Sunday's Best Bet: Heywoods Beach is on the prowl in Cougar II
Sunday's eighth race from Del Mar is the Grade 3 Cougar II Stakes for 3-year-olds and up traveling a mile and a half on the main track. Post time is 8:33 p.m. EDT.
Click here for Del Mar Entries, Results.
No. 3 Heywoods Beach (5-2) stalked and smartly kicked away in a 10-panel optional claimer May 2021, and set the pace and held the show in this race two starts later. He stalked and finished an even fourth in his needed Shoemaker Mile (G1) return May 30, and he is back on dirt and might move forward in his second start after a long layoff.
No. 2 Tizamagician (8-5) is the most likely winner on paper if he is ready to roll in his first start in more than eight months. He won the Tokyo City (G3) and this event last year, and Richard Mandella’s early-pressing type should be in the hunt from the outset under Juan Hernandez.
No. 4 Extra Hope (4-1) has not won since the local Native Diver (G3) in 2020. He exits an encouraging runner-up finish June 11 and fired a local six furlong bullet July 18.
No. 1 Dicey Mo Chara (4-1) exits a close show finish in the All American at Golden Gate on all-weather ground, and landed the place in the San Luis Rey (G3) at this distance on turf March 12. He fits with these if he handles dirt.
Get my expert Del Mar full card picks for June 24 (available now).
Wagers:
No. 3 to win
Trifecta key 3/1-2-4
Superfecta 2-3/2-3/1-4/1-4
Recent best-bet winners
July 1 - Net a Bear ($6.20), trifecta ($87.80)
July 2 - Crystal Cliffs ($4.20) - dead heat
July 3 - Chasing Artie/The Virginian exacta ($29.00)
July 6 - First I've Seen/Hannah's Haven exacta ($17.40)
July 9 - Butterbean/Falconet exacta ($22.00), trifecta ($74.20)
July 11 - Mo Clare's ($6.80)
July 16 - Beren/Wondrwherecraigis/Pickin' Time trifecta ($146.00)
July 21 - Practice Squad ($12.60), exacta ($26.20), trifecta ($31.40)
July 22 - Dolce Zel ($8.60), trifecta ($96.00)
July 23 - Bellabel ($8.00)