Free Picks For Del Mar -8/1/20

Race 2 - Shared Belief Stakes ($100,000)

Six 3-year-old colts will go one and one-sixteenth miles on the dirt in this important stakes race where the top finishers will earn points for entrance into the Kentucky Derby. This should be an excellent race with four of the starters being ranked among the top 23 horses in the point race for the Derby. I like #5 Honor A.P., who is ranked third in points for the Derby, to prevail. Honor A.P. is coming off a nearly three-length victory in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, which included fellow impressive foes Authentic and current competitor Anneau d’Or. Hall of Famer Mike Smith will direct the son of Honor Code’s second foray at the current distance -- he was second to Authentic in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at this distance on March 7. Honor A.P. has two wins along with two second-place finishes in four starts. #3 Anneau d’Or has shown improvement in each of his last two starts. The Kentucky horse, who has put up strong training efforts recently as well, finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby the last time out but also has registered two second-place finishes in a pair of Grade 2 events. #1 Uncle Chuck was impressive in earning a four-length victory in the Grade 3 Los Alamitos Derby (July 4), although there were just four horses in the event. #2 Thousand Words has a pair of graded stakes wins to go along with a second-place finish in the Los Alamitos Derby.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #5. I also like a trifecta pick of #5 with the #3, #1, #2.

Race 8 - California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes (Purse- $100,000)

This five-and-one-half furlong stakes race is for 2-year-old fillies with six runners. While none of the horses have experience at this distance, I believe this should be an excellent meet. #3 Reign of Fire showed tremendous improvement in her second race despite a bobbled start and even led late in the match but was unable to hold off Big Andy at the wire. The Arizona horse was ultimately awarded the victory of the four-and-one-half furlong special division class as Big Andy was DQ’ed for midstretch interference. Jockey Drayden Van Dyke has won 22% of his stakes races and finished in the money on 43% of the occasion with 2-year-old female horses. Plus, Reign of Fire has put in several strong training sessions recently. #2 Governor Goteven hasn’t raced since edging Stars of Bluegrass out by a neck at the wire in a four-and-one half-furlong special weight class sprint on May 29.#1 Big Andy and #7 I’m So Ana should battle for the remaining two spots on the ticket. Big Andy bounced back from being DQ’ed in her first race to finish a close second on July 10, here at Del Mar, despite hopping at the start of the race. I’m So Ana also showed significant improvement in her second outing, taking a five-furlong race at Los Alamitos by four-lengths on July 2.

Picks: I like a win bet on the #3. I also like an exacta box of #3, #2, #1, #7.

Race 10 - Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes (Purse -$250,00)

This six-furlong sprint will have nine male runners. #2 Anyportinastorm has been highly successful in his career, cashing in 15 of 16 with eight victories. The 6-year-old Florida horse is coming off of a much-improved performance in his second outing of the year, winning the Oak Tree Sprint Stakes by two-and-half lengths. Anyportinstorm has also thrived at this distance collecting six starts in eight tries. #4 McKinzie is the classiest of the competitors, having won over $3.5 million, as he has seven wins and six second-place finishes in graded stakes events. But he has not ever raced at this distance. #7 Law Abidin Citizens has followed a fourth-place finish in his first outing in 2020 with a second-place against $80,000 optional claimers and a win versus $62,500 optional claimers. Law Abidin Citizens has two wins and two second-place finishes in eight graded stakes starts. #3 Desert Law will look to better his second-place finish in this event last year. Desert Law finished third in the Thor Echo Stakes after stalking the pace early and then “put his best foot forward down the stretch to get up for show -- it was his first race since July 19. The 6-year-old son of Desert Code runs well at this distance, recording a 40% win rate, and he also has been training well.

Picks: I like an exacta box bet of #2, #7, #4.