DEL MAR, Calif. -- Horse Racing in North America is bookended by two major weekends: Kentucky Derby weekend at Churchill Downs in May, and Breeders’ Cup weekend in November. We’ve arrived at the apex of the racing calendar: the best horses from all over the world have descended on Del Mar for a terrific 2-day set of races.
Friday offered a glimpse into the track biases, and there’s good news to report: there are none. Horses with different running styles were able to run their races, and the track played incredibly fair.
Here are a few “horses to watch” (HTW) today, and a wager.
Race 6. Grade 1 BC Distaff. 1 ⅛ miles, dirt. F&M 3+up. $2,000,000.
HTW: 2 Thorpedo Anna. 4/5. Jockey: Brian Hernandez, Jr. Trainer: Kenny McPeek.
Thorpedo Anna will be a free space for all vote in the year-end Eclipse Awards, an easy choice for top 3-year-old filly. If one wanted to push against her chances here, they would argue she’s yet to face older horses; this is, indeed, a reasonable angle. The counters are obvious: her only loss coming against the boys in the Travers; her loss by a neck was to BC Classic contender Fierceness, who’s amongst the favorites in that race.
If she is pushed, it’ll likely come from 6 Raging Sea, who has the ever-capable Flavien Prat as a jockey. Raging Sea is 5-for-7 lifetime at the distance, and has shown an ability to sit just off the pace and pounce at the end. The race will likely come down to that scenario: Thorpedo Anna gets the lead, and Raging Sea is sitting just off behind her; whoever has the best kick in the stretch will be your Distaff winner.
Race 8. Grade 1 BC Classic. 1 ¼ miles, dirt. 3+up. $7,000,000.
HTW: 1 Forever Young (JPN). 6/1. Jockey: Ryusei Sakai. Trainer: Yoshito Yahagi.
Forever Young was the bad-luck 3rd-place finisher in this year’s Kentucky Derby, the recipient of a wandering - and bumping - stretch run by Sierra Leone, who is also in this field. Outside of that unlucky finish, he’s 6-for-6 lifetime. He won his first 2 lifetime races going right-handed; he has been just as effective over American-style left-hand races since then.
Following the Derby, his connections decided to give him some time off. He returned at the beginning of October to win in the Japan Dirt Classic - run at the same distance as today’s Classic. The fact he was able to return off a layoff and win in front-running style at this long distance is a welcome sign of ongoing fitness. 6/1 is a gift on a horse of this quality.
Race 9. Grade 1 BC Filly & Mare Turf. 1 ⅜ miles, turf. F7M 3+up. $2,000,000.
HTW: 2 Full Count Felicia. 12/1. Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr. Trainer: Kevin Attard.
Full Count Felicia’s resume doesn’t scream BC winner, but it allows the connections to dream. She comes out of a win in the Grade 1 EP Taylor Stakes at Woodbine, where jockey Kazushi Kimura let her run early and she built a staggering 14 length lead early on. She held that lead throughout, and won by more than 3 lengths in the end.
Jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. had a good day at Del Mar on Friday, and should bring that form again today. She’s amongst the only early speed in this race, one full of closers. Her only true opposition on the lead will come from 5 Didia, who will be ridden by Irad’s brother José Ortiz. Didia will try to sit just off the pace, and pounce at the end; the duel between the brothers could be special. Full Count Felicia will have to bring her very best to hold off a strong contingent of European shippers.
Race 12. Grade 1 BC Dirt Mile. 1 mile, dirt. 3+up. $1,000,000.
HTW: 6 Seize The Grey. Jockey: Jaime Torres. Trainer: D. Wayne Lukas.
Seize The Grey, the front-running winner of both the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes and Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby, comes into this race a bit under the radar. This field is stacked, and the pace scenarios abound. Seize The Grey’s style makes sense with the track layout at Del Mar, where he can get the lead and do his best running late. He won at the distance this year in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs, before winning his 2 Grade 1s. No other 3-year-old colt has 2 Grade 1 wins post-Kentucky Derby this year, so he stands out amongst his peers. 10/1 is a fair, if not enticing, price.
The Sporting Tribune’s Play of the Day:
All Turf Pick 4: 9 / 4,5,10,11 / 6,7,9.
$1 Pick 4 = Ticket Cost $36. Good Luck!