Del Mar | Horse Racing Free Tips

Maggie Wolfendale Joins Writers’ Room As Show Returns to Studio

It's been a long 16 months since the crew for the TDN Writers' Room presented by Keeneland were all together in their actual studio to record the podcast, and they reunited at last Wednesday morning, welcoming Fox Sports and NYRA paddock analyst Maggie Wolfendale on the show to share excitement about the opening of Saratoga to fans once again and discuss how to pick winning horses based on physical appearances.

“It's not even just the racetrack,” Wolfendale, calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, said when asked to explain how integral fans and tourists are to Saratoga. “It's that the entire town knows they're racing. You can go anywhere and just sit at a bar and have a conversation about the third race on Friday. Then at the track, everyone has their own places they want to be. There's something for everyone too. It's that old county fair feeling. And it's all about the horses. People line the massive paddock we have and line the walkway from the backside to the paddock, where the horses are like boxers coming in for a big fight. The anticipation before every race is something that I don't think you necessarily see at other tracks the way you do at Saratoga.”

Wolfendale has proven herself an indispensable member of the groundbreaking America's Day at the Races broadcasts, in large part because of her expertise in horseflesh and ability to provide horseplayers insight from a close-up view of the animals.

Asked what she looks for in 2-year-old races in particular, she said, “They have the least form to go on, and they take the most prep work. But then sometimes, that prep work goes out the window once you see them in the paddock or on the track. You do your homework, you look at pedigrees; who might have that precocious pedigree that says they can win early, who's suited to different surfaces, who might be one that is crying out to get more distance as the 2-year-old season progresses. But when you look at them physically, a lot of times it comes down to the horse who is just the most physically mature, who's the furthest along from that physical standpoint. You can see the other ones are still developing, because the ones that are physically mature, they're just going to be bigger and stronger than their competition.”

Elsewhere on the show, which is also sponsored by West Point Thoroughbreds, Legacy Bloodstock and the Minnesota Racehorse Engagement Project, the writers looked forward to the Saratoga and Del Mar meets before being joined by TDN International Editor Kelsey Riley to reflect on the great Galileo. Click here to watch the podcast; click here for the audio-only version or find it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

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‘Like Old Times’: Van Dyke Excited To Be Back At Del Mar

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke wasn't gone from the Southern California racing circuit all that long. It was only a few months, from late March to early July, when the 26-year-old from Louisville went back to his Kentucky roots, plying his trade at Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Turfway Park.

Statistically, it was not a triumphant return to his old Kentucky home. Wins came at roughly a 10 percent rate for just over 100 mounts with the highlight being a victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway aboard Like The King and a subsequent 12^th-place finish on the same horse in his first Kentucky Derby opportunity.

“I did miss California a lot,” Van Dyke admitted here Tuesday morning. “There's no place like it.”

California riding exploits earned Van Dyke an Eclipse Award as the top apprentice of 2014. And he had career year at Del Mar in 2018 when he won both the summer and fall titles at the seaside track north of San Diego, and, during the summer stand, won 11 stakes races – one third of his current seaside track total.

But, as Van Dyke pointed out in interviews shortly before leaving Kentucky, he has no regrets about the temporary self-transplant and expects it to have long-term benefits.

“I enjoyed my experience in Kentucky, it was a good learning experience and now it's onwards and upwards,” Van Dyke said.

“A change can be good for anybody.”

Van Dyke was represented by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens during part of his time in the Midwest. But with Stevens back at Saratoga, N.Y., working as an expert commentator on New York Racing Association and other broadcasts, Van Dyke's book is being handled by Brandon O'Bryan, a third-generation jockey agent. Brandon's grandfather George, a legend in the business who represented five Hall of Famers at one time or another in a lengthy career, passed away in February at the age of 100. Brandon's father, Craig, came out of semi-retirement last year to work with Juan Hernandez on a highly successful transition from the Northern to Southern California circuit.

“I can't wait to get to work with Brandon and see what we can do,” Van Dyke said. “I'm excited to be back at Del Mar, excited that there's going to be fans around again. It's like old times. I'm in a really good state of mind and I want to build my business back up and get into a winning mode.”

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Del Mar Kicks Off Summer Meet On Friday With Big Field In Oceanside, Fans Back In The Stands

A gate full of 3-year-olds will run a mile on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course Friday in the 76th edition of the Runhappy Oceanside Stakes, the highlight of a 10-race card that welcomes racing – and its fans – back to Del Mar for the start of the seaside track's 82nd summer season in Del Mar, Calif.

Following the 2020 session at the shore that saw racing conducted before a silent and empty grandstand, this year's roar of the crowd as the runners dash down the stretch should be sweet music for all involved. Del Mar is requiring that all in attendance have a seat, so it appears likely the opener will see approximately 16,000 fans on board as the show gets started with a 2 p.m. PT first post.

Fourteen runners have had their names listed for the grassy Oceanside, so traffic and good luck will play key roles in the first leg of the Del Mar turf triple for sophomores that will continue with the La Jolla Stakes on August 8 and climax with the Del Mar Derby on September 4.

