Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, Aug. 15

By Richard Eng

Post Time 2:05 p.m.

Race 1 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $60,000, Optional claiming $50,000, 2-year-olds

1 Jedi Mind Trick – Joins the John Sadler barn after a romping maiden claiming win at Sacramento; expect even more improvement.

5 Snowmass Village – Blistering 5-length win in career debut; was no secret as was bet down to the even money favorite.

Long Shot – 3 Tizouttasight

Race 2 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $60,000, Optional claiming $50,000, Fillies, 2-year-olds

5 Analemma – Bob Baffert doesn’t claim many; this barn is managed by Bob Baedeker and Baffert has done great work for him.

7 Pleasant Miss – Jerry Hollendorfer filly gets class relief exiting two stakes; her speed figures have remained static.

Long Shot – 2 One More Wild Ride

Race 3 – 6 furlongs, Purse $33,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

10 Wishcraft – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; first time racing with Lasix too.

4 Two Blue Hens – Another taking the huge class drop from MSW to maiden claiming; its a magic drop as horses can really wake up.

Long Shot – 9 Pearl de Vere

Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $24,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

8 Vindicated Ruler – Claimed by Bill Morey off a maiden claiming win at Santa Rosa; key vote comes from Rafael Bejarano.

2 Pennies From Denny – Outran her 25/1 odds in last when second under a 10-pound bugboy; shows this isn’t much of a field.

Long Shot – 5 Abella

Race 5 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $38,000, Maiden claiming $50,000, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

9 Hope ‘n Pray – Steve Miyadi hasn’t started many at Del Mar, but they are all live; this one adding blinkers on.

2 Preacher’s Bluff – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; hot riding Julien Leparoux up.

Long Shot – 7 Topper’s Ghost

Race 6 – 1 mile, Purse $24,000, Claiming $16,000, 3-year-olds and up

5 Lite That Baby Up – Leading rider Rafael Bejarano keeps getting choice mounts; Vladimir Cerin stuck on a goose egg.

9 Noble Kent – Has run two flat races since claimed by Mike Pupye; he drops this one way down in class seeking production.

Long Shot – 3 Seven Bridges

Race 7 – 1 3/8th miles (turf), Purse $77,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

8 Unusual Beam – Made a nice run in last before flattening out late; Garrett Gomez will take him back and make one brush.

4 Vibrato Jazz – Like most in here he is not big on winning races; dead late closer in a galloper’s marathon.

Long Shot – 1 Bench Light

Race 8 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

3 Stormin Lute – Bob Baffert rarely gives up on young horses this quickly; big class drop points out an obvious choice.

7 Di Conti – Mike Pender has made great use of his infrequent starters; drops from MSW to maiden claiming, major contender.

Long Shot – 11 Hard Play

Best Bet – 5 Analemma (race 2)

Del Mar Wednesday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/3/$28.60; Long Shots, 7/1/$7.40; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Del Mar Totals – 351/79/$593.60; Long Shots, 171/22/$263.00; Best Bets, 21/4/$17.80

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #8 Hangover Kid (6/1) in race 8 at Saratoga. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Wednesday, Great Mills ran second at Saratoga paying $2.90 to place and $2.10 to show. Stats – 135/88/$699.10; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick