Del Mar undercard: Previews, fields for Saturday graded stakes

Deep closer Offlee Naughty brings a 2023 record of 3: 2-1-0, all in Santa Anita graded stakes, into the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap (G2), the last of 11 races Saturday on the Pacific Classic card.

The race is a 1 3/8-mile, win-and-you’re-in qualifier for the Nov. 4 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Santa Anita.

A 5-year-old Flashback horse trained by Michael McCarthy, Offlee Naughty lost last out in the June 18 San Juan Capistrano (G3) to Planetario, who also is among the 11 horses in the Del Mar Handicap.

Click here for Del Mar entries and results.

Planetario won three Group 1 races in his native Brazil before a move north last year to trainer Richard Mandella. He was fifth July 22 in the United Nations (G1) at Monmouth Park.

Gold Phoenix, whose 3: 2-0-1 record at Del Mar includes his win in last year’s running of this race, ended his five-racing losing streak July 30 when he won the 1 1/8-mile Eddie Read (G2) over the same turf course.

After dirt losses in his first two U.S. starts, Missed the Cut returns to the grass. That was the surface on which his four victories in Great Britain were highlighted by a Royal Ascot score in the 2022 Golden Gates Handicap (G2).

Exaulted tries to extend streak in Del Mar Mile

Exaulted looks for his fifth consecutive win when he starts from post 4 against nine other open-company entrants on the turf in the Del Mar Mile (G2).

Trainer Peter Eurton successfully switched the 6-year-old Twirling Candy horse from dirt to grass. The most recent addition to the streak was a half-length win over Irideo on May 29 in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita.

Irideo, sixth-place Du Jour and eighth-place Balnikhov also return from the Shoemaker Mile. Irideo came back to finish sixth July 23 in the Wickerr, which Du Jour won covering the same course and distance as Saturday’s race. Balnikhov placed second July 30 in the Eddie Read (G2).

Faiza tries to rebound in Torrey Pines

It has been three months since previously undefeated Faiza finished third as the odds-on favorite in the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan (G2) at Pimlico. This weekend she is likely to be the top choice again in this cutback to one mile against nine other 3-year-old fillies in the Torrey Pines (G3) on the main track.

Already a four-time graded-stakes winner for trainer Bob Baffert, the $725,000 daughter of Girvin returns to the scene of her debut triumph last fall.

Among the other Torrey Pines entrants, Ocean Club returns to dirt after placing second in the San Clemente (G2) going a mile on the Del Mar turf on July 22. Ceiling Crusher, who won two spring stakes at Santa Anita by a combined 32 lengths, was third in the seven-furlong Fleet Treat on this track July 27.

Lightly raced field is in Green Flash

Much of the field for the Green Flash Handicap (G3) has raced sparingly ahead of this five-furlong qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

In only his second start since winning the March 5 San Simeon (G3) at Santa Anita, Motorious comes off a runner-up finish to Nobals in the Turf Sprint (G2) on the Kentucky Derby undercard.

Off the bench for trainer John Sadler, Bran makes his first start at Del Mar since he was third in last year’s Wickerr.

Kid Corleone finished a close fourth in the Bing Crosby (G1) on July 29 and makes the switch to dirt.

Lane Way has not raced in the seven months since he won the Clocker’s Corner on Jan. 29 at Santa Anita.

Among the recently active entrants, Beer Can Man tries to make amends for his only loss in four tries at Del Mar, a narrow second-place finish in an Aug. 4 allowance. That race was won by Turn On The Jets, who brings a 3-for-3 Del Mar record into the Green Flash.