Sprinters step to the plate Saturday at Del Mar with the Grade 1 Bing Crosby on dirt and the listed Daisycutter on turf. They’ll go back-to-back on an 11-race card that begins at 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT. Be sure to play in the $5,000 Hit & Split promotions at 1/ST BET and Xpressbet on Saturday when you tackle the late pick 4 and late pick 5 sequences for Del Mar.

Del Mar: Race 1 | maiden claiming

Five of 8 entrants exit runner-up finishes, a decent lineup for the level. Fresh layoff returnee #1 My Girl Mia may get loose on the lead from the rail under speed jockey Emisael Jaramillo and prove too fast to catch if her stamina holds. Likely little value to get the card rolling but #6 Smokin Hot Stuff may fit well in exotics in her first local start (by sire Constitution, whose offspring win 17% on Del Mar dirt with a slight flat-bet profit in recent years). Picks 1-6-7.

Del Mar: Race 2 | maiden claiming

Rather untrustworthy and poor bunch in this sprint. #2 Bake Country gets a new surface, track, trainer and set of blinkers while dropping in class. The kitchen sink includes top pilot Juan Hernandez for a barn that does very well with transfers. It’s pretty much the same set of mass changes for #5 Cimarron Strip with the addition of being gelded. Both should be forwardly placed. #6 Treximo runs back where he belongs but has had 3 straight starts where he couldn’t deliver the knockout punch late. Might be underneath again. Picks 2-4-6.

Del Mar: Race 3 | Osunitas Stakes

British export #2 Saqqara Sands fits the conditions of this stakes based more on her inactivity than anything else and should have a class edge. Trainer Simon Callaghan’s barn has been notoriously a superb follow early in the Del Mar summer meets in recent years and expect this Group 3 winner to stay in contention early and prove best. #3 Certitude could be lone speed and will try to wire the cast, but fell victim late in a local allowance last fall at the same trip. #1 May Day Ready has had her moments in an up-and-down career but loses Antonio Fresu to the top pick and must relax better early than she did last out. Picks 2-3-1

Del Mar: Race 4 | maiden special weight

The summer’s first big 2-year-old maiden test is a 5-1/2 furlong sprint where I love #4 Whiskey Bridge, Doug O’Neill’s half-brother to quality ’26 sophomore stakes runner Robusta. He showed good gate speed on video at 1st.tv and has wanted to do more in his training. He’s had 10 works for the debut and looks like O’Neill is sitting on a powder keg. #8 Clear and Present showed talent on video and wasn’t asked for run. His dam was a debut winner and stakes-placed as a juvenile. Bob Baffert is the one to beat in these races typically, but his barn is watered down and split between Kentucky and here. His #2 Domus and #7 Nayar worked in company at Del Mar July 18 and drilled absolutely even-up with no decisive edge gleaned – though Juan Herenandez jumps off Nayar for the rookie Domus. Picks 4-8-2.

Del Mar: Race 5 | optional claimer

Respect the race #8 Chromeflash won last out and that #6 Warm Sun and Brew ran fourth, given that runner-up Frank Bullitt came back to win here easily on opening day at a similar class level (albeit on dirt). The distance shifts to a mile, however, and that much more suits #6 Warm Sun and Brew and that’s the pick from a close-up position in a race without much pace. #9 Druidic goes for a small Dan Azcarate barn that’s put early season Del Mar summer toteboards on tilt in recent years and this one could appreciate the return to a mile while exiting that same common race. #5 Steak Fries hasn’t routed in 5 tries, but consistently fires on turf in a start-and-stop career. Picks 6-9-5.

