Saturday's Best Bet: Turnerloose runs free in Yellow Ribbon
Saturday’s ninth race at Del Mar is the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap for fillies and mares traveling 1 1/6 miles on the turf course. The scheduled post time is 9:15 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Del Mar entries and results.
No. 2 Turnerloose (8-1) won a turf route stakes race at Kentucky Downs in 2021, and captured the Rachel Alexandra on dirt last year. She placed in two other turf route stakes in 2022 and Brad Cox was her trainer. This is her first start in more than nine months and Phil D’Amato is her new conditioner. Antonio Fresu is a profitable turf pilot and he is 0-for-4 with this outfit. She shows four local works for this and two were on turf. This competitive heat is a good spot to take a price and this filly should offer value.
No. 1 Closing Remarks (5-2) graduated at Del Mar in 2020 and placed in two local stakes races in 2021. The 2021 Cal Cup Oaks winner made the grade in the Royal Heroine earlier this year. Umberto Rispoli hops aboard and she should save ground behind the speed.
No. 3 Spirit and Glory (6-1) stalked and scored in the Miss Liberty at Monmouth on May 28, and was an even fifth in the Eatontown at that same venue last time. She could not have found a better spot and her new rider Hector Berrios excels on turf. Her trainer Falcone Jr. struggles with his graded stakes starters.
No. 5 Lucky Girl (5-1) was marooned out in post 14 in the restricted Osunitas on July 22. She did not have the smoothest journey and ended up finishing midfield. I hate those bunched up finishes so I am definitely concerned about the strength of the race she exits. She has always been a tricky horse to ride and Joe Bravo has had the most success with her. Getting her to settle is key. She is 0-for-4 at Del Mar.
No. 4 School Dance (3-1) won three races last year including a local turf route, and just missed in the American Oaks. She dropped her last four stakes starts but did land the place in the Royal Heroine. She reconnects with her winning rider Ramon Vazquez and she is one of several contenders in a wide open race.
No. 6 Ganadora (6-1) tries turf for the first time and dam has produced two turf winners. Juan Hernandez is 3-for-3 with her and Bob Baffert’s Quality Road filly is probably the target.
No. 7 Awake At Midnyte (4-1) was second in the Osunitas last time. She is just 2-for-15 with six runner-up finishes and I like her better in sprint races.
Get Jarrod’s Del Mar analysis.
Wagers
No. 2 to win
Exacta Box 1-2
Trifecta 1-2/1-2-3-5/1-2-3-5
Recent Best Bet winners
July 22 – Warrens Candy Girl ($22.20)
July 23 – Du Jour ($11.60)
July 26 – Amanda's Folly/Sweet Mystery exacta ($9)
July 27 – Tom Horn/Devil Moon quinella ($25), trifecta ($284.60)
July 28 – Amy C ($9.20)
July 30 – Gold Phoenix ($11)
Last Friday – Bus Buzz ($5.80), trifecta ($82.80)
Last Saturday – Carmelita's Man ($13.60), trifecta ($199.20)
Sunday – Maltese Falcon/Panic Alarm/Agency trifecta ($173.40)