We’re heading to the racetrack for an afternoon and evening of horse racing picks. It should be a good day with some notable racecourses operating. Saratoga, Del Mar, Woodbine, and Monmouth Park are all cards on Friday.
Our first stop is at Del Mar in California. Del Mar has eight races worth $621,000 in prize money. Head below for our best Del Mar picks on August 5, 2022.
Race 2
Race 2 is a $25,000 event covering 6 ½ furlongs on the dirt. Look for Alleva and Gray Magician to have a strong chance in the second event at Del Mar.
Gray Magician is 3 for 26 and 4th, 4th, 7th in his previous three starts. In his latest performance, Gray Magician finished 4th in a $34,000 event on July 22.
That could have gone better after doing the same on June 5 at Santa Anita for a $26,00 purse. That effort was less acceptable. Alleva should be the biggest threat to Gray Magician and the rest of the field.
Alleva is 4 for 25 and 1st, 2nd, 6th in his previous three starts. In his most recent attempt, Alleva beat Facts Matter by a nose for $22,000. That was nice work and posted an impressive speed figure of 86.
Prior to that trip, Alleva placed 2nd behind Stay Happy by 2 ½ lengths in a $24,000 event. That wasn’t all that bad, either. Alleva looks like the one.
Race 3
Race 3 is a 5-furlong event for an $86,000 purse. Air Force Red and Give Me the Lute should have a strong presence in the stretch run in this one.
Air Force Red has finished 1st, 1st, 8th, 1st, 4th in five career starts. He is coming off back-to-back wins and looking for the hat trick at Del Mar.
In his latest win, Air Force Red beat Irideo by a half-length in a $72,000 event. Air Force Red was coming off a 2 ½ length win over Mubtadaa on April 30 for a $69,00 prize.
Give Me the Lute is a stakes runner with graded experience. The gelding is 1st, 6th, 2nd, 1st in his previous four outings.
He’s coming off a win by a neck for a $50,000 purse on June 11 in the Albany Stakes at Golden Gate Fields. He also looked sharp in a Grade 2 assignment three races back in a graded assignment.
Give Me the Lute placed 2nd behind Lieutenant Dan by 2 ¼ lengths in the $100,000 Green Flash Handicap (Gr. 2). Since June 7, 2020, Give Me the Lute has posted a speed figure 92 or better in nine straight races.
The value on Give Me the Lute makes him an attractive bet versus this field.
Race 6 – Good Deal Stakes
The $175,000 Good Deal Stakes covers 7 furlongs on the dirt. Big City Lights and Slow Down Andy should get involved at the wire in Race 6.
Big City Lights is a perfect two-for-two in his career. He was a winner as a first-time runner on May 2. That was an impressive attempt to beat Barsini Red by 12 ½ lengths in a $61,000 event.
The colt defeated Bochombo by 7 ¼ lengths in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity on June 20, 2021. Since then, Big City Lights has been on a break. He has been on fire in workouts, so I can’t see his form differing much.
Big City Lights was timed at 58.80 seconds at 4 furlongs on July 29. That was incredibly impressive. He’s going to need that to beat Slow Down Andy, a son of Derby winner Nyquist.
Slow Down Andy is 3 for 6 and has won big stakes races. He won the $300,000 Los Alamitos Futurity (Gr. 2) on December 11. Slow Down Andy beat Messier impressively by 1 length.
In his most recent graded event, Slow Down Andy won two races back in the $500,000 Sunland Park Derby (Gr. 3) on March 27. Slow Down Andy beat Bye Bye Bobby by a half-length in another impressive effort.
From the inside, Slow Down Andy should have the advantage against a determined Big City Lights. In a good one at the wire, Slow Down Andy likely has this race.
