Sunday's Best Bet: Gold Phoenix can rise in Eddie Read
Sunday’s ninth race at Del Mar is the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes for 3-year-olds and up traveling 1 1/8 miles on the turf course. The scheduled post time is 9:09 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Del Mar entries and results.
No. 2 Gold Phoenix (4-1) is a fresh gelding trying to rediscover sharp form. He won the Del Mar Handicap (G2) last summer and was a close third in the John Henry Turf Championship (G2). He started his current campaign with an upset in the Kilroe Mile (G1) and was the beaten favorite when finishing an even fourth in the Charles Whittingham (G2). He was unplaced in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) last time. His new rider Hector Berrios is a very good turf pilot, and he could easily bounce back with a big effort in this spot.
No. 9 Count Again (3-1) is a flat-mile specialist with a nice, late kick. This is his first start in more than a year, and Phil D’Amato seemingly has him ready to roll. It is nice to see Umberto Rispoli hopping aboard. His best effort in three starts at 1 1/8 miles was a show finish in this race in 2021.
No. 5 Dicey Mo Chara (6-1) is 1-for-13 in the stakes ranks. That is the bad news. The good news for exotics players is his half-dozen runner-up and show finishes. Juan Hernandez stays put, and he probably will finish somewhere in the top three. He has struck twice at this course and distance.
No. 4 Masteroffoxhounds (8-1) was in good form prior to adding blinkers in his last pair. He removes the blinkers, and his early-pressing versatility should lead to a comfortable trip under his new rider Edwin Maldonado.
Wagers
No. 2 to win
Exacta box 2-9
Trifecta 2-9/2-4-5-9/2-4-5-9
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)
Last 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)