*EDITOR'S NOTE: Del Mar's closing day card has a mandatory payout in the $513,150 pick 6 carryover (starting in Race 4)*
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DEL MAR SPOTLIGHT RACES:
First Race: Post: 12:30 PT
Top Pick: 4-Mi Hermano Ramon (6-1)
Here’s a first-time starter with a series of better workouts than the final times indicate, and in a race in which the known element okay but nothing more a fresh face might offer some real wagering value. This son of Creative Cause recently breezed (and appeared best) in company with stable mate First Peace, who appears in the Cecil B. DeMille Stakes later on the program, and if this Mark Glatt-trained juvenile can perform as well on turf and he has on dirt in the morning he should be capable of graduating at first asking. Listed at 6-1 on the morning line and attracting Flavian Prat, this promising gelding is worth strong backing in the win pool and in the various rolling exotics. For protection, you may want to include 10-Dandy Man Shines, a one-paced grinding type but exiting three graded stakes races on your ticket as a backup or a saver.
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Fifth Race – Post: 2:30 PT
Top Pick: 7-Speed Boat Beach (5/2)
Though he was disappointing when faltering in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint-G1 at Keeneland in his most recent start, this speedy juvenile should be capable of returning to winning form while stretching out to a mile for the first time in this year’s renewal of the Cecil B. DeMille S.-G3. Bred to handle the distance (Bayern from a Pioneerof the Nile mare), the Bob Baffert-trained colt was razor sharp in a recent solo training track drill to indicate he has retained all of his zip, and as the projected controlling speed under Flavien Pratt he should be able to gain control early and roll all the way to the wire. Also worth considering – especially in a race with early fractions that project to be faster than par – is the late running 6-Ze’bul, a debut winner from off the pace at this distance on grass at Santa Anita and with every right to produce a forward move with that bit of experience behind him.
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DEL MAR RECOMMENDED ROLLING EXOTIC STRATEGIES:
(Races 1-5)
1st race: 4-Mi Hermano Ramon; 10-Dandy Man Shines
2nd race: 1-Agrigento; 4-U R Pressed; 6-Midnight Majesty
3rd race: 11-Paulliac; 9-Maltese Falcon; 4-Hawker
4th race: 9-Tenacious Lady
5th race: 7-Speed Boat Beach; 6-Ze’bul
(Races 6-9)
6th race: 7-Brace for Impact; 2-Square Cat; 8-Resilient
7th race: 6-Regal Glory; 5-Hamwood Flier; 2-England’s Rose
8th race: 4-Bright Leaf; 7-Street Art
9th race: 5-Earls Rock; 4-Mecklenburg; 1-Count of Amazonia
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