A nice purse of $100,000 plus an additional $25,000 in Cal-bred money means a nice present for the winner of today's Graduation Stakes.
It appears lots of hooky was played this year as only five Cal-bred juveniles go in the $100,000 Graduation Stakes over 5 ½-furlongs on the main track in Wednesday’s feature.
None of the runners has more than a maiden win to his credit, with Strong Wind the 8-to-5 favorite after dueling on the lead with Amarish before settling for fourth in the Hollywood Juvenile Championship (Grade III) on July 14. The son of Tribal Rule had previously scored a 6 ¼-length maiden win and could enjoy a breather on the lead today.
Just Call Me All finished third in the Hollywood Juvy, a length and a half ahead of Strong Wind, and is the 5-to-2 third choice making his third straight start in a stakes. The son of Redattore followed up a pace-pressing debut maiden win by running fifth in the Willard Proctor and shows two drills over this surface since last raced, while Strong Wind has not worked.
The new kid in school is 9-to-5 second choice Law Dog, who ships west off a six-length maiden breaker as the 1-to-5 favorite on the turf at Indiana Downs. The Unusual Heat colt began his career by running third over the Polytrack at Presque Isle Downs before a fourth-place finish sprinting on the turf at Churchill Downs.
We’re off to the races!
Pick 4 -
Leg 1 – Race 5 (1,2,5) – Use the three discussed above with No. 1 Strong Wind, No. 2 Just Call Me Al and No. 5 Law Dog.
Leg 2 – Race 6 (2,3,5,6,7,8) – Non-winners of two lifetime and our first of a trio of six-packs on the day with No. 2 Chibita, No. 3 Panettone, No. 5 Father Pabst, No. 6 Sweet Elation, No. 7 Silecnio Gato and No. 8 Iron Joe T.
Leg 3 – Race 7 (2,3,4,5,8,9) – Six more in a Cal-bred six-furlong sprint with No. 2 Floating Feather, No. 3 Adriatic Moon, No. 4 Mandated Bliss, No. 5 Daylight Magic, No. 8 Armenian Star and No. 9 Swiss Tart.
Leg 4 – Race 8 (8,11,13) – Troubled trips cost both No. 8 Salty Forecast and No. 11 Not Kidding Around in the opening day finale and No. 11 Floracita is dangerous drawn outside the other speed on the class drop.
Recap – (1,2,5) w (2,3,5,6,7,8) w (2,3,4,5,8,9) w (8,11,13) – Total cost of ticket = $162
Sunday’s Result – (+$647.30)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (+$578.25)
Total from 12/26/10 – 7/15/12 – (-$1,571.15)
Pick 5 –
Leg 1 – Race 1 (1,2,3,6,8) – A competitive turf sprint to start the week and we spread with No. 1 Blackie’s Crown, No. 2 All On the Table, No. 3 Cosset, No. 6 Magic School and No. 8 Eileen’s Dream.
Leg 2 – Race 2 (4,6,7,10) – The scratch of our top pick No. 3 Lovely Sophia leaves us with No. 4 Lady Shazzam, No. 6 Unusual Darling, No. 7 Zambra Mora and No. 10 Freckles Galore.
Leg 3 – Race 3 (2,3,6,7,10,12) – $10k sprinters on the main track and we go deep with No. 2 Afleet Deal, No. 3 Siempre Mio, No. 6 Star Nicholas, No. 7 Eye for an Eye, No. 10 Warren’s Concept and No. 12 Hidden Blessing.
Leg 4 – Race 4 (5) – Bejarano sticks aboard No. 5 You’re Joking with the claiming tag cut in half off a bad fade job in his last. His other three career starts make him much the best in here, especially when he just missed by a neck in his last start over this track last September. A couple nice drills over this surface to get him re-acquainted signal him ready.
Leg 5 – Race 5 (1,2,5) – Same trio as the Pick-4.
Recap – (1,2,3,6,8) w (4,6,7,10) w (2,3,6,7,10,12) w (5) w (1,2,5) – Total cost of ticket = $180
Sunday’s Result – (-$200)
Total for current Del Mar meet – (+$15,833.45)
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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Good luck!
