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Del Mar 4th Race – Post: 5:30 PT. Degree of confidence: B+
Top Selection: Keen to Go.
Other Contenders: none.
Forecast: After watching Keen to Go breeze earlier this month, we’re convinced the son of Keen Ice is ready for a top effort. A voided claim more than a year ago and off the track since a comeback effort in June, the J. Mullins-trained finished fifth when facing $32,000 foes in that race while appearing a bit rusty but won’t have that excuse today with a race under his belt and the class drop to the restricted (nw-2) $12,500 level. He should have enough tactical speed to settle into the second flight and then have every opportunity to produce a winning late kick when given his cue. Regular rider E. Maldonado knows him well, so let’s take a stand in this competitive claimer over a mile on dirt and make him a win play and rolling exotic single.
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Del Mar 7th race – Post: 6:00 PT. Degree of confidence: B+
Top Selection: 1-Sunset Glory (Ire).
Other Contenders: 2-Linda’s Gift
Forecast: Linda’s Gift has much in her favor and is by far the likeliest winner in this year’s renewal of the CTT and TOC Stakes, a listed affair over 11 furlongs on grass. Successful over this course and distance last November in the Red Carpet S.-G3, the daughter of Arrogate is thoroughly genuine and consistent with consistent speed figures and stakes wins in four of her last five starts. She’ll be a very short price and deservedly so, but the lightly raced and rapidly improving Sunset Glory (Ire) just might present a severe challenge. The Irish-bred filly is almost as fast on numbers as the favorite and could produce another significant forward move while trying this mini-marathon distance for the first time. She’s guaranteed an ideal, ground-saving, mid-pack trip and has the turn of foot from the quarter pole home that could severely test ‘Gift, and at a much better price. We’ll take a shot with ‘Glory on top and aggressively hook her up with ‘Gift in the exacta.
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