Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, August 15

Post Time 4 p.m.

Race 1 – 6 furlongs, Purse $33,000, Maiden claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

2 Enlisted Man – Was claimed at Churchill and shelved for this ship and win try; has been gelded since, all signs say go.

3 Kings Adventure – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; last race was fast for this lower class.

Long Shot – 4 Silver Torch

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

10 L X Sunrise – Dropping from $30K to $20K may not seem like much, but it is; figures to be grinding late and passing tired horses.

6 Theatrical Cat – Did a good job for second last time from parking lot post 11; moves inside today which could save some ground.

Long Shot – 9 Miss Kit Kat

Race 3 – 1 mile, (turf), Purse $85,000, Allowance, 3-year-olds and up

3 Mr. Commons – Been away 10-months, but I recall he always loved Del Mar; this is a different grass course, but the air is the same.

6 Starspangled Heat – Not big on winning, but is a hard tryer; has fared very well in the past over the Del Mar turf course.

Long Shot – 5 Rangi

Race 4 – 6 furlongs, Purse $20,000, Claiming $8,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

11 Fanny Brice – I admit to no imagination picking chalk in a $8K bottom level claimer; tons of back class to win from memory.

8 Spring Breeze – Elvis Trujillo has cooled off slightly; most jockeys have with main man Rafael Bejarano commanding choice mounts.

Long Shot – 2 One Magical Girl

Race 5 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $80,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up

4 American Pride – Can’t go too long at Del Mar without a Bob Baffert winner; this one has speed to spare and a still high ceiling.

5 Holy Lute – Been stuck at this level after showing great promise; could be his heart got ripped out in the BC and Malibu losses.

Long Shot – 2 Bull Dozer

Race 6 – 1 mile (turf), $90,000 Sandy Blue Handicap, Fillies, 3-year-olds

8 Istanford – Is cross entered in Saturday’s Del Mar Oaks; she would be an incredibly short price if she stuck around here.

11 Wonderfully – Has a difficult parking lot post, but a world of ability; U.S. debut was in the much harder Belmont Oaks.

Long Shot – 2 Sheza Smoke Show

Race 7 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

7 Minnaloushe – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much to hustle these slowpokes.

5 Best in Class – Been away a full year for Eoin Harty; first time with Lasix and returns at the lowest rung possible in SoCal.

Long Shot – 11 Natal

Best Bet – 4 American Pride (race 5)

Del Mar Thursday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 16/5/$44.40; Long Shots, 8/1/$8.40; Best Bet, 1/1/$6.60

Del Mar Totals – 354/76/$544.80; Long Shots, 174/16/$154.40; Best Bets, 19/5/$30.40

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #6 Big Business (5/2) in race 9 at Saratoga. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Thursday, Bug Juice won at Saratoga paying $16.00 to win, $8.90 to place and $5.60 to show. Stats – 125/75/$737.70; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick