Del Mar | Horse Racing Free Tips

C Z Rocket Secures BC Dirt Mile Berth in Pat O’Brien

The late money proved to be the right money, as C Z ROCKET (g, 6, City Zip–Successful Sarah, by Successful Appeal) sat three wide off the pace, loomed up outside of his chief market rival Flagstaff (Speightstown) at the quarter pole, dueled heads apart into deep stretch and inched away late to win Saturday’s GII Pat O’Brien S. at Del Mar and with it, a berth in the starting gate for the GI Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Keeneland Nov. 7. Claimed for $40,000 out of a fifth-place effort for Frank Fletcher and trainer Al Stall, Jr. at Oaklawn Park Apr. 30, the bay added victories at Churchill Downs in May and June and was exiting a 3/4-length allowance success at Keeneland July 12. O-Tom Kagele; B-Farm III Enterprises LLC (FL); T-Peter Miller.

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Ghostzapper Colt Easily Makes Amends at Del Mar

6th-Del Mar, $55,500, Msw, 8-29, 2yo, 6f, 1:11.10, ft.
VITTORIO (c, 2, Ghostzapper–Roberta Turner, by Smart Strike) was away slowly from a wide stall in his Aug. 1 debut, then traveled very awkwardly, covered ground on the turn and could do no better than fifth to the impressive odds-on favorite Freedom Fighter (Violence). But the betting public did not lose faith in the colt and made him the 11-10 favorite to make the requisite improvement at second asking. Much more smoothly away from gate six with Mike Smith back at the controls, the scopey bay colt moved better and sat just off of longshot pacesetter Belmont Bill (Oxbow) through an opening quarter in :22.46. Ridden quietly on the turn just awaiting his cue, Vittorio was allowed to stride into the lead three-sixteenths from home and was never in serious danger from there. He had 3 1/4 lengths on Belmont Bill at the wire. A $250,000 Keeneland September purchase last fall, Vittorio was knocked to Ben McElroy, agent for Kaleem Shah, for $750,000 at this year’s OBS June sale after breezing an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5. The winner’s dam is also responsible for Vittorio’s year-older half-brother Seiche (Super Saver), who was third in an Aug. 15 Del Mar maiden; a yearling Hard Spun filly and a filly foal by Union Rags. Roberta Turner is a half-sister to MSW & MGSP Foxy Danseur (Mr. Greeley), the dam of GSW Ever So Clever (Medaglia d’Oro), an additional pair of stakes horses and the 2-year-old filly Willful Woman (Nyquist), who cost $400,000 as an FTSAUG yearling last summer and is now in training at Churchill Downs. Roberta Turner was most recently bred to Street Sense. Sales history: $250,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP; $750,000 2yo ’20 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $34,100. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
O-Kaleem Shah Inc; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Simon Callaghan.

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Del Mar Reports Healthy Jump In Late Pick 5, Pick 6, Late Pick 4 Wagering

Through the first 19 days (Sunday, August 23) of the current Del Mar season, weekend wagering (Saturday and Sunday) on the Late Pick 5 and the Pick 6 have been husky and hearty despite the fact that – other than a handful of owners — the track does not have fans in the stands.

The average Late Pick 5 pool has registered in at $1,177,119. Last year that average was $728,260, meaning there is an increase of $448,859, a remarkable 62% rise. The average payout on the .50¢ bet has been $9,292.

The average Pick 6 pool this year has been $352,734. That compares to the 2019 average of $279,813, a difference of $72,921, meaning a 26% boost. The Pick 6 is a $2 wager.

Additionally, the track's Late Pick 4 – a .50¢ bet — is up 16% for the season so far.

The 27-day meet continues through Labor Day Monday, September 7.

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Del Mar Rarity: Tranquility Lake Dead-Heat First In Stakes Since 1973

The dead-heat for the win between Proud Emma and Message in Friday's Tranquility Lake was the first in a stakes event at Del Mar in nearly a half-century and only the third all-time at the seaside track near San Diego, Calif.

The first such occurrence was in the 1968 Del Mar Derby, when Prince Hemp and Glory Hallelujah couldn't be separated by the photo-finish camera. The most “recent” was in the second division of the 1973 Rancho Bernardo when the co-winners were Dollar Discount and D.B. Carm.

The dead-heat victory in a stakes was the first for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who has been winning them at Del Mar, and lots of other Thoroughbred places, for over three decades.

It was also a first, and a double-dip benefit for jockey Flavien Prat, aboard Message for Baffert. Peter Miller trains Proud Emma, who was ridden by Mike Smith.

It was the 11^th stakes win of the meeting for Prat, two short of the track's single-season record for jockeys with eight more black-type events on the calendar. It also moved Prat back into a tie with Umberto Rispoli atop the rider standings with 36 wins each.

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