While several of the Oceanside sophs deserve an extra look coming into the test, two seem to stand out a bit above their rivals: Exline-Border Racing, SAF Racing or Hausman, et al's Dream Shake and Downstream Racing's None Above the Law.

The former has been banging heads with some of the best 3-year-olds in the country during his brief five-race career so far this year and has been graded stakes-placed on three occasions. This will be his first attempt on the lawn, but his breeding – by Twirling Candy out of a Street Cry mare – says he should be right at home on it. Trainer Peter Eurton has named West Coast newcomer Joe Bravo to ride.

None Above the Law is a California-bred gelding by the Japanese-bred stallion Karakontie who races out of the Peter Miller barn. The gray stretch-runner was a double stakes winner at Golden Gate Fields in the Bay Area this spring and has shown an affinity for the grass. None Above the Law is a four-time winner and will have the saddle services of top rider Juan Hernandez.

Del Mar will race Friday-Saturday-Sunday for the first two weeks of its 31-day session, then stretch out to a Thursday through Sunday format for the remaining six weeks that will finish finally on Labor Day Monday, September 6.

The track will feature one of its most robust stakes schedules ever with 39 black type offerings worth more than $7.1 million. It also has an enhanced “Ship & Win” program for attracting out-of-state horses and early word is that it is working. Several Eastern and/or Midwestern trainers have sent strings to the track and the spice of competition from new faces has the makings for a fine summer stew.

First post daily will be at 2 p.m. with the exceptions of Fridays (other than Opening Day) when it shifts to 4 p.m. The final two Fridays of the stand – August 27 and September 3 – will see an adjustment to a 3:30 p.m. start to the day's activities.

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Fans, Horsemen Alike Ready To Celebrate ‘Real’ Del Mar Summer

Peter Miller won a fourth Del Mar summer season training title in 2020, equaling the number of fall crowns for him at the place Miller refers to as his “home” track.

But the 55-year-old Encinitas and Manhattan Beach resident readily admits that it didn't feel the same as the other seven. Not in a time in which COVID-19 protocols for most of the meeting required stands empty of all but “essential” personnel and masks on the faces of everyone there in person.

“Last year felt abnormal, weird, very strange, surreal,” Miller said Monday during a break from morning workouts. “You'd win a race and it felt like you'd won a workout.”

Miller won 28 races, eight more than runner-up Phil D'Amato. Six came in stakes, to raise Miller's career total to 38 over the last 14 years. And none of those horses returned to a winner's circle ceremony of picture-taking, reward-presenting, hand-shaking, back-slapping and all-around smiling with success in accordance with decades of racing tradition.

So count Miller, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club CEO Joe Harper, and racetrackers of all sorts, who are looking forward to the return of fans and fanfare when the 82nd summer season commences a 31-day meeting on Friday.

“Real live people, that's terrific,” said Harper, in his 44th year at the track helm. “I spent a lot of time walking around talking to myself last year.

“It's just great. Having people around is what Del Mar is all about. It's not your average racetrack. It's a party, concerts and all the things that make people happy. It was kind of sad out here last year when your handle is $200,000 on track and $25 million off track. That was kind of a fun day, but it was just weird.”

“It's a credit to the whole industry that we got through COVID as well as we did,” said trainer John Sadler, No. 2 for stakes wins (78) in track history. “Now we're all happy and excited about having a return to normal.”

“We had gone through (COVID 2020 protocols) at Santa Anita before we came down here last summer, so we were kind of prepared,” said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella. “But the stands without fans, the quiet during the races … the weird feeling never went away.”

Billy Koch heads the Little Red Feather racing partnership group, whose all-out-for-fun approach, to racing and life, is especially suited to Del Mar. Little Red Feather's Red King won the Del Mar Handicap and was voted the top grass horse of the meeting but only a handful of partners were able to celebrate on the tarmac down by the rail.

“We love it down here and Del Mar is the premier meeting we point to,” Koch said. “So it was difficult that a lot of our partners and fans couldn't get in to see the horses run. But Del Mar did a good job of getting some in to see the races and we appreciated that.

“We did nothing last year (in the way of pre-meet partying), but we're back this year and champing at the bit. Little Red Feather Nation will be out in force and we're looking forward to a really good meeting.”

Del Mar opens its summer season on a Friday for the third time since 1970 and the sixth time in its history. Before last year's COVID-forced no-count, the official totals were 42,562 on the grounds in 2016 and 11,998 in 1970. The other Friday openings came in 1959 and 1941.

Opening Friday 2021 won't approach 2016 – which ranks as the 10th-highest turnout in track history – but it figures to be a happy contrast to 2020. Del Mar will open with 100% capacity in its seating areas throughout the facility and an approximately 16,000 sellout has been announced. This decision was made in accordance with state and county public health guidelines.

All fans wishing to attend must obtain a seating package in advance of their arrival. Admission tickets and parking passes are included in the package.

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