Del Mar is underway
The best racing on the West Coast is underway, as Del Mar Thoroughbred Club kicks off the summer season in San Diego. Del Mar will feature huge pools, great fields, and some serious Grade 1 action, including the Grade 1 Eddie Read which is the opening Saturday feature. Ten runners have entered the Eddie Read which is run at a mile and one eighth over the Del Mar turf course. There is great stakes racing at Del Mar almost every single race day and the stakes calendar is littered with Grade 1’s, including the season headliner, the Grade 1 Pacific Classic. First post time each day is 5pm EST, with the exception of Friday’s when they get underway at 7pm EST!
Saturday’s Eddie Read Stakes drew ten runners including Grade 1 winner Jeranimo. Jeranimo is no stranger to the Southern Cal grass scene, as he’s been a mainstay in the area. His biggest win was the Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile, but he’s also 2 out of 6 at the nine furlong distance of the Eddie Read. He was dominant in his Grade 2 San Gabriel win earlier this year, but has thrown two consecutive duds. He does seem to be a horse lately who wins or runs off the board. Fed Biz drew right inside of Jeranimo in the #3 post position and look for him to maybe go back to his old tactics of going out for the lead. He was in over his head last time in a tough edition of the Met Mile and gets back to the grass, where he had run two consecutive strong races, including a third place finish in the Grade 1 Kilroe Mile at Hollywood. If the pace gets hot, look for Lucayan to come running late. He was behind a loose on the lead Obviously last time and didn’t get much of a chance to put in a closing kick. The Osunitas Stakes drew a full field and is the headliner of the undercard and looks to be a solid affair that players could make some money at. Top Kisser and Unusual Hottie both come into the race in good form, but their numbers don’t necessarily make them stand outs.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Eddie Read
- Lucayan
- Jeranimo
- Fed Biz
Longshot: Barocci
BetPTC.com Selections for the Osunitas
- Closing Range
- Unusual Hottie
- Long Face
Longshot: Maker or Breaker
Ontario Matron headlines stakes double at Woodbine
Seven fillies will line up against one another on Saturday as they will square off in the $150,000 Ontario Matron at Woodbine. Sisterly Love might get a lot of attention at the windows by virtue of her dominating win in the Trillium Stakes last time out. The five year old goes for solid connections in trainer Mark Casse and jockey Eurico Da Silva. She tends to do her best work right on or near the lead, but she’s going to have some company up front on Saturday as Welcome Dance ships up from the Mid-Atlantic for trainer Michael Matz. Layali Dubai is a really interesting runner in that she’s making just her second North American start. She was tremendous in her victory at Arlington Park in her States debut and wears the blue colors of Godolphin Racing, one of the biggest outfits in the world.
The Colin Stakes features two year olds and a couple of proven stakes runners. Go Greeley broke the maiden first time out and was just beaten a nose in the Clarendon Stakes last time out at Woodbine. He seems to have a good closing kick, which for two year olds now going six furlongs could be helpful. Mark Casse is always dangerous in these stakes races, so Conquest Two Step will receive a lot of attention just due to the connections.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Ontario Matron
- Layali Dubai
- Sisterly Love
- Eagle Hall
Longshot: Yellow Boat
BetPTC.com Selections for the Colin Stakes
- Conquest Two Step
- Ba Ba Brett
- Go Greeley
Longshot: Tropic of Artie
Royal Delta looks for another Delaware Handicap
Royal Delta will look to get back to her winning ways as she’s taking on five rivals in the Grade 1 Delaware Handicap at Delaware Park. She’s a multi millionaire and is a multiple Grade 1 winner, but she’ll only have to spot five pounds to a pair of talented rivals. Summer Applause won the DuPont Distaff last time out and has won 5 of 11 in her career. Summer Applause has lots of speed, so it will be interesting to see if she mixes it up early with Royal Delta. Authenticity looks like the other main rival, and don’t be surprised if she’s up close to the engine as well, as she maintains some real speed as well. Authenticity is a Grade 2 winner and was just second last time out in the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps. It will be a very interesting race.
BetPTC.com Selections for the Delaware Handicap
- Authenticity
- Royal Delta
- Summer Applause
Longshot: Centring
Portland Meadows opens up on Sunday
Portland Meadows will open up for the Summer/Fall/Winter meet on Sunday with an eight race card. The track will mix Thoroughbreds with a couple Quarter Horse races each day, and post time daily will be at 4:45pm EST. Racing will be run on Sundays only for the first three weeks, with Wednesdays being added to the mix on August 14th. The two biggest days of the calendar are Portland Mile day on Labor Day and Oregon Championship Day on November 17th.
Saturday Stakes Action at BetPTC.com
Arlington Park
Race 7 Arlington Oaks 4:53pm EST
Calder Race Course
Race 6 Dr. Fager Stakes 3:05pm EST
Race 7 Nancy’s Glitter Stakes 3:32pm EST
Race 8 Desert Vixen Stakes 3:59pm EST
Del Mar
Race 5 Osunitas Stakes 7:10pm EST
Race 8 Eddie Read Stakes 8:40pm EST
Delaware
Race 7 Sweet and Sassy Stakes 4:20pm EST
Race 9 Delaware Handicap 5:20pm EST
Ellis Park
Race 8 Don Bernhardt Stakes 5:24pm EST
Evangeline Downs
Race 9 Matron Stakes 10:00pm EST
Finger Lakes
Race 7 Arctic Queen Stakes 3:52pm EST
Race 8 New York Derby 4:19pm EST
Gulfstream Park
Race 8 Showing Up Stakes 4:45pm EST
Indiana Downs
Race 6 Indiana Grand Stakes 8:04pm EST
Race 7 Golden Bear Stakes 8:30pm EST
Monmouth Park
Race 11 Jersey Derby 5:59pm EST
Northlands Park
Race 9 3 and 4 year old Sales Stake 6:44pm EST
Prairie Meadows
Race 7 Prairie Gold Juvenile 10:11pm EST
Race 8 Prairie Gold Lassie 10:37pm ESt
Ruidoso
Race 11 Rainbow QH Derby 7:20pm EST
Sacramento
Race 8 Cal Fair Sprint Handicap 8:14pm EST
Suffolk
Race 9 Rise Jim Stakes 5:10pm EST
Woodbine
Race 3 Colin Stakes 1:52pm EST
Race 8 Ontario Matron Stakes 4:28pm EST