The Bottom Line
- Kennyten (9/5) — 3:07pm PT, Best Pal Stakes (G3): the fastest juvenile in the country on Beyer figures.
- Take A Breath (3/1) — 5:50pm PT, Yellow Ribbon Handicap (G2): dual graded winner this year defending home turf.
- Matt At Five (2/1) — 6:19pm PT: Peter Miller sprinter looks the one to beat in the allowance feature undercard.
- Tigerhon (6/1) — 3:42pm PT: the value play of the afternoon in the turf dash.
Meeting Context
Where the turf meets the surf, the summer meet rolls on with a 10-race Saturday card at Del Mar, first post 2:00pm PT. Two stakes headline: the Grade 3 Best Pal for juveniles and the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares on the lawn.
Expect typical August conditions on the coast — a fast main track and firm turf once the marine layer burns off. All odds quoted are morning lines and correct at time of writing; note the also-eligibles in Races 4, 7 and 10, so watch for late scratches and draw-ins.
It is a huge day on the East Coast too, with the Whitney topping our Saratoga picks today, while West Coast fans can double up with our Emerald Downs picks.
2:00pm PT — Maiden Optional Claiming, 5½f (Dirt), 2yo
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | High Pronto | Antonio Fresu | Doug O’Neill | Placed debut | 3/1 |
| 4 | Billy Goat | Emisael Jaramillo | Doug O’Neill | Improving | 7/2 |
| 2 | Character | Kazushi Kimura | Peter Miller | Debut | 4/1 |
| 6 | Boss Man Bolt | Armando Ayuso | Mick Ruis, Sr. | Blinkers off | 5/1 |
| 9 | Another Warrior | Joel Rosario | Peter Miller | Debut | 6/1 |
Plus four others.
The Favorites: O’Neill saddles both ends of the market with High Pronto and Billy Goat.
The Value: Boss Man Bolt (5/1) sheds the blinkers after greenness cost him last time.
The Verdict: High Pronto to give Fresu an opening-race winner.
2:34pm PT — Starter Optional Claiming, 1m (Turf), F&M
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eternal Reign (IRE) | Juan Hernandez | Philip D’Amato | Consistent | 5/2 |
| 2 | Hannah Buckle (IRE) | Armando Ayuso | Leonard Powell | 2-for-5 at DMR | 3/1 |
| 3 | Nikolina | Kazushi Kimura | Philip D’Amato | Fair | 6/1 |
| 6 | Sunset Grazen | Joel Rosario | Blaine Wright | Shipper | 8/1 |
| 4 | Wildfire Princess | Mike Smith | Robert Hess, Jr. | Needs best | 8/1 |
Plus three others.
The Favorites: D’Amato fires two bullets, headed by Eternal Reign.
The Value: Hannah Buckle is a different animal at this track — two wins from five tries here against a blank everywhere else.
The Verdict: Hannah Buckle, the course specialist.
3:07pm PT — Best Pal Stakes (Grade 3), 6f (Dirt), 2yo, $150,000
The West Coast juvenile division gets its first proper test. Bob Baffert has won this race a remarkable 12 times, and he sends out the promising debut winner Hughes for Juan Hernandez.
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Kennyten | Ricardo Gonzalez | Vladimir Cerin | Debut win, 92 Beyer | 9/5 |
| 2 | He Is No Lie | Emisael Jaramillo | Doug O’Neill | 1st, 2nd Bashford Manor | 2/1 |
| 3 | Hughes | Juan Hernandez | Bob Baffert | Debut win | 3/1 |
| 4 | Icanthelpmyself | Armando Ayuso | Brian Koriner | Maiden win | 8/1 |
| 5 | You Want Some | Kazushi Kimura | Peter Miller | Maiden win | 8/1 |
| 1 | Phone Booth | Umberto Rispoli | Doug O’Neill | Outsider | 12/1 |
The Favorites: Kennyten, a son of first-crop sire Drain the Clock, posted a 92 Beyer winning his June debut at Santa Anita — the fastest figure by any 2-year-old this year. He Is No Lie romped on debut before going down by a head in the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs.
