DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2005
by Brian P. Turner
A mere field of five went to the post for Friday’s featured CTT and
Thoroughbred Owners Of California H. The event was for fillies and mares,
three-years-old and up, going 11 furlongs over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.
Trainer Neil Drysdale sent out the uncoupled COLD COLD WOMAN (GB)
(Machiavellian) and Secret Charm (Ire) (Green Desert), who were sent to the post
by the betting public as the first and second choices, respectively.
Through the early stages of the race, Secret Charm stalked the early
pacesetter while Cold Cold Woman was content to lay a little farther off the
lead. By the time the pair came off the final turn though, they were really the
only two left in contention and they moved through the stretch side by side,
leaving the rest of the field in their wake. The duo continued on that way
through the lane and hit the wire in tandem, prompting a photo to separate the
two.
Once the picture developed, it showed that Cold Cold Woman had hit the wire
first, a nose in front of her stablemate. It was eight lengths back to
Beneficial Bartok (Bartok [Ire]) in third.
There were four sprints contested on the main track today — horses on or
near the pace won two of them and horses coming from off the pace won the other
two — and the lone route was won by a runner rallying from off the lead. There
were three grass races on the day and all of them were won by horses coming from
off the pace.
Victor Espinoza picked up two wins on the day and Garrett Gomez booted home
one. Therefore, Espinoza has once more regained the lead in the jockey standings
by a score of 39 to 38. Patrick Valenzuela went winless on the day and remains
in third with 29 winners for the meet.
There was no change atop the trainer standings today so Jeff Mullins still
has the lead with 17 winners for the meet. Bob Baffert and Doug O’Neill remain
in a tie for second with 15 winners each.
Horses to Watch
2ND – GN. GROUP MEETING (General Meeting) found the drop to state-bred
optional claiming company to be exactly what she needed to get back to the
winner’s circle. The three-year-old filly was content to lay well off the early
pace through an opening half that went in :45 2/5 before moving into contention
at the top of the stretch and blowing by the field to hit the finish line 1 1/4
lengths in front. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the chestnut move back up to
stakes-company in her next start.
Tomorrow’s Outlook – Saturday, August 27
Saturday’s featured event is the $250,000 Del Mar Debutante (G1) for
two-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track. A very promising
field of 11, including one coupled entry, is scheduled to go to the post. The
most accomplished runner in the field is BULLY BONES (Hesabull), who is coming
off an impressive performance here in the Sorrento S. (G3) where she stalked the
pace early before digging in gamely late to hit the finish line 1 1/2 lengths
clear of here nearest rival.
Standing in her way will be RIVER’S PRAYER (Devon Lane), who will be looking
to rebound off of her second-place effort in the Landaluce S. at Hollywood in
early July. Prior to that, the gray had looked extremely impressive in winning
the Cinderella S., also at Hollywood, by 3 1/2 lengths.
Adam Kitchingman will be sending out INDIAN BREEZE (Indian Charlie), who will
be looking to rebound off a dismal eighth-place finish in the aforementioned
Sorrento. In her previous start though, the bay had been the one to pull off an
upset over River’s Prayer in the Landaluce.
This is just the tip of the iceberg in this field as almost all of them have
shown ability in their brief careers and, given that they are two-year-olds,
they are eligible to improve at any time.
Saturday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid-80s.
Saturday’s Best Plays
2ND – TOUGH GAME (Mr. Greeley) put in an extremely impressive performance in
his last start, which earned him a spot on the “Horses to Watch” list, as he
took the lead out of the gate and improved his position to cross the finish line
a widening five lengths. The bay was making his second start for O’Neill, and
the trainer really seems to have him heading in the right direction. Tough Game
tops the field in BRIS Prime Power and also with his BRIS Class rating. A look
at the BRIS Pace ratings indicate that the six-year-old horse should once more
have his own way on the lead and have plenty left in the tank to get him to the
wire in front.
8TH – WILD FIT (Wild Wonder) has a great shot in the Debutante. Though the
gray has only one career start to her credit, it was a visually impressive one
as she was some seven lengths off the pace at the first call of that 5 1/2
furlong maiden special event and rallied, closing with a nice turn of foot, to
engulf her competition before hitting the finish line four lengths clear.
Mullins is not particularly well known for having his runners ready to go in
their first start but this filly was hitting on all cylinders which earned her a
spot on the “Watch” list. Wild Fit appeared to just be hitting her best stride
when she crossed under the wire and her BRIS Pace ratings back this up as her
Late Pace rating exceeded her Early Pace ratings. Mullins is a solid 33 percent
in getting his runners back into the winner’s circle in their next start after
breaking their maiden and holds a solid 20 percent win rate in graded races.
Jockey Alex Solis, who was aboard for her first start, will be reunited with
Wild Fit for this event, and he and Mullins have connected for a 45 percent win
rate over the last 60 days.