Saturday's Best Bet: Slow Down Andy can quicken in San Diego
Saturday’s eighth race at Del Mar is the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap for 3-year-olds and up traveling 1 1/6 miles on the main track. The scheduled post time is 8:39 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Del Mar entries and results.
No. 1 Slow Down Andy (5-1) is a consistent colt for Doug O’Neill. He won the Los Al Futurity in 2021 and captured the local Del Mar Derby on turf last summer. He ended 2022 with show finishes in the Awesome Again and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. He returned in an impossible spot in the Met Mile on June 10 and he attended the pace and faded. He landed the place in both local starts and will probably save ground stalking likely pacesetter No. 10 Brickyard Ride.
No. 6 Defunded (8-5) is using this as a prep for the Pacific Classic. He won the Awesome Again and local Native Diver last year. In four starts in 2023, he was second in the Pegasus, a close third in the Big ‘Cap, and captured the Californian and Gold Cup. Juan Hernandez rides him well and he is the best horse on paper.
No. 5 American Admiral (6-1) is 3-for-18 overall with nine minor placings. He exits a relatively fast flat mile allowance win at Santa Anita and should work out a decent tactical trip under his winning rider Ramon Vazquez. He is 0-for-4 with a pair of runner-up finishes at Del Mar and I like him more underneath.
No. 4 Missed the Cut (5-1) was no match for American Admiral in his stateside debut on June 11. He won three races in Great Britain at 1 1/4 miles last year and is most likely using this as a prep for the Pacific Classic. John Sadler’s Quality Road colt drilled a local half-mile gate bullet for this on July 22.
Wagers
No. 1 to win
Exacta Box 1-6
Trifecta 1-6/1-4-5-6/1-4-5-6
Recent Best Bet winners
July 3 – Surly Furious ($4.20)
July 5 – Nobody Listens/Latigo exacta ($26.20)
July 6 – Katie M’lady/Trail Ridge Road exacta ($7.60)
July 7 – Coastal Charm ($6.80)
July 9 – Katonah ($4.60), exacta ($13), trifecta ($111.20)
July 11 – Bengala Joy/Lovely Ever After exacta ($16.40), trifecta ($38)
July 16 – Clovisconnection/Lloyd’s Logic/Jin Tong trifecta ($12.40)
Last Saturday – Warrens Candy Girl ($22.20)
Sunday – Du Jour ($11.60)
Wednesday – Amanda's Folly/Sweet Mystery exacta ($9)
Thursday – Tom Horn/Devil Moon quinella ($25), trifecta ($284.60)
Friday - Amy C ($9.20)