s Result – (+$146.35)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (+$198.30)
Total from 12/26/10 – 7/15/12 – (-$1,571.15)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (ALL) – We started with six runners all entering off a clear win, but have scratched down to four. Either way, the strategy with the all button would have been the same.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,4,7) – Maybe partially biased as owner of his full sister, but No. 7 Half Dome Dude is a perfect 2-for-2 over this track and gets a perfect pace scenario to set up his late kick with a likely line-up on the lead with runners breaking to his inside. The move to the meet’s leading trainer certainly doesn’t hurt the cause, nor does a solid work tab for the return accentuated by a blazing five-furlong bullet 10 days ago.
In case these runners are a cut above, we’ll spread with No. 2 Peacenik and No. 4 Close to the Edge.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (5,6,7) – With lots of early speed signed on, we’ll look to the trio of No. 5 Glee, No. 6 Lemon Hero and No. 7 Blushing Martha to win from off the pace.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (4,7) – No. 4 Bold Agressor ran sharp in his debut despite pulling and on a contested lead. There appears to be little other speed today and he should win at a short price, but No. 7 Bull Time is also dangerous on the drop in class.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,2,5,7,8,9) – Same six as the pick-4.
Recap – (ALL) w (2,4,7) w (5,6,7) w (4,7) w (1,2,5,7,8,9) – Total cost of ticket = $216
Sunday’s Result – (-$135)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (+$17,147.30)
Total from 7/20/11 – 7/15/12 – (+$1,874.55)
Best Bet of the Day – Can now be found in the free analysis section at www.theracingedition.com along with an early Pick-4 ticket and a consensus box for the entire card.
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For more Del Mar action check out Jarrod Horak’s Pick 6 Blog.
Good luck!