The Value: With two confirmed speedballs likely to hook up early, Hughes (3/1) and the Baffert record could pick up the pieces.
The Verdict: Kennyten — the figures say he is simply the fastest, and he can prove it despite pace company.
3:42pm PT — $25,000 Claiming, 5f (Turf), 3yo+
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Code Duello | Armando Ayuso | Craig Dollase | Solid sprinter | 7/2 |
| 1 | Jetovator | Antonio Fresu | Peter Eurton | Front-runner | 4/1 |
| 7 | Regal Patriot | Tiago Pereira | Steve Knapp | Course winner | 5/1 |
| 4 | Tigerhon (FR) | Hector Berrios | Peter Miller | Stalker | 6/1 |
| 3 | Harcyn | Joe Bravo | Genaro Vallejo | Fair | 8/1 |
| 8 | Agency | Julien Leparoux | Mark Glatt | Fair | 8/1 |
Plus four others and also-eligible Doncic (4/1 if he draws in).
The Favorites: Code Duello and Jetovator bring the strongest recent speed.
The Value: Tigerhon (6/1) gets a pace set-up made for his stalk-and-pounce style with Berrios up.
The Verdict: Tigerhon — the early value bet on the card.
4:16pm PT — $12,500 Claiming, 5½f (Dirt), 3yo+
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ima Track Star | Joel Rosario | Brian Koriner | Strong maiden win | 5/2 |
| 8 | Chapter One | Emisael Jaramillo | Doug O’Neill | Consistent | 3/1 |
| 3 | Desert Kat | Jeremy Laprida | George Papaprodromou | Fair | 5/1 |
| 4 | Johnlino | Tiago Pereira | Marcia Stortz | Fair | 6/1 |
Plus four others.
The Favorites: Ima Track Star owns the best win in the field and picks up Rosario.
The Value: Desert Kat (5/1) can hit the board at a price.
The Verdict: Ima Track Star, confidently.
4:50pm PT — Maiden Special Weight, 1⅛m (Turf), 3yo+
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Constitution Andi | Victor Espinoza | Mike Puype | Placed efforts | 3/1 |
| 6 | Conquer We Must (IRE) | Antonio Fresu | Simon Callaghan | European import | 7/2 |
| 7 | Hazaka (FR) | Umberto Rispoli | Philip D’Amato | Improving | 9/2 |
| 9 | Path To Power (GB) | Juan Hernandez | Philip D’Amato | Improving | 5/1 |
| 8 | Pax Mundi | Emisael Jaramillo | Jose D’Angelo | Fair | 6/1 |
| 3 | Khonsu | Kyle Frey | Adam Kitchingman | Fresh since Dec | 12/1 |
Plus four others.
The Favorites: D’Amato’s pair Hazaka and Path To Power crowd the market alongside Constitution Andi.
The Value: Khonsu (12/1) returns from a December layoff with a turf-friendly pedigree.
The Verdict: Conquer We Must to break through at the trip.
5:20pm PT — Maiden Special Weight, 5½f (Dirt), 2yo Fillies
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Just Work It Out | Joel Rosario | John Sadler | Debut promise | 7/2 |
| 2 | Fire’s Makin’a Run | Edwin Maldonado | Luis Mendez | Speedy | 4/1 |
| 6 | Her Strut | Cesar Belmont | George Papaprodromou | 2nd start | 5/1 |
| 4 | Big Blast | Antonio Fresu | Tim Yakteen | Improving | 6/1 |
| 8 | Take Revenge | Juan Hernandez | Craig Lewis | Debut | 6/1 |
| 9 | Daytona Diamond | Kazushi Kimura | Carla Gaines | Debut | 8/1 |
Plus four others and two also-eligibles.
The Favorites: A wide-open heat; Just Work It Out heads the market for Sadler and Rosario.
The Value: Her Strut (5/1) — her barn’s second-time-out numbers are strong.
The Verdict: Just Work It Out, but keep stakes sensible in a spread race.
