Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, August 1

Post Time 2:05 p.m.
Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $27,000, Claiming $16,000, 3-year-olds and up
1 Indian Nate – Chance to turn the tables on American Act with a ground saving trip; the rail has all of a sudden gotten good this week.
5 American Act – Has good early speed and might try to break fast and move to the inside; Tyler Baze will play catch me if you can.
Long Shot – 4 Moonlight Meeting
Race 2 – 1 mile, Purse $19,000, Claiming $8,000, 3-year-olds and up
5 Tester – Drop down in class from the highly respected Philip D’Amato barn; barn uses Tiago Pereira on a lot of live mounts.
8 Accelerant – Ran for this bottom level class two races ago and finished second; these aren’t very tough today either so expect improvement.
Long Shot – 1 Warren’s Rail Bird
Race 3 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 12 feet), Purse $58,000, Claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds
2 Global Magician – Kieran Fallon is off to a slow start this meet; the key is he’s a HOF rider, but doors have not been open to him, yet.
9 Cardiac – Must overcome a parking lot post in this 2-turn mile race; draw a line thru last as it was a surface switch to the main track.
Long Shot – 4 Currency Exchange
Race 4 – 6 ½ furlongs, Purse $40,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds and up
2 Yes Yes Baroness – Has won two of her last three and at this reduced class too; has tactical speed to sit a close up trip.
8 Mothernaturespell – Doug O’Neill set a Del Mar record with five wins in one day recently; that tells me he is placing his horses correctly.
Long Shot – 3 Can Can Babe
Race 5 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $70,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 2-year-olds
7 Tengas Ransom – Was well meant in career debut when second; has many reasons to improve for trainer Jeff Mullins second time out.
5 Look Me in the Eye – Was a beaten favorite in his career debut; Rafael Bejarano takes over for Mike Smith who is out of town tonight.
Long Shot – 8 Captain Akers
Race 6 – 5 furlongs (turf, rail at 12 feet), Purse $72,000, Allowance, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Lamontagne – The ship and win angle has been a great success; it is also a good source for winners as the first time out counts a lot.
4 Sensitively – Ran huge in an outstanding career debut; blew a tire when ambitiously placed in the Santa Paula, this is more like it.
Long Shot – 8 Sweet Spell
Race 7 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $70,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 2-year-olds
2 Oh Great Idea – You have a huge edge over me in seeing the tote board action on the many FTS; some horses will turn up live on the board.
4 One Last Shot – Bob Baffert has his mind on other business, but he still wants to win races; clockers reports will be a big help here.
Long Shot – 10 Shakti
Race 8 – 1 1/16th miles, $300,000 Clement L. Hirsch, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
1 Beholder – Everything HOF trainer Richard Mandella does with her is to prepare for the Breeders’ Cup; helps that the rail is golden right now.
4 Warren’s Veneda – Had absolutely no chance in last in a 1-turn sprint stakes; she is a grinder and will appreciate going 2-turns again.
Long Shot – 7 Yahilwa
Race 9 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $72,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up
3 Old Man Lake – Has been a sharp claim for $12,500 by trainer Rafael Becerra; interesting that she is still eligible for this condition.
7 Perfect Set – Overlook any Jerry Hollendorfer runner at your own risk; this one has been a productive claim since taken for $20k three races ago.
Long Shot – 5 Just Kidding
Race 10 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 12 feet), Purse $70,000, 3-year-olds and up
7 Dylan Ward – I let Rafael Bejarano and his agent handicap the race for me; it helps when they land on a trainer Philip D’Amato good thing.
1 Rosicky – Victor Espinoza takes over for Rafael Bejarano who has other choices; can save all the ground in his initial grass route race.
Long Shot – 11 Tirpitz
Best Bet - 1 Beholder (race 8)
Del Mar Friday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/3/28.40; Long Shots, 8/1/$9.20; Best Bet, 1/0/$0
Del Mar Totals - 201/42/$320.40; Long Shots, 98/17/$214.60; Best Bets, 11/1/$5.00
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #7 Frosted (2/1) in race 10 at Saratoga. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Smart Transition won at Saratoga paying $6.30 to win, $3.10 to place and $2.80 to show. Stats - 108/75/$586.20; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick