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QUIGLEY'S CORNER
Daily Del Mar Diary and Analysis
By HorsePlayer owner/publisher Tom Quigley
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Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - Day 7 of 43
Those of you who have read this diary in years past know that every Wednesday features my horses to watch list from the previous week's action. This year will be no different. And whenever the horses profiled below run back, I'll alert you in my diary so that we can all monitor their (hopefully profitable) performance.
Stunningly - July 19th, 3rd race: First time starter from the Mike Puype made a very favorable impression in the paddock and just missed by a neck at 18/1 odds in a swiftly run race. Tab for a bright future.
Stardom Bound - July 20th, 4th race: Will be on everybody's Horses to Watch List after her debut performance on Sunday when she walked out of the gate, then powered home to just miss by the slimmest of noses. Won't offer any value next time out, but could be a player in the BC Juvenille Fillies division if she continues to move forward.
Unusual Spirit - July 21st, 7th race: How good of a sire is Unusual Heat? It seems like all of his progeny are stone cold runners, including this lightly raced three-year-old filly in the Jerry Fanning barn. Ran an excellent second, coming off a March layoff, at a distance that was too short for her. Could make noise if her connections decide to stretch her out to two turns.
Wednesday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll 5 of the 8 races today are for two-year-olds, which should make for some interesting observations in the paddock However, let's take a look at the last race (Race 8), which is for older maidens. Of the horses entered that have run, it's painfully clear none of them have exhibited much talent, so let's focus on first-time starter Ladrona, who has been working well in the mornings according to the clockers. Trainer Jenine Sahadi gives "Iggy" a leg up, which only helps in insuring the final odds will be close to the 4/1 morning line.
Race 8: $100 Win #4 Ladrona
Previous Day Results: minus $100.
Meet to Date Results: minus $508. Monday, July 21, 2008 - Day 6 of 43
From the "Have you heard about this one?" department: The two winning Pick 6 tickets on Saturday's card that were each worth $356,090 were bought for $16 & $8. The $8 ticket was purchased in Las Vegas & was "scratched" into the winning score when the ticket holders original selection in the final race (Silent Smoke, who was 20/1 on the morning line) was scratched at the gate, which meant the ticket was then given the post time favorite (Improvising Gal), who ended up dead-heating for the win. And the $16 ticket was purchased through TVG by a "visually-impaired" man from Northern California who had the other horse (Dumaani's Gold) that dead-heated for the win and also hit the late Pick 4 for another $5,000 on a $12 ticket. If this were a script for a movie, they'd tell the screenwriter to stop hallucinating!
I'm fairly certain the owners will do the right thing, but I think we've seen Lava Man's final race after finishing last in the Eddie Read yesterday.
Monday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll It remains to be seen how Doug O'Neill trained horses will react running out of the "protection" barn this meet (so far, 1 for 8, with 2 seconds & 2 thirds), but there is no doubt his go-to jockey these days is Mr. Bejarano, who climbs aboard #8 Sandita in today's 6th race. Owned in part by Great Friends Stable, a partnership put together by the morning drive time local radio show team of Scott & BR on Mighty XX 1090 AM, he draws the cozy outside post & drops one level off the claim for the money run into the winners circle. Let's jump on the bus as this is one party we won't want to miss!
Race 6: $100 Win #8 Sandita
Previous Day Results: minus $100.
Meet to Date Results: minus $408. Traditional one day off tomorrow - check back with you on Wednesday.
Sunday, July 20, 2008 - Day 5 of 43
Not only was there quality racing on the track yesterday, but The Corner was packed with quality people all day long with dignitaries such as Fritz Widaman & Michele Ravencraft from the NTRA, pro player Dennis Tiernan (profiled in our May/June 2008 issue), Gibson Carothers (sire of TVG's Matt), TVG analyst Nick Hines, Del Mar honchos Craig Dado & Chris Bahr, former Bally's Race & Sports Book Director Chris Eggers, legendary jockey agents Vince DeGregory & Nick Cosato, all-around good guy Frank Tate with his son Chase, new HorsePlayer Editor Frank Scatoni & author Peter T. Fornatale, Race and Sports radio show co-hosts Felix Taverna & Larry Zap, clocker Donald Harris, Las Vegas resident Bill Hoge & 100/1 Arcadia bar owner Bryan Carney stopping by to shoot the breeze & share their opinions on some of the races. No matter how bad I felt (and I felt REALLY miserable after the last race when I couldn't seal the deal on the late Pick 4), it was great to be back in action "Where The Turf Meets The Surf."
Just a quick note of recognition to the entire Del Mar track maintenance crew for having a revamped Polytrack surface that is getting nothing but praise (from all the handicappers I know) for being a much fairer surface that they can now play with confidence. Keep up the great work!
Sunday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll Trainer "Magic" Mike Mitchell is in one of those zones right now and I love the confidence he shows in Race 7 by placing his filly (#6 Spring Awakening) in this spot off a long layoff. She showed an affinity for this track last year & Mitchell gets Go-Go (Garrett Gomez) to ride, who up to this point has pitched a shutout at the meet (though he did win the VA Derby yesterday at Colonial Downs). Sorry to be such a chalk-eating weasel, but today's card looks to me like it is going to be filled with it.
Race 7: $100 Win #6 Spring Awakening
Previous Day Results: minus $108 (but boy, oh boy, what could have been!)
