Each day this summer at Del Mar, I’ll be handicapping the action with my top plays on the card – including full-card selections for a featured program each week. The opening day 10-race card gets the full treatment as we embark on another summer where the turf meets the surf. First post is 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT.

Del Mar: Race 1 | claiming

Class-dropper #5 Cowboy Mike (8-1 morning line) broke his maiden here back in 2023 and note trainer Steve Miyadi is one of the strongest summer meet-starting barns at Del Mar (25: 5-6-6 with a positive ROI). Placed for success. #8 Pioneer Prince (5-1) brings turf class to the table with little dirt resume to embrace, but may fit with these if able to use natural speed and avoid kick-back. Speedy favorite #7 Hard to Figure (8-5) hasn’t been consistent pairing big efforts and could be overbet off last victory while changing barns. Picks 5-8-7.

Del Mar: Race 2 | allowance/optional claiming

Sire Bated Breath is nearly a blind-bet trust for me at Del Mar and represented here by #6 Waiting For You (6-1). His offspring win a wild 30% on the local lawn with a boastful $1.49 ROI for every $1 bet over the past 5 years. Consistent French form now gets a second domestic start and first over this course. #2 Red Cherry (8-5) is the chalk but has lost margin to the winner in the stretch in 4 of 5 career starts and distance extends here as a further and farther question. Picks 6-2-3.

Del Mar: Race 3 | maiden/optional claiming

Experienced 2YOs this time of year at Del Mar win nearly 14% compared to 11% for rookies, and after watching the debut runners’ uninspired workouts available at 1st.tv, this race probably runs through the experienced runners. Mick Ruis has had success over the years in his on-again, off-again training career with Del Mar juveniles and his home-bred #3 Boss Man Bolt (4-1) gets a very tepid lean in a race without an obvious player. #1 Charlie’s Clock (2-1) might just outfoot them from the rail after showing some pace at Churchill in the slop last month. His trainer Peter Miller is 4-30 with July runners at Del Mar in recent years, not getting off to blazing meet starts. Picks 3-1-6.

Del Mar: Race 4 | claiming

Looking for a bounce-back effort from #6 Tom Seaver (15-1) at a big price. Two terrible efforts since missing a year, but trainer Steve Miyadi is one of the fastest-starting barns at Del Mar each summer and this outfit wins 33% in Del Mar turf sprints the past 5 years. Son of elite Cal-bred Enola Gray is 3-5 in turf sprints, so we’ll excuse the last on dirt. Price is right. #2 Mubtadaa (12-1) gives us another price player. His Del Mar form was very good over this course/trip in ’24 and few better than Joel Rosario when he’s dialed in riding turf sprints. Trainer Vladimir Cerin highly impactful in Dmr turf sprints last 5 years(8-19 exacta, + ROI). Picks 6-2-4.

Del Mar: Race 5 | maiden special weight

As mentioned in Race 3, experienced juveniles have a statistical edge on rookies at Del Mar in July over the past decade-plus. Well-bred #8 Lihue Princess (12-1) is out of a super-sharp 2YO win-early type named Dothraki Queen (won Pocohontas, 2nd Alcbiades, 3rd BC Juvenile Fillies in 2015). She has been reasonably well-backed in 2 prior starts at Santa Anita and might benefit getting outside more runners today. I’ll exacta key-box her with a couple of first-timers who could be ready. #6 Rosa’s Miracle (4-1) may be best of the rookies. $250K son of champion 2YO Corniche has shown some morning ability at 1st.tv. #4 Looks Like N Angel is a rookie with some early gas on video to fear as well. Picks 8-6-4.

Del Mar: Race 6 | allowance/optional claiming

Speedball #7 Charlie’s To Blame (4-1) wired a turf mile here in ’24 in his only local appearance and catches a field where he could exercise his pace advantage. He’s drawn inside #10 Tempus Volat (15-1), the only other pace player, and that’s important with the elbow start out of the infield chute, making this almost a 3-turn race. Best bet so far on the card and will attack intra-race exotics with top choice keyed. Picks 7 / 10-3-1-4-8.

Del Mar: Race 7 | claiming

#1 Fomo Joe (8-1) has the best maiden win on the record amongst this field of non-winners of 2 lifetime races, a favorable rail draw and speed jockey in Edwin Maldonado to punctuate that edge. Dirt is the question for turf-centric runner, but if he goes to the front from the rail, he’ll never feel any of it kicked back in his face. #4 Pacer has won at Santa Anita and Los Alamitos and his sire Nyquist’s runners have an 8% positive ROI on the Del Mar dirt the last 5 years (also in play with #8 Skyquist). Decent lean on the top pick but would want to spread deep for coverage beyond him in exotics. Picks 1-4-5.

Del Mar: Race 8 | Oceanside Handicap

In a stakes for 3-year-old turf milers, there’s a real lack of turf milers in the lineup. Lotta dirt, lotta sprint. The turf mile stakes form last year by #4 Proletariat (8-1) comes in handy while hitting a great spot in his form cycle. Love when sprint-to-route, allowance-to-stakes and second-off-the-layoff all collide. #1 Iriseach (8-1) also is proven goods in turf miles but settles for the underneath too often to take on top. #5 Bust Out (4-1) ran into a solid one in Alpyland last out and should fit well back home with these. Picks 4-1-5.

Del Mar: Race 9 | allowance/optional claiming

This might be a reach with #7 Kerry Gold (15-1) as trainer Dan Azcarate is 0-18 in 2026. But this same outfit has lit up Del Mar’s tote during the opening weeks of summer meets in recent years. He’s 9: 2-0-3 during July at Del Mar the past few seasons with $29 and $21 winners. This veteran ran second at 18-1 in a similar spot the last time we saw him in the autumn meet. Demand a big price, but don’t be shocked if he fires. #6 Geezer (12-1) has a couple of local wins for a Doug O’Neill barn that’s gotten off to good Del Mar summer starts in recent years (13% profitable ROI in July at Del Mar). Favorite #4 Matt At Five (4-1) is adept on 2 surfaces but might be better on turf. Picks 7-6-10-4.

Del Mar: Race 10 | maiden special weight

Best bet on the card comes via #4 Pentle Bay, a dee-closing sort prepped perfgectly for Del Mar off his Santa Anita return from 7 months away. Trainer Simon Callaghan is a July phenom early in the Del Mar meeting in recent years with $21, $47 and $116 winners plus 20-1 and 22-1 runners up from just 18 starters. Expect readiness. #7 Goodies (5-1) knocked on the door at SA and could kick it down at Del Mar as sire Collected’s offspring are razor-sharp 29% Del Mar turf course winners with a $1.30 ROI for every $1 bet. Will be tying these 2 threats up repeatedly. Picks. 4-7-12