There is plenty of great horse racing action to look forward to across America on Saturday, including at Del Mar race track–home of this year’s Breeders’ Cup. The festivities are continuing following a whole host of races on Friday and we have a handful of great plays for you. We have been crushing it of late, too, so hopefully the momentum keeps going.
Let’s dive in and explain the reasoning behind each of today’s Breeders’ Cup picks.
3:05 pm Del Mar (Race 4) – Gamine 3/5
The winner of this race 12 months ago the daughter of Into Mischief has won all four starts this campaign including by one-and-three-quarter-lengths when making all the running in the Grade 1 Ballerina over seven furlongs at Saratoga at the end of August. Represents a top trainer and is taken to provide John Velazquez with a victory in the first Breeders’ Cup race of the night having registered a 1:00.60 five furlong work at Santa Anita last weekend.
3:40 pm Del Mar (Race 5) – Glass Slippers 6/1
Kevin Ryan’s charge took this race last year and she has registered three placed efforts in Group company since including when third in the Group 1 Prix de l’Abbaye on a soft turf course at Longchamp at the start of last month. Regular pilot Tom Eaves is in the saddle and having proven herself at this level in the past the daughter of Dream Ahead is taken to complete back-to-back victories in this competitive turf sprint contest.
4:19 pm Del Mar (Race 6) – Life Is Good 4/5
The winner of four of his five previous starts the Todd Pletcher-trained colt put a surprise defeat in a seven furlong Grade 1 event at Saratoga in August behind him when delivering an impressive all the way success in the Kelso Handicap over an extended mile at Belmont Park the following month. Looks capable of providing the classic generation with a victory in this event.
4:59 pm Del Mar (Race 7) – War Like Goddess 7/2
The four-year-old English Channel filly looks the pick of the home team having registered victories in each of her last four starts. The most recent of those came by two-and-a-quarter-lengths in the Grade 1 Flower Bowl over this mile-and-three-eighths trip at Saratoga just over two months ago and she can get the better of her European rivals with Julien Leparoux in the saddle.
5:38 pm Del Mar (Race 8) – Jackie’s Warrior 6/5
Confirmed his Grade 1 success over an extended seven furlongs at Saratoga was no fluke when romping to a six-and-three-quarter-length triumph in a Grade 2 affair over an extended six furlongs at Parx in September. Has a good draw in gate two here and with regular pilot Joel Rosario in the saddle looks capable of completing a four-timer to record a third win at the highest level.
6:20 pm Del Mar (Race 9) – Mo Forza 6/1
The local runner has won each of his last four starts including by a head in a Grade 2 event over this course and distance back in August. Subsequently scored over an extended mile over a similar distance at Santa Anita at the start of last month and having delivered a 49.40 four furlong turf work here last weekend he is taken to complete a five-timer under Flavien Prat.
7:00 pm Del Mar (Race 10) – Letruska 8/5
An in form frontrunner the daughter of Derby winner Super Saver made all when registering back-to-back Grade 1 victories in taking the Spinster Stakes over a mile-and-one-eighth at Keeneland last month. Had previously taken the Personal Ensign and while she is making her first start at this track she looks likely to prove very hard to beat for handler Fausto Gutierrez.
7:40 pm Del Mar (Race 11) – Tarnawa 9/5
The winner of this race at Keeneland last year the selection has won once and placed second twice from her three starts this time around. Placed second behind Torquator Tasso in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp at the start of last month in her most recent start but she sets the standard on form and with Colin Keane in the saddle can provide Europe with a sixth win in this contest in the last seven years.
8:40 pm Del Mar (Race 12) – Essential Quality 3/1
Hasn’t looked back since finishing fourth in the Derby at Churchill Downs in May winning each of his three subsequent starts including twice at the highest level. The most recent of those Grade 1 triumphs came when racing close to the pace prior to battling to a neck success in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga in August. Represents a top trainer in Brad Cox and the three-year-old can take the feature race of the meeting for owners Godolphin.
Exotic
Late Pick 4
Race 9 – 3, 6
Race 10 – 6, 8
Race 11 – 13, 10
Race 12 – 3, 4
Stake: $2.00
Total Stake: $32.00
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