Meet to Date Results: minus $308
Saturday, July 19, 2008 - Day 4 of 43
Sorry not to have a diary entry yesterday, but I was under the weather. And while I still feel like shit (literally), my good friend David Crupi at Mohegan Sun got me motivated by sending an e-mail that said in part, "Do you think Bing ever missed a day at Del Mar?" So you know what, I'm pulling the boot straps up & making the trek to Del Mar this morning. And please, no pity :)
A racing rairity occurs at Del Mar today as Russell Baze is in town to ride & does not ride a horse for "King" Jerry Hollendorfer (who runs one in the 7th race). When's the last time THAT happened?
Saturday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll It hasn't gotten near the publicity it should (yet), but besides the $135,144 Pick 6 carryover (the second one in 4 racing days), there is also a guaranteed $500,000 late Pick 4 today (and every weekend day) during the Del Mar meet. And those who know me know that I LOVE to play the late Pick 4 in these types of situations since there is alot of "dead" money in the Pick 4 pool from players who are "protecting" their Pick 6 tickets that are still alive after the first two legs with horses or combinations that are not their top choices. Here's how I'll construct my ticket:
Race 7: #1 Exclusive Danielle, #4 Heathersdaddysbaby & #8 Beyla
Race 8: #3 Angus, #6 Outrageous Limit
Race 9: ALL (Field of 9)
Race 10: #3 Friendly Mystery & #9 Shade of Moonlight
Ticket Cost: 3x2x9x2 = $108 (lend me 8 bucks & you'll get 7.4% of the ticket).
Previous Day Results: $0 - No diary & no selections - spent more time in the bathroom than reading the Form.
Meet to Date Results: -$200
Thursday, July 17, 2008 - Day 2 of 43
With the second largest crowd in track history (43,459), I'm sure you're clicking here to read about wild and exciting stories from opening day.
Unfortunately, I'm of no help.
I'm stuck in LA, fighting a flu bug I've been desperately trying to get rid of all week. Sorry to disappoint, but imagine how depressed I feel, especially after painting such a glorious image of Del Mar for the folks in Las Vegas?
http://www.lvrj.com/sports/25549629.html Speaking of depressed, did you hear the news that the largest newspaper in the nations second largest city will not be covering Del Mar on a daily basis?
Click here to read the sobering announcement.
It's only day two at Del Mar & everywhere I turn, nothing but depression.
Thursday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll But fortunately, hope springs eternal at Del Mar (or so I tell myself), especially on today's card where we've got a Pick 6 carryover of $153,645. And while I'll let the track surface (which played fairer and faster yesterday than it did last season) and form establish some sort of pattern before I dive in aggressively, I think I might be of some small help in deciphering the 6 race sequence.
Underated trainer Adam Kitchingman has started 59 runners (20% wins) so far in 2008. Of those 59, only 6 started at the recently concluded Hollywood Park spring/summer meet. Suddenly, Adam is set to saddle 6 runners during the next 3 racing days, including 2 today.
Methinks he has been pointing to this meet.
Race 3: $50 Win #4 Track Majesty
Race 7: $50 Win #2 My Maloof Rocker
Ticket Cost (2) x $50 = $100
Previous Day Results: $0 in the win column but the meet's just beginning.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - Day 1 of 43
When I woke up on Monday morning, my body and spirit were filled with heightened anticipation for the opening of the 2008 Del Mar Thoroughbred Club meet. I felt the same way a little kid does two days before Christmas.
That all changed in the blink of an eye at 11:15 am. That's when I got a phone call from Los Alamitos track announcer Ed Burgart, informing me that Luke Kruytbosch had been found dead -- at the incredibly young age of 46. Instantly, my heart filled with sorrow, which remains with me as I type this.
You see, Luke was a friend of mine. Memories of us playing the ponies together at the Fairplex bullring, or going to Hooters with him every time I visited Turf Paradise, or Luke making his annual pilgrimage to Quigley's Corner every Del Mar season, or the last time we had dinner together this past November at one of his favorite restaurants (Cardinal Hall of Fame Cafe) in Louisville keep dancing in my head. Obviously, they are all pleasant memories, but that's all they are now--memories, never to be duplicated in life again.
But more importantly, Luke was a friend to racing.
And that's why the timing of his passing is so ironic. Because if Luke were still with us, he'd tell us that there would be no better place in the world than Del Mar to celebrate his life rather than mourn his death. And that's what I'll attempt to do on opening day, no matter how difficult that might be.
Rest in peace, buddy, and have a cold one waiting on ice for me!
Avid readers of this diary in years past know that I recommend plays each day of the meet using a $100 daily bankroll. They also know I tend to make some pretty outrageous predictions. Well, here's the first one for 2008: Isaias Enriquez will be the leading rider at Del Mar...after Day One of the meet. Boy, would I love to get a prop bet on this in Vegas! I'm thinking I could get minimum 25/1 odds. But since that's not going to happen, let's start off the meet with $25 win bets on each of Isaias' four mounts for the day:
Wednesday Play of the Day - $100 Daily Bankroll Race 3: $25 Win #6 Ima Offended
Race 5: $25 Win #11 I Wanna Getaway
Race 8: $25 Win #6 Mr Keppel
Race 9: $25 Win #6 Cat Report
Ticket Cost (4) x $25 = $100
Previous Day Results: No Diary; No Play
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