Delaware Park picks and analysis: August 21, 2024 * The Racing Biz

Delaware Park picks and analysis: August 21, 2024

Picks and analysis for this afternoon’s card from Delaware Park:

RACE 1

5. Highs N Goes	Takes drop after flashing brief speed versus special weight foes
4. Flex Warrior	Half to a first-out winner and by a sire who wins with 12% of 2yo firsters; trainer Shuman 2-for-18 with debut 2yos
2. Bobby Rocky Jake	While figs are clearly best of these, has been pretty well beaten in both starts one level up

RACE 2

3. Minxzluckystarfyre	Consistent sort takes appropriate drop and should be in a good spot to leave three-life condition; willing in latest despite breaking slowly, and we expect him to be closer to the front today
1. Kick Startness	Speedster had it all his own way in latest and galloped but seems likely to be pushed harder up front here
4. Marcus Junius	Bit of a freshening after latest, which was fifth consecutive runner-up finish

RACE 3

5. Dirty Gold	Promising debut despite greenness in the stretch; Centeno in the irons a plus
1. Purring	Hasn’t missed by much in multiple tries; was always going to be tough for this one to rally in latest when pace slowed to a crawl
4. Stella d’Amore	Both siblings ran well on debut, including one winner

CHECK OUT THE LATEST OFF TO THE RACES RADIO!

RACE 4

2. Darvesh	Best efforts probably good enough to graduate here; grinding run in latest while under a drive virtually throughout the race; new pilot Hernandez will likely be busy on this one
1. Heavy Equipment	Pretty promising debut in a race that produced three next out winners — but that was 11 months ago; gelded since and gets Lasix on but drop into claiming ranks not a terrific endorsement
4. Cajun Cruiser	Easier company probably a plus here

RACE 5

6. Cigale	Broke his maiden at the Spa last summer as a juvenile; gelded since latest and gets back to turf sprinting for first time since graduation score
7. Autumns Strong Man	First outing on turf netted at 82 Beyer fig, which likely wins this heat; in two tries on the lawn since, he faced stakes animals over yielding ground and tried a mile
4. Wora	We’ve been chasing this guy all meet; has beaten better

RACING NOTES

Jockey Francisco Martinez had three mounts at Delaware Saturday and won with all three. He swept the early double with 13-1 debut runner Brooklyn Rhapsody and 8-5 Lucky Lucky Luke both for trainer Angel Sanchez-Pinero, and then he took the fifth with 7-1 Ayeartoremember trying turf for the first time for John Kirby…
How good a meet is bug rider Gabriel Maldonado having? He’s won 39 races to date, while the odds would have predicted 28.21 wins. That mark — 10.79 wins above expectations — is light years ahead of any other rider. Pedro Cotto, with 2.97 wins above expectations at the meet, is next…
On the trainer side, Graham Motion (10-for-30 at the meet) has provided the highest number of wins above expectations. His 10 wins are 4.12 above what his odds would have predicted…

RACE 6

3. Kiss Me Hardy	Troubled trip when beaten favorite in latest at this level; should be able to find a good trip off speed duo
4. Dancing On My Own	Has finished behind #1 here in last two but keeps running good races; will be part of the pace mix
1. Respectfully	Wins on best but the abrupt drop to $20k following a loss at 2-5 and voided claim feel like question marks

RACE 7 – Cape Henlopen Stakes

2. Limited Liability	Was closest to the early pace of any of the three in the photo in Belmont Gold Cup in a race in which the pace was fast, and collapsed
4. Really Good	Owns a win over the Delaware lawn
3. The Grey Wizard	Needed every inch of two miles to get up in Belmont Gold Cup; suspect the cutback hurts him more than others

RACE 8

5. Fia First	Has run two pretty good races since return from the bench and makes third of the cycle
10. Big Bolt	Return to main track a positive
3. City Kiss	Brutal beat in latest when leading every step but the last one at 30-1