The excitement about opening day at Del Mar every year begins hours in advance as fans are waiting for the gates to open to begin partying, parading, showing off the most glamorous hats for the traditional contest and getting ready to handicap the 10 races of the main event on the track.
The first post is 2 p.m. which allows fans to take in the ocean and get rid of the hangovers before tacking the rigorous task of picking winners. This is the 77th season at Del Mar and along with the equine treats there will be a reggae concert with Ziggy Marley at the end of the month and the showcase of the racing calendar will be a possible showdown between California Chrome and Beholder in the $1 million Pacific Classic on August 30.
First things first, so let’s get down to brass tacks and go over some of the coveted spot plays to kick off the action.
The first race brings together a full field of $12.500 claimers at a mile and what is great about this race is that it will start right on the apron of the grandstand and the crowd will be 4 deep, yelling, screaming, cheering and all that will be BEFORE the horses leave the gate.
Successful Runner in the first race is trained by Chris Hartman, a 24% conditioner this year and he has added incentive for this racer to win. If you start a horse at Del Mar this meet who last ran out of state, connections will get an added 30% bonus on top of purse money in that first race and an automatic $1,000 for that first start.
Successful Runner is coming off a clever win last month vs. slightly softer at Churchill Downs, is seeking his third win in a row and will be ridden by Stewart Elliott, who rode Smarty Jones to win two thirds of the Triple Crown a dozen years ago.
The second half of the daily double puts Maiden Special Weight juveniles and Radish, who was second in his first 2 starts, looms the horse to beat.
State-bred entry-level allowance runners compete in the third and this is a wide open affair. Temple Keys figures to be rallying late but Glory Bound, a stakes placed double winner, will try to steal the race and is the selection.
Ordinary $20,000 claimers sprinting make up the 4th contest and My Samurai Warrior and Madelyn’s Wild Max should duke it out, with Wild Max getting the nod.
The first turf race of the meeting is for fillies and mares that have never won $10,000 other than maiden, claiming or starter or who have never won 2 races. Grandma’s Hands fits the conditions to a T and should be able to nail the speed on the wire.
Maiden claimers will be trying to win for the first time in the 6th and it’s another contentious race with the outside runner, Song for Jade, the one to beat after just losing by a neck.
Nine optional claimers fill the 7th race with Bob Baffert’s student Westfest the horse to beat. Westfest will be ridden by Rafael Bejarano, who is 29% in the last year when riding for Baffert.
The opening day feature race is always the Oceanside Stakes at a mile on grass. It is restricted to runners that have never won a sweepstakes of $50,000 or more at a mile or over this year. And the race is an absolute scramble.
Let’s take a shot at 12-1 Path of David. The sophomore has been sidelined since racing on the wrong surface last winter but has trained forwardly for this accentuated by a 3-furlong blowout last Tuesday, which should have him on his toes.
Optional claimers are again up to bat in the 9th and the Baffert trainee Dr. Dorr gets the slightest of nods.
Okay, the day is long, this is the last chance for romance in the 10th and Airlite is set to earn the diploma. Trainer by Hall of Fame conditioner Richard Mandella, this $220,000 purchase should have his sea legs under him and appears set for a peak performance.
Good luck, and let’s cash a lot of tickets.
