Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, August 20

Post Time 2 p.m.

Race 1 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $33,000, Claiming $16,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

3 Woebegon – All out win in last, got claimed by Michael Pender; like when a horse wins and runs a lower Beyer Speed figure.

7 Halo La – Sliding down in class after being claimed by Richard Baltas two races ago; the race two back is fast enough to upset.

Long Shot – 8 Nueva Fortuna

Race 2 – 5 1/2 furlongs, Purse $42,000, Maiden claiming $62,500, 2-year-olds

4 Dr. Vincentstein – Peter Miller takes over the training; first thing he did was geld the horse, should show even more early speed.

5 Southeast Asia – Ran a better than looked race in last, first off the claim by Barry Abrams; is lowered a class, it has to help.

Long Shot – 9 Bandido too

Race 3 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $43,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies, 3-year-olds

6 Faith Proof – Claimed by Tim Yakteen from Doug O’Neill off a monstrous maiden claiming score; repeat race will beat these too.

7 Hanna No Sir – Speedy sort from the Philip D’Amato barn; can wrestle the early lead, no problem, but must hold off the chalk.

Long Shot – 3 Exclusive Girl

Race 4 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $75,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 3-year-olds and up

8 Lucky J Lane – Did everything but win last time in a fine turf debut; won’t be anywhere near 17/1 odds tonight.

2 Smart Journey – Mark Glatt adding blinkers on after losing the lead again in mid-stretch; speedball has a tendency to fold up late.

Long Shot – 6 Chaco

Race 5 – 1 mile, Purse $77,000, Optional claiming $20,000, Cal-breds, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

2 Passionville – Was closing with good energy in last, but left with too much to do late; Rafael Bejarano returns, will know her better.

9 Grazenette – Logical chalk is strictly the one to beat; class relief from the Fleet Treat, figures to be way overbet.

Long Shot – 1 Casey’s Clem

Race 6 – 1 mile, Purse $75,000, Maiden special weights, 2-year-olds

7 Battle of Evermore – Ran well in debut losing a length when third; Rafael Bejarano has been too passive, IMHO, this meet.

1 Harmonic – Typical green debut, slow early, fast late; can save every inch of ground under HOF Mike Smith.

Long Shot – 2 Secreto Primero

Race 7 – 1 mile (turf, rail at 30 feet), Purse $77,000, Allowance, Fillies, 3-year-olds

3 Alexis Tangier – Returns to turf where she broke her MSW two races ago; speed will be a big asset with the turf rail out 30 feet.

5 Disregarded – Draw a line thru last, her first race over a synthetic surface; her grass resume is a whole lot stronger.

Long Shot – 6 Gratification

Race 8 – 1 mile, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

3 Madame Forbes – Like the cut back in distance, albeit a sixteenth of a mile; showed good early speed in last on the stretch out.

1 Full of Spice – Sprinter stretching out can lead or follow close up; from the Peter Miller barn that wants to win the trainer title.

Long Shot – 5 Veronica Bay

Best Bet – 3 Woebegon (race 1)

Del Mar Sunday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 20/4/$24.60; Long Shots, 10/2/$17.60; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Del Mar Totals – 408/86/$606.80; Long Shots, 201/20/$189.80; Best Bets, 22/5/$30.40

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #9 Miss Melinda (6/1) in race 7 at Saratoga. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Imagining ran second at Saratoga paying $3.80 to place and $2.80 to show. Stats – 128/78/$761.50; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick