Saturday's Del Mar Play of the Day

Christopher Ado’s Del Mar Handicap
Spot Play Selections, Analysis, and Wagering Strategies from Del Mar
Saturday July 31, 2010
By Christopher Ado

Today’s Action from Del Mar: I LOVE Race 8 San Diego Handicap and that is my only play for Saturday.

Race 8: G2 San Diego Handicap, 1-1/16 Miles, Three year olds and up
SANGAREE (#5, 5-1) will be stretching back out to mile and a sixteenth after three consecutive runner-up finishes at Hollywood Park. Although being the brides maid might conclude some to believe this son of Awesome Again as a potential “hanger” this Bob Baffert trainee has run into two of the strongest races this past spring-summer meet at Hollywood Park. First he ran second behind the 1-5 winner Rail Trip in the Californian Handicap (108 Beyer Speed Figure) and in his last start rallied smartly to complete the exacta behind his stable mate, E Z Gentlemen, in the Grade I Triple Bend Handicap (109 Beyer Speed Figure). He returns to the Del Mar Poly Track with a ready made pace scenario that fits his stalking style and while he was compromise by slow early paces in his last two starts the presence Isle of Giant, Red Eye Express, Tres Borrachos, and Enriched will ensure an honest pace to set this race up for stalkers or closers. After a visually unimpressive second place finish to aforementioned Rail Trip in the G2 Mervlyn LeRoy Handicap (finished on his left lead through the stretch) he switched to Martin Garcia for the Californian Handicap and ran second behind Rail Trip but was compromise by the lack of early pace. In that race SANGAREE was in the two path stalking the long shot leader One Track Mind with the favorite pressing that leader through soft first quarter in 24.23 and half mile in 47.96 seconds. He split rivals around the far turn, was taken three wide entering the stretch, and chased home the favored winner to grab second earning a career best 103 Beyer Speed Figure finishing in front of stable mate Spurrier who returned to win Allowance race July 15 with a 97 Beyer Speed Figure. Instead of facing Rail Trip again in the Hollywood Gold Cup, he shorten up to one turn in the seven furlong Grade 1 Triple Bend Handicap and ran into his stable mate E Z Gentlemen who won with a perfect trip (saving ground and pressing slow first quarter). Although he finished three and a quarter lengths behind his stable mate SANGAREE actually ran the better race when you consider the amount of ground he lost running wide and the slow early fractions compromise this stalker. In that race he raced three wide down the backstretch as M One Rifle was pressed from the rail by eventual winner through a soft first quarter in 22.82 seconds. He began to commence his move into the far turn with a three wide run, entered the stretch four wide and completed the exacta in that highly rated event. He returns in only three weeks with a good work over the Del Mar Poly Track in 1:00.4 on July 26 that National Turf’s Andy Harrington stated “Last 4 furlongs in 48.1 waiting a bit on barnmate Excellent News (100.4) going home in his usual workmanlike fashion. Hard knocker looks the same.” After losing ground in his last start behind slow fractions he should get a perfect trip in the San Diego Handicap with speed to his inside and outside jockey Martin Pedroza should navigate this horse over the rail to save ground behind a honest early pace, patiently wait to make his bid, and pounce over a track-distance that favors his stalking running style. Through the conclusion of yesterday’s card there were nine route races from mile to mile and a sixteenth and the average lengths behind the leader at the first call is 2.8 and the average lengths behind the leader at second call is 1.4. That means SANGAREE and the rest of my three contenders will be in position early to make their runs when the early speed in this race collapses and makes for a great gambling race.
Wagering Strategies:
Play the (5) SANGAREE to WIN (Minimum fair odds of 7-2 or better)
Main Exactas: 5-3, 5-7, 5-10. Small reverse for each.

My $40 Play
*$10 to WIN on (5) SANGAREE to WIN (Minimum fair odds of 7-2 or better) = $10
$6 Exacta part-wheel: 5 with 3, 7, 10 = $18
$4 Exacta part-wheel: 3, 7, 10 with 5 = $12
Total Wager: $40

*This win bet only is made if SANGAREE goes off at odds above 7-2. If he drops below those fair odds than make the following play.

$8 Exacta part-wheel: 5 with 3, 7, 10 = $24
$6 Exacta part-wheel: 3, 7, 10 with 5 = $18
Total Wager: $42