Del Mar: Race 6 | claiming

Expect the public to go heavy on #7 Shady Stripes off a blowout win June 14 and field-best speed figure. That performance came out of nowhere, however and I’m not sure 6-1/2 furlongs suits her game. The best maiden win by class in this non-winners of 2 lifetime races claimer belongs to #4 Pretty Cecy, and it came over this track 2 summers ago. If you strike through the turf attempts, her last 4 starts on dirt show 3 efforts that can win this weak heat. #2 Violences Ohr goes for a Jesus Uranga barn that popped a 5-1 winner here Sunday via Los Al and the offspring of Violence are always a consideration on the Del Mar dirt by their success. Price should be right. #9 A Fleet Ride has the second-best maiden score, but has lost 10 straight and looks for a jump forward for a new outfit that hits 27% off the claim. Picks 4-2-9.

Del Mar: Race 7 | optional claimer

The $2,500 Late Pick 5 Hit & Split with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet starts here. I’m drawn to the rail speed of #1 Known Idea, whose sire Goldencents came into the meet with a fantastic $1.75 ROI for every $1 bet on his offspring on this turf course in recent years. You get Antonio Fresu on the stretch-out sprinter. The fear is if cheap speed from #7 Naftis and/or #9 Double Jab will soften up my top pick – so demand a fair price. I’m sticking with that as a veteran 5-year-old against a lot of contenders who have faced just 3-year-olds in the bulk of their races. One of those is the other Goldencents entered here, #4 Oracle of Paradise, who could trip out sitting just behind the speed from midflight. Picks 1-4-9.

Del Mar: Race 8 | allowance / optional claiming

The $2,500 Late Pick 4 Hit & Split with 1/ST BET and Xpressbet starts here. This classy group has multiple quality options. #5 Midnight Mammoth loves the mile trip and has been capable farther over this surface while winning the Cougar II. That’s a strong combo. #8 McVay has shown more speed for Peter Eurton after a few barn changes and that makes him more viable over a mile. #3 March of Time likely gets well-bet for Baffert, though was hard-asked with stakes star Nevada Beach in his bullet workout July 18 that might have been more beneficial for his barnmate than him. Still, capable. #7 Indispensable would not be a surprise over this track despite the layoff. Picks 5-8-3.

Del Mar: Race 9 | Daisycutter Stakes

#6 Amorita comes off a mild freshening and has a razor-sharp workout tab for the cut-back in distance that should suit her very well. She’s won over the course and is well-spotted by Richard Mandella. Big day looming for Antonio Fresu. #10 Kuwaitya and #9 Imaboutago could benefit from a very fast early pace expected from inside-drawn runners, spreading the field out, helping them save ground and setting the table to pass some rivals. Picks 6-10-9.

Del Mar: Race 10 | Bing Crosby Stakes

The best sprinters on the west coast largely are at their best over 7 furlongs, which makes the 6-furlong Bing Crosby a challenge. The pace promises to be fast, so the 7F types could see it come back into their crosshairs. First among those is #3 Dr. Venkman, who loves this track, but has come up short at this distance. He has run some of his best races under Umberto Rispoli, and he got off to a fast start at the meet last week. Might be enough to get this classy guy home. #5 Stronghold was awesome over 7F in the Triple Bend against a decidedly weaker field and might have slightly more tactical speed than Dr. Venkman. #6 Cornucopian returns from Kentucky to his old California roots and is 4-for-5 sprinting. He’s probably the most likely winner, but not certain he wants to pass many horses and could have some competition up top with #8 Mad House and a pair of inside runners with gas. Picks 3-5-6.

Del Mar: Race 11 | allowance

#6 Sweet Gal of Mine goes sprint to route and makes the Jeff Siegel-appreciated “2 sprints and a route” form cycle. Her pedigree sets up well enough for a middle-distance turf sprint and speed jockey Edwin Maldonado should have her in the mix with very little speed drawn to her inside. She’s got #7 America’s Mark to her outside, and edge with an elbow start coming out of the infield chute. #10 Take Another Card goes for a Simon Callaghan barn that must be respected early in a Del Mar summer meet based on past results. Cal-bred filly has been knocking on the door and fits with these. #3 Lady in Paris just missed in her US debut going farther with a slow pace in May at Santa Anita. This tempo will make her expend more energy, but the Irish export is capable of threatening late. Picks 6-10-3.