Del Mar Horse Racing Picks for Friday 7/31/20
It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.
Starting at 5:00 p.m. EST, we have 11 races at Del Mar Racetrack. Using our numberFire projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.
As always, check the program for scratches and changes.
(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)
Conquest Lemonraid, Race 1
FanDuel Racing Odds: 9/5
The Daily Horse Racing Guide takes us to Del Mar ahead of Saturday's big races, including a Breeders' Cup prep and Kentucky Derby points race. Friday begins at the picturesque seaside track with one-mile Claiming race.
Daily Horse Picks (DHP) likes Artie B Good (6/1) on top followed by Little No Way (4/1) and favorite Conquest Lemonraid (9/5), who drops to this $8K claiming race after being claimed for $16K last month by new trainer and owner Robert Hess. Unusual, considering he was also scheduled to race in a $25K claimer last Monday. His past triple-digit speed figures as a regular runner at Woodbine stand out and rate as the field's best speed by DHP.
Artie B Good and Little No way drop in class also, but Artie B Good has not won a race since 2017, going 0-for-14 since then. They both missed badly here at long odds three weeks ago.
Go Daddy Go, Race 6
FanDuel Racing Odds: 3/1
Race 6 is an entry-level Allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Del Mar leading rider Flavien Prat is on slight favorite Tiberius Mercurius (3/1), who broke his maiden for new (suspended) trainer John Sadler last month in his 2020 debut with a career-best 97 speed figure. He’s hit the board in 6-of-8 starts and will be pressing the pace.
Go Daddy Go (7/2) should stalk the leaders after hitting the board last month against better competition. He can improve, having hit triple-digit speed figures in 3-of-8 starts. Swamp Souffle (4-1) drops down and shortens up off a graded stakes race last month.
Sicilia (5/1) is the top pick at numberFire and Guaranteed Tip Sheet. She makes her 2020 and U.S. debut and faced good company in France, where she placed in a pair of stakes races. She runs with first time Lasix.
Silenced (12/1) stretches out for the first time and will be running on the lead. She popped a 102 speed figure when breaking her maiden in March. Gate-to-wire turf-route winners were rare the first two weeks of racing, but the rails move to 30 feet today, setting up a potential change in the profile.
Lightning Fast and El Tigre Terrible, Race 9
FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/1 and 2/1
Race 9 is the $125K Real Good Stakes for Cal-bred three-year-olds at 7 furlongs. Favorite El Tigre Terrible (2/1) looks like the hands-down best horse in the field, according to Guaranteed Tip Sheet. He’s run into trip trouble in recent races, and a clean run puts him on top ahead of numberFire’s choice -- stakes-placed Rookie Mistake (5/2). El Tigre Terrible will get bet heavily with current implied odds at FanDuel Racing suggesting a 33% chance to win. Leading rider Flavien Prat will be back on after a poor finish here three weeks ago.
But upset-minded Lightning Fast (8/1) could have a say from the outside. He’ll be dismissed by some off his recent race here three weeks ago, but that was actually against a stronger group. His speed figures should improve with tactical speed in place in his second run off a layoff win.
Graded winner Phantom Boss (6/1) and stakes-placed Margot’s Boy (4/1) make this a competitive race. Margot’s Boy couldn’t hold up to the very fast early pace last time out but had the lead in the stretch going a mile on the turf three weeks ago. He won three times earlier this year and can improve to hit the board if he adjusts to his first start on dirt.
