Horse Racing: Today at Del Mar, July 17

Post Time 2 p.m.

Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $24,000, Claiming $10,000, 3-year-olds and up

2 Hawk’s Eyes – Sliding down the claiming ladder to this career low class; switch from turf to synthetics is easier than from dirt.

10 Fit to Rule – Tepid chalk in a wide open opener; race 1 of meet is carded at 1 mile to start in front of the huge opening day crowd.

Long Shot – 9 Big Wags

Race 2 – 6 1/2 furlongs, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

13 Take It Slowly – Should be able to draw in with a scratch; taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming.

3 Bird in Love – Claimed in last by Vann Belvoir; red flag drop to $20K, but remember that owners love to win a race, or two, at Del Mar.

Long Shot – 2 Stored Attaq

Race 3 – 6 furlongs, Purse $80,000, Optional claiming $62,500, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

2 Hail Mary – Been away 10-months but clearly fits with these; won last year at Del Mar, only question is how tight she is for return.

4 My Happy Face – Back class sprinter will try and regroup in SoCal; switched barns from Chad Brown back east to Peter Miller out west.

Long Shot – 5 Biorhythm

Race 4 – 1 mile, Purse $25,000, Maiden claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

9 Golden Chalice – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; Carla Gaines taking the blinkers on today.

3 Cotton Valley – Taking the biggest class drop in racing from MSW to maiden claiming; need not be much to handle a very soft group.

Long Shot – 5 Hold Everything

Race 5 – 1 1/16th miles (turf), Purse $80,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up

10 Jules Journey – Tepid chalk, and choice, in another wide open affair; no shock if the Pick 6 carries over to Friday’s card.

7 Kokaltash – French import debuts in SoCal for trainer Darrel Vienna; is a ship and win horse, just a hunch he is ready to fire.

Long Shot – 3 Fast Track

Race 6 – 5 furlongs, Purse $75,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 2-year-olds

9 London Legacy – Has run two good seconds in two starts; if he improves just one step, he’ll be double tough in here.

6 Zinvor – Took a lot of betting in debut and didn’t deliver; many will overlook here, but some wiseguys like him last time out.

Long Shot -7 Pulmarack

Race 7 – 1 mile, Purse $43,000, Starter allowance $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

5 Sir Macho – Claimed by Bill Spawr who if deadly first time out; seems to be getting more and more work with HOF Mike Smith.

6 Romar Success – Both turf efforts were good and looks like he should stretch out around two turns OK; Julien Couton takes over.

Long Shot – 10 Maxx the Giant

Race 8 – 1 mile (turf), $100,000 Oceanside, 3-year-olds

9 Enterprising – Tiny edge in another impossible looking heat; races like this are dependent on getting a good trip.

5 Patriots Rule – Has looked like a completely different animal since moving to the turf; will sit chilly in arrears and make one run.

Long Shot – 10 Texas Ryano

Race 9 – 6 furlongs, Purse $38,000, Claiming $20,000, 3-year-olds and up

9 Diamond of Blue – Been away a full year, but won twice at Del Mar last year; is claim proof and has strong back speed numbers.

7 Close to the Edge – Peter Miller has an uncoupled entry so caveat emptor; this one won first off the claim, raised again in class.

Long Shot – 4 Xuang Feng

Race 10 – 1 1/16th miles (turf), Purse $43,000, Claiming $32,000, 3-year-olds and up

9 Godard – Leap of faith that he is ready off a 3-year hiatus; gets in as a ship and win horse, a strong angle for the extra bonus purse.

13 Causeithertz – Will draw in due to scratches; this is the second leg of the Station Twin Q, hope you’re live and spread out in here.

Long Shot – 12 Vibrato Jazz

Best Bet – 9 Diamond of Blue (race 9)

Los Alamitos Sunday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 15/4/$27.80; Long Shots, 9/2/$15.80; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Los Alamitos Final Totals – 130/29/$167.20; Long Shots, 64/14/$173.20; Best Bets, 8/2/$7.20

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #9 General Ike (3/1) in race 8 at Delaware Park. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Sunday, Mr. Masterpiece ran second at Belmont Park paying $5.50 to place and $4.20 to show. Stats – 107/66/$627.90; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick