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Del Mar Scouting Report: August 15-18, 2024

by Jeremy Plonk

August 14, 2024

Key Races

Friday | CTT & TOC Stakes (f/m turf marathon)

Saturday | G1 Del Mar Oaks (3yo filly turf route)

Sunday | Solana Beach (Cal-bred f/m turf mile)

Horsepower

Friday: G3 Red Carpet & Santa Anta winner Linda’s Gift, Santa Barbara winner Musical Rhapsody (R7 CTT & TOC Stakes).

Saturday: G2 San Clemente 1-2-3 finishers Iscreamuscream, Zona Verde, Medoro and G2 Appalachian winner Buchu (probable for G1 Del Mar Oaks, draws Wednesday).

Sunday: California Distaff winner Rose Maddox (probable Solana Beach Stakes, draws Thursday).

Extra Incentives

Saturday | $10K-added Fun in the Sun Handicapping Tournament | last 5 races Saratoga, first 5 races Del Mar

Tracking the Trends

-- Favorites dominated the going last week with 17 wins from 36 races (47%), improving off the previous weeks at the meet when hitting only 32%.

-- Jockey Juan Hernandez was a highly reliable 11: 7-0-2 when paired with the chalk last week, but was only 1-for-11 when aboard non-favorites. His 8 wins led the jockey colony for the week (36%, small flat-bet losing ROI).

-- Other top riders on the week including Umberto Rispoli (5 wins, 31%, +ROI), Antonio Fresu (5 wins, 21%, but losing ROI) and Joe Talamo (3 wins, 43%, + ROI).

-- Six different trainers tied atop the weekly leaderboard with 3 wins each. They took anywhere from 6 to 16 starters to achieve the trio of victories. The only to post + ROIs, however, were Jeff Mullins ($2.67 for every $1 bet; winners at $6, $12, $13) and George Papaprodromou ($4.15 for every $1 bet; winners at $8, $8 and $74).

-- Trainer John Sadler’s remarkable 11-for-32 meet run includes the following by race divisions: claiming (4-8), allowance (4-9), maiden (3-11), stakes (0-4).