Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, Nov. 22

Race 1 – 5 furlongs (turf, rail at 18 feet), Purse $59,000, Optional claiming $100,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
5 Sunday Rules – Had her undefeated streak stopped at 5 with a loss in the Grade 2 Great Lady M; this is a easier group, she may not even fight for the lead this time.
2 Home Journey – She has not shown the ability to pass horses in the lane, so her best tactics is to go on with it; loses her rider Rafael Bejarano to My Year Is a Day.
Long Shot – 4 My Year Is a Day
Race 2 – 7 furlongs, Purse $16,000, Claiming $8,000, 3-year-olds and up
3 Relentless Heat – If the race falls apart, this guy will come grinding late; for some reason in last, he didn’t show, but his race two back would fit well in here.
2 Formally Wild – Gets important class relief facing these; was overmatched in last in first race off the claim, if breaks OK has a chance to be lone early speed.
Long Shot – 1 Monument
Race 3 – 1 mile, Purse $21,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds
4 Luvuryan – Second start off the claim by trainer Vann Belvoir; interesting in that while the Belvoir barn has struggled lately, Rafael Bejarano remains loyal to them.
3 Ipray – Gets some class relief in second start off the claim by trainer Hector Palma; we know there is more ability than shown, so a rebound could be in the cards.
Long Shot – 1 Summer Veil
Race 4 – 5 furlongs (turf, rail at 18 feet), Purse $55,000, Optional claiming $62,500, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
8 Unforgetable U – While she is in razor sharp form, she has not done it on grass as yet; good time to try again as she is in the best form of her career.
2 Desert Steel – Exits a solid turf sprint stakes for this; has good tactical speed to sit a nice inside position, has shown a fondness for Del Mar sod too.
Long Shot – 1 Not too Shiny
Race 5 – 5 ½ furlongs, Purse $21,000, Maiden claiming $30,000, 2-year-olds
11 Classico – Class droppers down to this bottom rung hold a big class edge; has been favored in both career starts and been ridden twice by Rafael Bejarano.
4 Gone With It – For whatever reason, there have been a handful of winners with jockey Ry Eikleberry off; he’s actually a good rider, but the trend is hard to ignore.
Long Shot – 1 Mountain Hero
Race 6 – 1 mile, Purse $28,000, Starter allowance $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up
3 Kristinite – Her last three starts have been more like it for trainer Bill Spawr; good tactical speed always helps in SoCal to either lead or sit close up.
9 Handfull – Morning line favorite must overcome a parking lot post in a mile route; the issue is the short run to the first turn, will need to use some energy early on.
Long Shot – 4 Light Striker
Race 7 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 18 feet), Purse $55,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up
7 Perfectly Majestic – 3-year-old offers good value at 6/1 taking on his elders today; gets reunited with Kent Desormeaux who just won the Delta Jackpot on Exaggerator.
9 Hobbits Hero – Edgy win last time when forwardly placed throughout; has a tough parking lot post in a one turn turf mile, needs to tuck in before the first turn.
Long Shot – 8 Stormy Liberal
Race 8 – 7 furlongs, $100,000 Cary Grant, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up
5 Big Macher – This is a grade 1 caliber sprinter, so the extra furlong should not stop him; likes Del Mar and has a strong resume at this elongated sprint distance.
2 Solid Wager – With many of these sprinters either stretching out in distance or showing more sod form, this cut back horse should close strongly; upset possibility.
Long Shot – 11 Richard’s Boy
Race 9 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 18 feet), Purse $52,000, Fillies, 2-year-olds
2 Nodiac – Owner Little Red Feather does a nice job scouting their European imports; this one projects to be a nice horse, key will be if she’ll pop in her U.S. debut.
8 Lottie – Trainer Graham Motion won the Red Carpet on Saturday with Rusty Slipper; the horses he shipped to the West Coast may not be his best, but they all fit in.
Long Shot – 11 Aguacate
Best Bet - 5 Big Macher (race 8)
Del Mar Saturday - Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 18/4/$28.40; Long Shots, 9/0/$0; Best Bet, 1/1/$4.80
Del Mar Totals - 250/67/$384.40; Long Shots, 122/14/$177.80; Best Bets, 15/8/$27.20
SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY - #7 Moonlit Meteor (4/1) in race 7 at Churchill Downs. For scoring purposes, we'll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Saturday, Exaggerator won at Delta Downs paying $3.80 to win, $2.60 to place and $2.20 to show. Stats - 173/115/$874.70; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick