Lord Simba regroups in sprint

DEL MAR, Calif. – Lord Simba was kept out of the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on July 29 after his trainer, Bob Baffert, opted to start Drefong, the champion sprinter of 2016.

“I didn’t think I would need him,” Baffert said of Lord Simba.

Drefong was less than a furlong into the six-furlong race when he veered to the inside and unseated Mike Smith. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

For the second half of August, Baffert is starting over with his sprinters. Lord Simba runs in a strong optional claimer at six furlongs at Del Mar on Saturday. Drefong is bound for Saratoga and the Grade 1 Forego Stakes on Aug. 26.

The optional claimer will be the first start for Lord Simba since a third as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 2 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita on May 20. Lord Simba won the Grade 3 Los Angeles Stakes at six furlongs at Santa Anita on April 15 in his stakes debut.

From Baffert’s perspective, Lord Simba has room for improvement.

“I think he might be below the good ones,” Baffert said. “He works with Drefong and works well with him.”

Owned by Susan and Charles Chu, Lord Simba is part of a field of six and is the only 2017 stakes winner in the field.

Trainer Peter Miller has two speedy runners in Distinctive B and Prime Issue.

Distinctive B was second in an optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs here July 21, his first start since January. Prime Issue has won his last two starts – a $35,000 claimer at Santa Anita on July 2 and an optional claimer here July 23, when he was eligible to be claimed for $40,000.

Battle of Midway works

Battle of Midway, who finished third in the Kentucky Derby and most recently was sixth in the Haskell Invitational, worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 early Thursday morning under jockey Flavien Prat and is likely to head to Remington Park for the Grade 3, $400,000 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 24, trainer Jerry Hollendorfer said.

Battle of Midway had been under consideration for the Grade 2, $250,000 Del Mar Derby on turf Sept. 3, but Hollendorfer said he will remain on dirt for now.

“He runs well on dirt,” Hollendorfer said. “We’ll keep him on dirt.”

Battle of Midway won the Grade 3 Affirmed at Santa Anita and was second in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby this year.

Also on Thursday, a pair of top contenders for the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Debutante for 2-year-old fillies on Sept. 2 worked, with Poetic going five furlongs in 1:00.20 under Smith for trainer Richard Mandella, and Just a Smidge six furlongs from the gate in 1:12.60 under Martin Garcia for Baffert.

All-stakes pick four wagers

Saratoga and Del Mar will conduct the first of two allstakes pick four wagers Saturday.

The 50-cent bet includes two races from Saratoga – the Lake Placid Stakes and Alabama Stakes – and two races from Del Mar – the Pacific Classic and Del Mar Oaks.

The Lake Placid is the first leg, with a post time of 1:49 p.m. Pacific. The Del Mar Oaks, the final leg, has a post time of approximately 6:30 p.m.

The bets will have California’s takeout rate of 23.68 percent for pick four wagers.

Responsible for love determined

Responsible for love struck the rail in the first half-mile of the 1 3/8-mile CTT and TOC Handicap here Wednesday, unexpectedly raced toward the back of the field for the first mile, and was in traffic on the rail on the turn.

Responsible for love found racing room in early stretch under jockey Joe Talamo and closed about five lengths in the final furlong to win the turf race by a head over 3-1 Place des Vosges.

“I didn’t think she’d get through,” winning trainer Neil Drysdale said.

Responsible for love ($10.20) won her first stakes in the United States in the $80,980 CTT and TOC Handicap. She won a stakes in Italy in 2016.

She could run next in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 30.