Stoney Fleece is one of three runners entered for John Sadler in both divisions of the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes.
Happy days are here again as we begin another 37-day meet at the seaside oval with enough 3-year-olds entered to split the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at a mile on turf into two divisions.
{Click here to watch my interview with John Sadler}
After completing the graded stakes trifecta to close the Hollywood Park meet on Saturday, John Sadler looks to keep things rolling by sweeping the Oceanside with three top contenders going in both races.
In the first division, Koast is the 4-to-1 co-third choice stretching out to two turns for the first time after winning three of his last four sprinting on the turf.
“He came off the pace the other day,” said Sadler of the new dimension the son of Lawyer Ron showed after being on the lead in his previous three starts. “He’s a pretty nice horse and beat older horses the other day.”
Trying to give John Shirreffs consecutive Oceanside scores after Mr. Commons won last year’s edition, Blingo is the 3-to-1 favorite looking to make it a perfect 3-for-3 on the grass. The son of Artie Schiller has disappointed in his other three starts in graded stakes company on the main track and will likely be rolling late.
Boat Trip is the 7-to-2 second choice in search of his fourth straight win for Michael Pender and Jose Valdivia Jr. The son of Harlan’s Holiday has dispelled any talk of a breathing problem accentuated by making his stakes debut a winning one in the Tsunami Slew at a mile on turf at Hollywood Park on June 22.
Bob Baffert sends the other 4-to-1 shot with Midnight Crooner retaining the services of Rafael Bejarano, who had previously ridden Koast as well. The son of War Chant exits a win over $80,000 first-level allowance optional claimers and his full brother, Midnight Interlude, was the runner-up in last year’s Del Mar Derby (Grade II).
Sadler sends 9-to-5 favorite Holy Candy in the 2nd division making his turf debut off settling for the show on Cushion Track at Hollywood Park in the Affirmed Handicap (Grade III) and a fourth-place finish on Keeneland’s Polytrack in the Bluegrass Stakes (Grade I). The son of Candy Ride is owned in part by Donkey Island Racing, who New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is a part of.
“He went a little slow in 102.3 and the last quarter in 24,” said Sadler of Holy Candy’s turf work at Hollywood Park with Joel Rosario aboard on June 22. “I thought he handled the grass just fine and I think he can run on either surface (here).”
The hard-knocking Cal-bred Stoney Fleece is the 4-to-1 second choice and enters with a field high five wins along with being tops in earnings at over $310,000. The son of Decarchy exits a pair of turf stakes at Golden Gate Fields where he beat open company in the Alcatraz and missed by a neck against Cal-breds in the Silky Sullivan.
“Stoney Fleece is a proven commodity as a multiple stakes winner on the turf. That horse is an absolute pro. He loves to run,” said Sadler. “There’s a lot of speed in the 2nd half (division) so that will dictate how the race is run and we’ll see how the turf course is playing.”
Tones offers tremendous value at 10-to-1 on the morning line for Doug O’Neil off a pair of disappointing efforts in the Tsunami Slew and the American Turf (Grade II) at Churchill Downs. However, the Irish-bred son of Strategic Prince has proven himself capable at this level by winning the Baffle Stakes and missing by a neck in the Pasadena Stakes earlier this year at Santa Anita.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 7 (5,7,8,11,12) – Either Vladimir Cerin really wants to get a win to start the meet or No. 12 Bet On Victor has sprung a serious leak. Either way, the hard-hitting sprinter towers over these if anywhere near his best.
In case he’s cooked, we’ll spread with No. 5 Giant Steps, No. 7 Spartan Jet, No. 8 Valkyrie Missile and No. 11 Private Bounty.
Leg 2 – Race 8 (2,5) – Jeff Mullins is double tough with closers in this heat chasing plenty of early speed and either No. 2 Low Gear Power or No. 5 Killer Bear should get the money.
Leg 3 – Race 9 (5,6,7,9) – Along with the three runners listed above in No. 6 Tones, No. 7 Stoney Fleece and No. 9 Holy Candy, use No. 5 My Best Brother, who is the likely speed of the early speed and looks for his third straight win.
Leg 4 – Race 10 (4,6,9,10,11,12,13) – Cal-bred maidens sprint for a $40,000 and we close by spreading with No. 4 Salty Forecast, No. 6 Fly to Freedom, No. 9 Stormin Cee’s, No. 10 Miss Lady Ellen, No. 11 War Excess, No. 12 Lauren’s Lady and No. 13 Not Kidding Around.
Recap – (5,7,8,11,12) w (2,5) w (5,6,7,9) w (4,6,9,10,11,12,13) – Total cost of ticket = $140
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (NA)
Total from 12/26/10 – 7/15/12 – (-$1,571.15)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (6) – The only 4-year-old in the group, the drop in class should get the trick done as her main track routes at Hollywood Park make her tough in here. A pair of steady works since last raced mitigates fears over the drop a touch.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (2,3,6,7) – No. 2 Got Even is dangerous as clearing speed in the turf sprint, but he’ll have to hold off No. 7 Lakerville, who is likely to make his late move a little later today after moving a touch early in his comeback race three weeks ago.
No. 3 U S Citizen won smartly in gate-to-wire fashion in his debut and can sit the perfect stalking trip off the leader, while No. 6 Kingpin Ryno cuts back after a pair of turf routes against solid company.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (1,5,6,7) – In his third off the layoff at his preferred distance, No. 6 Big Son of a Gun can post a mild surprise on the drop in class.
When last seen locally, No. 5 Celestic Night won theEl Cajon. He’s plummeted down the class level, while disappointing in two starts this year, but he could get brave again out on the lead with Julien Leparoux riding for Mike Mitchell.
No. 7 Big Wags scratched to go in this spot and is tough at this level tracking the leader, while, No. 1 Asset Play ships in fromTexasoff a win with a shot.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (1,3,4,5,6,9) – Spread six deep in this contentious turf claimer for horses that haven’t won in the past year with No. 1 Lamm, No. 3 Mr. Candy Bar, No. 4 Te Rapa, No. 5 Kessabtsi, No. 6 Let’s Do It and No. 9 Saratoga Yankee.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (3,4,7) – Cal-bred maiden allowance sprinters and we’ll use three of the four experience runners with No. 3 Money Makin Sam, No. 4 Playful Council and No. 7 Fighting Hussar.
Recap – (6) w (2,3,6,7) w (1,5,6,7) w (1,3,4,5,6,9) w (3,4,7) – Total cost of ticket = $144
Yesterday’s Result – (NA)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (NA)
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 a consensus box for the entire card.
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Good luck!
