July 17

Opening Day At Del Mar

 

It was a special Thursday racing day this week because it was Opening Day on the Pacific Coast where "the surf meets the turf!"  I handicapped the entire card and ended up with six races where I had plays.  Before I even started handicapping I KNEW, because it is always this way, that it would be difficult going on the day as the horses are all switching to a synthetic surface and coming from several different venues.  Especially with most coming from the speed-favoring Santa Anita (and the short Los Alamitos meet) to the closer-friendly Del Mar environment.  In the opener I had Fit To Rule.  He rated to the stretch moved strongly but could not get to the winner.....second.  In the third I doubled the bet on Hail Mary who looked like the lone speed on the inside.  But instead she let an 18/1 cheap speedster dictate the pace and chased her all the way around the track, second again.  In the fifth we were on the newly widened Jimmy Durante turf course I had Kokaltash, who was Group placed in two straight.  He was FLYING from last.....too late, third. I thought I had a good upset selection in the sixth but Zinvor was checked going down the backstretch and was never a factor.  In the 8th it was the featured Oceanside Stakes for three-year-olds on the turf.  With a full field of sophomores there were several front-end types and several closers, but very few stalkers.  With multiple front-runners I didn't want to be competing for the front and with so many in the field I wasn't willing to rely on racing luck and/or a good trip.  And as it happens my pick, Enterprising was a stalker/presser.  He normally is just off the speed and his perfect record of 3-for-3 at the mile distance.  He went off at a very generous 5/2.  But they'd no sooner left the gate than Hall of Fame rider Mike Smith dropped him back, back, back to the rear of the field before they even hit the first turn!  As they hit the far turn he was finally moving, swung at least six wide into the lane.  But he was gobbling up ground......was there enough ground for him to catch the leader....PHOTO!

 

 YES!  He paid a sweet $7.80 and I cashed for nearly $40.  In the 9th I went with Brad Free's "best" of the day Diamond of Blue.  He dueled into the stretch, then weakened to fifth at 6/5.  The single win in the feature nearly broke me even for the day and I considered that a "good day" because the payoffs for the races today (just as I expected):

 

1st:  $7.00

2nd:  $7.60

3rd:  $38.60

4th:  $8.80

5th:  $16.60

6th:  $19.60

7th:  $52.20

8th:  $7.80

9th:  $62.80

10th:  $10.60