#1 OSCAR DOMINGUEZ(IRE)- JOE TALAMO/RICHARD BATLAS
-This accomplished 6 year old is a little on the cheaper end in this field but isn’t necessarily too far out of it here. Talamo has ridden this horse a few times but only won on him against claiming 50K company last October. He is going to need a strong pace for him to run into, which there isn’t that much early pace on paper. Will need a huge step up in class today to win.
#2 RITZY A.P. – MARTIN GARCIA/DAN BLACKER
– Another horse on the cheaper end, but this one is at least a cheap stakes winning horse. He has won a stake at Santa Rosa in Northern California. I think distance is the problem for this horse more than the company he is facing today. He did just run a game 3rd in the Grade 2 Eddie Read, but he went to the lead early and got tired going 2 eighths shorter than today. Distance may be the real issue here if he doesn’t show up.
#3 BLENDED CITIZEN- AARON GRYDER/DOUG O’NEIL
- I have some history with this horse when he was a 3yo. I was invited to Turfway Park for the Jeff Ruby Stakes back in 2018 by a good buddy of mine Jonathon Wong because he had a horse by the name of Mugaritz in the race. Long story short Wong’s horse didn’t win but ran 5th to the winner in that race, Blended Citizen. Blended Citizen was a horse I always thought was better on Turf/Synthetic rather than dirt. He broke his maiden here at Del Mar on the turf and also won a stakes at Belmont on the Dirt. This horse is talented and back on the Turf after a light prep last time out off the layoff. Watch for him to run down the early pace. TOP PICK
#4 MARCKIE’S WATER – TIAGO PEREIRA/RICHARD BATLAS
- This horse is turning into his best form as we speak. Just won a Grade 2 on the turf at Santa Anita and then ran a solid 2nd in the G2 Eddie Read at Del Mar off a month and a half layoff. Now today, he gets more distance to run which is a plus. Seems to be legit but a possible short price. UNDERNEATH 3RD CHOICE
#5 UNITED- FLAVIEN PRAT/RICHARD MANDELLA
- He is a little cheaper but did almost beat the horse to his inside in his stakes debut. In that stakes debut he actually clipped heels while running on the dirt patch at Santa Anita which probably cost him the race. He can win this race just as legitimate has the two inside of him but I think this race is just a little classier. UNDERNEATH 2ND CHOICE
#6 THE GREAT DAY (ARG) – JOHN VELAZQUEZ/ARNAUD DELACOUR
-One of two shippers in this race. This horse is just a better dirt horse in my opinion. Multiple Argentinian Stakes winner on the dirt. However, he has yet to win on the turf in both the States and in Argentina. Wildcard horse, but I just think he would prefer dirt.
#7 ITSINTHEPOST(FR) – DRAYDEN VAN DYKE/JEFF MULLINS
- This gelding is always there when it comes to the finish line. He is always in contention except for that 3 race sequence where he just did not want to or at least showed no run whatsoever. That probably led to his layoff in which he has run 2 races coming off that layoff, one on each surface. 3rd off the layoff should mean he is ready to go. Should be close to the pace and might get the first strike at the leaders. UNDERNEATH 4th Choice
#8 ARIZONA MOON- EVIN ROMAN/STACY CAMPO
- Should be the longest shot on the board. Cheap stakes horse from Arizona shipping in. Likes turf more than dirt however, so you can put a line through his last start in which he lost by 34 plus lengths on the dirt in stakes company. I just don’t see him stepping up about 5 class rankings and winning or even competing here.
#9 ACCLIMATE- FLORENT GEROUX/PHILLIP D’AMATO
- The outside horse in this field is sneaky in this field. He won a grade 3 race two back, but other than that he has only won claiming and allowance races. His grade 3 win could of been a fluke but we really won’t know until today. I expect this horse to be on the lead early and possibly could be the horse that steals it on the front end.
BEST OF LUCK TO THOSE WHO ARE PLAYING!
My picks are 3-5-4-7 with the 9 horse being my wildcard play.