DEAN’S DIARY FOR DEL MAR
By Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
Day 1 of 31-Friday, July 22, 2022
What’s Happening?
Del Mar opens its 83rd season with a record-breaking $8.2 million in purses beginning today with a three-day weekend (Friday, July 22, 23 and 24), then has five four-day weeks (Thursday through Sunday), a five-day week (including Labor Day Monday, September 5), then finishes with a Friday-through-Sunday weekend (September 9, 10 and 11). The premier event for the Summer 2022 “Where the Surf Meets the Turf” meet is once again the Grade 1 $1.000,000 TVG Pacific Classic to be held on Saturday September 3rd. The 2021 winner was Tripoli.
Del Mar’s wagering menu for its upcoming 2022 summer racing season has all the usual wide variety of betting menu options geared towards players of all bankroll sizes. The pick 5 remains my personal favorite multi-race exotic wager (offered twice daily) and I believe presents the bettor the most bang for his or her buck. I also highly endorse the conventional Daily Double for potential value.
In 2021 Del Mar changed its Pick Six bet from a $2 increment to a 20¢ one known as the fan-friendly “Rainbow Pick Six” available at several racing venues around the country. There are three “mandatory payout” Rainbow Pick 6 days this year – Saturday, August 6, TVG Pacific Classic Day (September 3) and closing day (September 11). I’m old school and prefer the $2 Pick six format but many players have embraced the 20-cent jackpot.
The Features
The highlight of the opening day card is the traditional $100k Oceanside Stakes for 3-year-olds going 1 mile on the turf. It’s race number eight and drew a full field of 14 entrants. Number 1 Mackinnon trained by Doug O’Neill is the lukewarm morning line favorite at 5/2.
Who’s Hot?
Trainer Peter Miller has won nine training titles at beautiful Del Mar racetrack and should be well-stocked and geared up for another strong meet after recently returning from a 6-month personal hiatus and break from training. He recorded 26 victories in 2021. And of course, also coming off the layoff after serving a 90-days suspension is the legendary California superstar staple trainer Bob Baffert who has already returned with a hot hand at the recently concluded mini-Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos with a mild upset win with High Connection in the Los Alamitos Derby. Baffert figures to be locked and loaded for the summer 2022 seaside meet. The other usual suspects expecting to make a strong impact include Phil D’Amato, Doug O’Neill and John Sadler.
Jockey Juan Hernandez recorded 104 wins at Santa Anita and is expected to continue his hot hand at Del Mar since main rival Flavian Prat moved his tack east. Hernandez joined Flavien Prat (2020-21) as the only riders to win more than 100 races during a single Santa Anita meet in the past 27 years. Prat’s departure is sure to open the door for jockeys Tyler Baze, Abel Cedillo, Ramon Vazquez and Umberto Rispoli who is back riding full-time in Southern California after a brief unsuccessful stint in Kentucky. Speaking of Kentucky, the talented Florent Geroux will ride in California full-time for the first time this summer at Del Mar. He has 5 scheduled mounts opening day and should make an immediate impact.
Who’s Not?
Some conditioners looking to turn the page on a subpar Santa Anita meet are Jeffrey Metz (0 for 26), Antonio Garcia (0 for 23) and Milton Pineda who went 0 for 20. Veteran rider Brice Blanc (2 for 61) and jockeys Edward Kennis Rojas Fernandez (0 for 26) and Daisuke Fukumato (2 for 45) also look to rejuvenate their win percentages after a less than stellar performances. It won’t be easy, however, as the jockey colony remains extremely competitive.
Baby Talk
Race five is the only scheduled 2-year-old juvenile race on the card. It’s for fillies going 5 furlongs over the main track. There are four runners with prior racing experience led by the two outside entrants 9-Smokin Chena and 10-The Reign Song.
Play Of the Day
Race #6: If a contested pace and live flow materializes it should set things up nicely for 7-Eddie’s New Dream for trainer Ben Cecil. This filly is 1 for 1 over the Del Mar sod and gets some serious class relief dropping out of the Grade 1 Gamely and Grade 3 Wilshire. She projects to get a favorable stalking trip.
Analysis
My full analysis and selections for each live Del Mar card are available daily. For extra additional insight, please follow along @Keppskorner on Twitter.
