Today is mandatory payout day at Del Mar. Always a wise move to get involved. Below are some thoughts on the 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6, which includes today’s feature, the Grade 1 Matriarch.
Race 4 • 5:00 p.m. ET Of course the sequence starts with a wide-open Maiden Claimer of average (at best) horses. The top pedigree of the lot is 12 Blackened, who makes her career debut here today. Trainer Quinn Howey’s numbers with first time starters aren’t that great, so there’s that to overcome. Abel Cedillo gets the mount, though, which is promising.
2 Nobe is a first-time starter I don’t want to get beaten by with Kent Desormeaux in the irons. She’s likely to be better at a longer distance, but projects to be in a good stalking position here and could get first run at the leaders.
6 Forest Acclamation exits a key race with 4/5 next time out winners.
9 Tenacious Lady goes first off the claim, so the connections see something. She got up for show money last time out that has come up a key race and would figure to be a contender today.
10 Lucky Vegas stretches out a half furlong; while that might not seem much, this distance suits her far better the move fits trainer George Papaprodromou’s knack for finding the right spot for his horses. (He also has 13 Sweet Hello entered here. I see that filly expending way too much energy fighting to the front only to fade down the stretch. Take the higher odds horse.)
Race 5 • 5:30 p.m. ET The Cecil B. DeMille is a Grade 3 going a mile on turf. 7 Speed Boat Beach reappears after a disappointing showing at Future Stars Friday at the Breeders’ Cup. More surprising is that trainer Bob Baffert stretches him out to a distance that, breeding-wise, he will be less likely to excel.
1 Kolomio, 2 Ransomware, and 3 First Peace are all three 1-for-1 going today’s distance on turf, with all three having accomplished the feat last time out. I have one of those three making the winner’s circle for a second time in a row.
Race 6 • 6:00 p.m. ET I don’t know if 1 I Know Cash Flow is a single in this sequence, but this race does look chalky to me. Both of trainer Brian Koriner’s entries–2 Square Cat and 8 Resilient–are in fine form coming into this race.
Race 7 • 6:30 p.m. ET [DRF FORMULATOR PPs] If yesterday’s Cigar Mile at Aqueduct taught us anything, it’s that a horse who knows their racing career is nigh is capable of a big effort. Yes, there are other contenders here, but 6 Regal Glory towers above. Barnmate 9 Dolce Zel gets Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the saddle today and goes off a 65+ day layoff. And sorry, but Food Network‘s favorite filly 8 Pizza Bianca would be a massive upset. (Full disclosure: I had this horse on Future Stars Friday last year and continue to be a huge fan. Will include as a ‘C’ horse at my bankroll’s peril.)
Race 8 • 7:00 p.m. ET Another field of inconsistent horses. There projects to be little to no pace in this race. 7 Street Art would like to get to the front, but does he have enough to make up for the ground that 2 Petruchio and 3 Candy for Carmel will be able to save from their inside posts? The muddy pace scenario benefits morning line favorite 4 Bright Leaf most. Trainer John Sadler nabs Joel Rosario for today’s mount to get Bright Leaf into the winner’s circle for the first time in thirteen months.
Deeper tickets should consider including 1 Birth of Cool, who tries dirt for the first time in his career and gets jockey Umberto Rispoli to stay in the saddle after a win last time out. Also of note is 6 Tisquantum, who goes first time blinkers and gets a jockey switch to Kent Desormeaux.
Race 9 • 7:30 p.m. ET A quintessential West Coast, dart-throw finale. The question eventually becomes, “How many of these can you afford?” as we reach the last leg here. If I can get to 4 Mecklenburg, 5 Earls Rock, 8 Hudson Ridge, and 10 Lincoln Hawk, I’ll be content.
Best of luck!