by Jeff Siegel
August 30, 2024
Del Mar 4th Race – Post: PT. Degree of confidence: B
Top Selection: 1-Tequilaandtherapy.
Other Contenders: 9-Grazen Gator.
Forecast: With three sprint starts on her resume, Tequilaandtherapy stretches out for the first time and should use her ideal rail post position to good advantage in this maiden grass miler for juvenile fillies. And attractive, lengthy filly with enough early speed to be on or near the lead, she looks like a route type, retains A. Fresu, and catches a modest field without a whole lot of speed signed on. Additionally, she shows a gradually improving pattern for trainer D. O’Neill and if she continues to inch forward she can handle this California-bred group while offering reasonably wagering value at or near her morning line of 7/2.
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Del Mar 7th race – Post: 6:00 PT. Degree of confidence: B+
Top Selection: 3-Sanger.
Other Contenders: 6-Rhytem On Stage; 8-Belmont Bill.
Forecast: This grass grab bag for starter allowance sprinters has several possibilities to choose from. Let’s try Sanger, a route-to-sprint, dirt-to-turf play making his second start off a layoff. Despite being eased in a main track miler last time out, he remains protected in a sign of confidence by trainer C. Gaines, and in a five furlong dash that contains several suspect front running types, the eventual winner may emerge from among the second flight runners and our top pick can fit that bill perfectly. The son of Desert Code might be most effective if held up early and allowed to blast home and given that type ride he could prove quite dangerous from the furlong pole to the wire. There’s good wagering value here at 5-1 on the morning line both in the win pool and in the various exotics.
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