5:50pm PT — Yellow Ribbon Handicap (Grade 2), 1 1/16m (Turf), F&M, $200,000
The turf feature drew a select but classy seven. Whiskey Decision, the $1.5 million purchase who won the Eatontown and went favorite in January’s Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf, heads the morning line for Michael McCarthy and Umberto Rispoli.
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Whiskey Decision | Umberto Rispoli | Michael McCarthy | Eatontown winner | 2/1 |
| 5 | Take A Breath (GB) | Emisael Jaramillo | Mark Glatt | 1-1-3, 3rd G1 Gamely | 3/1 |
| 2 | Sweet Rebecca | Antonio Fresu | Michael Maker | Consistent | 7/2 |
| 4 | Princesa Moche (PER) | Joe Bravo | Doug O’Neill | 2-for-2 in US | 6/1 |
| 6 | Warming | Juan Hernandez | H. Graham Motion | East Coast shipper | 6/1 |
| 1 | Princess Attitude | Kazushi Kimura | Victoria Oliver | Outsider | 12/1 |
| 3 | Vincey Girl | Joel Rosario | Jose D’Angelo | Outsider | 12/1 |
The Favorites: Take A Breath has been the most reliable turf mare in California this year — she took the Grade 3 Santa Ana and Grade 3 Royal Heroine before running a fine third in the Grade 1 Gamely despite a pace that went against her closing style. Mark Glatt’s mare loves it here.
The Value: Princesa Moche (6/1) is two-for-two when stretching out since arriving from Peru, and O’Neill has timed this one.
The Verdict: Take A Breath — a genuine Grade 1-class closer getting back to a truer pace and defending home turf.
6:19pm PT — Allowance Optional Claiming $20,000, 6f (Dirt), 3yo+
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Matt At Five | Hector Berrios | Peter Miller | Sharp sprinter | 2/1 |
| 1 | Special Club | Umberto Rispoli | George Papaprodromou | Consistent | 5/2 |
| 4 | Supernal | Armando Ayuso | Isidro Tamayo | 6-time winner | 5/1 |
| 5 | Brunchandcrunch | Joe Bravo | Richard Baltas | Fair | 6/1 |
| 3 | Miss Jo’s Curlin | Juan Hernandez | Brendan Galvin | Fair | 8/1 |
Plus three others.
The Favorites: Matt At Five and Special Club look a match race on figures.
The Value: Supernal (5/1) is a six-time winner facing rivals with far thinner résumés.
The Verdict: Matt At Five for the red-hot Miller barn.
6:48pm PT — $50,000 Maiden Claiming, 1m (Turf), 3yo+
| No | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Form | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Throwthefirstpunch | Emisael Jaramillo | Doug O’Neill | Placed efforts | 7/2 |
| 9 | Sagunto | Ricardo Gonzalez | Ryan Hanson | Improving | 4/1 |
| 4 | Non Domicile | Antonio Fresu | George Papaprodromou | Fair | 5/1 |
| 6 | Dr. Filkins | Armando Ayuso | Sean McCarthy | Fair | 5/1 |
| 1 | Heroic Dose | Julien Leparoux | Jeff Mullins | Fair | 8/1 |
| 8 | Fawcett | Kazushi Kimura | Peter Miller | Fair | 5/1 |
| 3 | Lucky Sniper | Kyle Frey | Dan Blacker | Recently gelded | 15/1 |
| 11 | Soul Force | Joel Rosario | Leonard Powell | Fair | 12/1 |
Plus three others and two also-eligibles.
The Favorites: Throwthefirstpunch sets the standard for O’Neill in the nightcap.
The Value: Lucky Sniper (15/1) has been gelded since his last start and a modest pace suits his patient style.
The Verdict: Throwthefirstpunch to send us home a winner.
Accumulator
Our four-leg parlay: Kennyten (9/5), Ima Track Star (5/2), Take A Breath (3/1) and Matt At Five (2/1) — combined odds in the region of 116/1 at morning lines.
If the West Coast action whets your appetite for more, our Canterbury Park picks cover the evening card in Minnesota.
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