Saturday Racing Picks: Del Mar
It is the premier Saturday at the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club summer meeting this weekend with five graded stakes races on top headed by the $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic (G1). The 11-race card starts at 2pm Pacific time.
Race 3 - $100,000 Green Flash Handicap (G3) - Click here to bet with TVG
#7 Chaos Theory (7-2) steps up off the claim by John Sadler and moves straight back into stakes competition, where he was knocking heads last year. In tougher company. Umberto Rispoli gets up on the son of Curlin who is very dangerous in this spot. #1 Sparky Ville (5-2) took to the turf here last out with a nice allowance win July 26. This Grade 2 winner missed by a nose in a turf stakes May 23 at 70-1 and retains top jockey Mike Smith.
Race 4 - $100,000 Torrey Pines Stakes (G3) - Click here to bet with TVG
It’s a battle of short priced favorites here with #3 Harvest Moon (2-1) and #2 Secret Keeper (7-2) both in good form. Harvest Moon has won two straight at the distance for trainer Simon Callaghan and steps up to stakes company for the first time, while Secret Keeper is unbeaten but those races came sprinting. For a price I like #5 Aurelia Garland (4-1) who ships in from Kentucky after running second in the Iowa Oaks (G3) and gets the leading rider up.
Race 7 - $200,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2) - Click here to bet with TVG
Best Bet #1 United (8-5) has been on a tear lately with three straight wins, and has already won a Grade 2 at this meet. He should love the distance and really no one else seems close.
Race 9 - $250,000 Del Mar Oaks (G1) - Click here to bet with TVG
#3 Miss Extra (9-2) makes her United States debut after shipping in from France. She is now in the barn of Richard Mandella and was a Group 2 winner already this summer, and beaten in the best of company last out. If she handled the trip she will be very dangerous here. Leonard Powell has a pair in #8 Neige Blanche (5-1) and #11 Guitty (8-1) with the latter coming off a narrow miss here in Grade 2 company last out behind the favorite, #10 Laura’s Light (3-1).
Race 10 - $500,000 TVG Pacific Classic - Click here to bet with TVG
#5 Maximum Security (even) is a special sort with nine wins in 11 starts, including the $20 million Saudi Cup two back and the local San Diego Handicap (G2) last out. This was your winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby before he was disqualified, and will be very tough to catch in this spot. Longshot Play: #3 Mirinaque (10-1) ships in from Argentina where he was a dual Grade 1 winner and did his best running on the dirt. He is unbeaten at the distance and if he handles the trip he seeks to be the third Argentinian-bred winner of this race.
Watch every race of the Del Mar meeting live with TVG.
To bet on the card at Del Mar and claim your $300 risk-free bet with TVG simply:
1 - Open a TVG account HERE
2 - Register using code RISKFREE1 and make a deposit
3 - Place a single horse win bet and if it loses they’ll refund you up to $300