TODAY AT del mar, Sept. 1

By Richard Eng

Post Time 2:05 p.m.

Race 1 – 1 mile, Purse $80,000, Optional claiming $62,500, 3-year-olds and up

6 Soi Phet – Was scratched from a much harder race on Saturday for this; winning races at shorter odds is a lot more fun.

4 Huntsville – He is 0-for-9 this year, but not for lack of trying; has lost some excrutiating finishes this season.

Long Shot – 2 lucky Primo

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

1 Scatman Blues – Sliding down the maiden claiming ladder to this bottom rung; need not be much to graduate tonight.

6 Excessive Tequila – Typical green race, slow early, fast late; should move forward especially with more ground to work with.

Long Shot – 11 Moonlit Meteor

Race 3 – 1 mile, $100,000 Torrey Pines, Fillies, 3-year-olds

5 Beholder – She has not run inn 4-months, but has the back class to crush these; just depends on how tight she is today.

2 Becky Lou – Class relief from the grade 1 American Oaks; still has the big mare, Beholder, to worry about.

Long Shot – 4 Miss Empire

Race 4 – 1 3/8th miles (turf), Purse $77,000, Optional claiming $40,000, 3-year-olds and up

9 Lumberyard Jack – Tiny edge in the hardest race on the card; thing is it’s too expensive to go all in this bulky field.

1 Ransom Canyon – Have to like the way Garrett Gomez is riding; he’s rallying inside which is not the married man’s route.

Long Shot – 3 Summerian

Race 5 – 1 mile, $90,000 Adoration, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

5 Via Villaggio – Part of a 3-prong Jerry Hollendorfer uncoupled entry; exits the grade 1 Hirsch for this easier spot.

6 Charm the Maker – Tepid chalk in a wide open affair; was finishing fast in last in an obvious prep for bigger fish.

Long Shot – 8 Maker Or Breaker

Race 6 – 1 1/8th miles (turf), $250,000 Del Mar Derby, 3-year-olds

4 Rising Legend – Euro charger won a division of the Oceanside last out; facing many familiar faces in a very hard stakes.

8 Gervinho – He won the other half of the Oceanside; Rafael Bejarano had a rough day in Saratoga, happy to be home.

Long Shot – 9 Redwood Kitten

Race 7 – 1 mile, Purse $75,000, Maiden special weights, Fillies, 2-year-olds

6 Tiz the Key – Good debut where she idled early and kicked it in too late; she is meant by pedigree for more ground.

7 Exotic Behavior – Bob Baffert has had his fingerprints on all the baby racing this meet; would like to know how many 2-YO he has.

Long Shot – 8 Say’s Who

Race 8 – 6 furlongs, Purse $80,000, Optional claiming $62,500, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

4 Hail Mary – Regained her confidence with an explosive win in last; high cheese to lead or follow close up.

1 Hidinginplainsight – Offers solid value at 8/1 odds; can save all the ground inside and come grinding late.

Long Shot – 2 Minds Eyes

Race 9 – 1 1/8th miles (turf), $250,000, Del Mar Derby, 3-yer-olds and up

9 Dice Flavor – Tiny edge in a ridiculously difficult heat; mulitple shippers add a lot of spice to the turf recipe.

7 Dry Summer – Has run 2 very good turf races over this Del Mar course; like the fact he is 8/1 and has a puncher’s chance.

Long Shot – 4 Den’s Legacy

Race 10 – 6 furlongs, Purse $75,000, Maiden special weights, Cal-breds, 2-year-olds

8 Missing Groom – FTS from the maestro Jerry Hollendorfer; owner Tommy Town likes to cash a bet, you’ll have an edge over me here.

5 Oh Daddy Oh – Lot to consider with many slowpoke starters; tend to look at the FTS, watch the tote board for clues.

Long Shot – 4 Ajac

Race 11 – 7 furlongs, Purse $31,000, Claiming $25,000, Fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up

11 With a Miracle – Ron Ellis doesn’t claim many, so this is worth noting; one step improvement can win this.

7 Chestnut Moon – Claimed by Matt Chew; he is a low profile trainer who usually wins a boxcar prices.

Long Shot – 10 Dolphin Shorts

Best Bet – 6 Soi Phet (race 1)

Del Mar Saturday – Picks/Winners/Mutuels, 21/5/$26.60; Long Shots, 10/1/$11.00; Best Bet, 1/0/$0

Del Mar Totals – 565/131/$943.60; Long Shots, 273/44/$475.80; Best Bets, 34/9/$35.40

SIMULCAST PLAY OF THE DAY – #4 Sweet Reason (8/1) in race 10 at Saratoga. For scoring purposes, we’ll make a hypothetical $2 win, place and show bet, $6 total. On Saturday, Flat Out ran second at Saratoga paying $3.50 to place and $2.20 to show. Stats – 147/97/$781.20; Follow him on Twitter: @richeng4propick