HORSE RACING

TODAY AT del mar

By Richard Eng

Post Time 2 p.m.

Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $33,000, Claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

3 Gilligan – Slight edge in a well balanced group; Mike Mitchell has won 4 straight with him off the claim.

7 Fog Alert – Sliding down the claiming ladder for Art Sherman; won the last time he ran for a $20K price tag.

Long Shot – 5 Rackateer

Race 2 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $48,000, Claiming $40,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

3 Cactus Jane – Looked great in her turf debut, closed fast into a slow pace; this may be her preferred surface.

1 Cayanna – Slight favorite in another interesting heat; broke her MSW over Del Mar sod last summer.

Long Shot – 7 Lemon Drop Ridge

Race 3 – 6 furlongs, Purse $63,000, Maiden special weights, 3-year-olds and up

4 Just Imagine – Ran a cropper in last, now turning back in distance; has back races fast enough to graduate.

5 Noble Exchange – FTS from Brian Koriner has worked well; your edge over me is seeing the tote board action.

Long Shot – 1 Candy Sweetheart

Race 4 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $63,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

1 Drill – Dull debut despite even money betting respect; Bob Baffert adding blinkers on, give him another chance.

8 Fit to Rule – Favorite off a good run chasing the talented Creative Cause; Doug O’Neill adding blinkers on too.

Long Shot – 3 Hodge

Race 5 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $54,000, Claiming $50,000, 3-year-olds

1 Moment of Weakness – Huge class relief from 6 stakes for this $50K price tag; an easy spot considering recent tests.

4 Nahem – Has a better resume on turf than synthetics; tactical speed for Cal-bred to sit a perfect trip.

Long Shot – 2 Go Richie Go

Race 6 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $24,000, Claiming $16,000, 3-year-olds and up

6 Fortunate Appeal – Did everything but win last time out; Peter Miller horses have looked and run good this meet.

1 Me Salty – Rail skimming trip for this class dropper; chance to outrun his odds in another even steven field.

Long Shot – 7 Danzing Tribal

Race 7 – 1 1/16th miles, Purse $65,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

1 Jaycito – Strong Bob Baffert entry has complementary running styles; stepping stone for much bigger fish.

6 Centralinteligence – Was impressive graduating last time out; stretching out around 2-turns for the first time.

Long Shot – 9 Great Warrior

Race 8 – 1 1/16th miles (turf), $150,000 La Jolla Handicap, 3-year-olds

3 Surrey Star – Strong second to Midnight Interlude; suspect can turn the tables while offering more parimutuel value.

7 Midnight Interlude – Made his turf debut a winning one with a gutsy run; is bred to love the stuff so we’ll see.

Long Shot – 4 Burns

Race 9 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $63,000, Cal-breds, Fillies, 2-year-olds

5 Natalie’s Academy – Was bet to 7/2 odds in debut and did a pop and stop; one race experience is a decided edge.

4 Ismene – You’ll have an edge over me in seeing the tote action on the many FTS; hidden race in your pick 4 and pick 6.

Long Shot – 6 War Excess

Race 10 – 1 mile (turf), Purse $37,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 4-year-olds and up

2 El Nadia – Speedball won the last time she ran for a $25K price tag;

10 Bella Roja – Chance to be a late hero in a race jammed with early speed; been away 4-months since Santa Anita.

Long Shot – 3 R Vicarious Girl

Best Bet – 6 Fortunate Appeal (race 6)

Del Mar Thursday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/2/$18.80; Long Shots, 8/1/$12.20; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Del Mar Totals – 267/60/$432.20; Long Shots, 130/16/$213.80; Best Bets, 15/3/$17.00

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #1 Strike The Moon (4/1) in race 10 at Monmouth Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Friday, Cave’s Valley ran third at Saratoga paying $2.90 to show. Stats – 133/85/$678.40