SIXTH RACE

start of the year as a leading contender. He won a N1X turf route here last summer returning from a layoff; he is among the fastest finishers in the field. YA GOTTA WANNA seems more effective at this shorter distance of a mile and a sixteenth than the mile and one-quarter trip he tried last. He was rank early, unhappy and misfired. He can fly the final quarter-mile in just a shade over 23 seconds. That makes him a threat. The last-out Los Alamitos maiden victory REGULATE was better than the margin or figure (82 Beyer). Wide into the first turn, he sucked back to last, rallied through traffic on the far turn, lost ground wide again into the lane, hit the front and won geared down. Sharp effort by the late-developing colt, who was making his first start since he was gelded. He worked a bullet half-mile since the win and can fire right back in a race with plenty of pace to run at. GIANT INFLUENCE drops from N2X to run for the optional $40k claim tag in his third start back from a layoff. His fastest races are fast enough for this level. A similar comment applies to RIVER ECHO, who stretches back out and drops in for the optional tag. DIVISOR is a Del Mar horse-for-course; he trounced starter allowance sprinters here last fall. SHIVERMETIMBERS, a 3yo, faced good company early this year. Bullet works for his comeback. SHOW ME DA LUTE, stablemate of the top choice, has not raced since September but appears to have trained well for his return. He does fire fresh.

SEVENTH RACE

BIZWHACKS ran a winning race first out when she set a fast pace under pressure, held off her pace rival, but got collared by a filly that rallied from far back. Big effort by the daughter of first-crop sire Fed Biz who worked twice since her debut and should make a forward move with a race under her belt. However, she faces a highly regarded milliondollar filly by Medaglia d’Oro. That is BRILL, who is sending all the right signals in morning works. She might be a good one for Jerry Hollendorfer and owner Larry Best. The last time Hollendorfer debuted a 2yo filly by Medaglia d’Oro at Del Mar, in July 2015, she turned out to be pretty good (Songbird). VANGOGO appears to be pure speed, based on a pair of 33-and-change works. She’ll take them as far as she can. TRUE VALIDITY might be ranked too low by this handicapper. She gave the top choice a battle all the wire to the wire in her debut and can only improve.

EIGHTH RACE

The Oceanside Stakes is within reach for improving DESERT STONE, who seeks his third straight following a better-than-looked N1X victory last out. He waited behind runners on the far turn, split foes at the head of the lane, rallied inside and won going away. Sharp win by a colt that turned around his career since transferring to California and moving to the Richard Baltas stable. Jockey Corey Nakatani takes over for Giovanni Franco, who stays with last-out allowance sprint winner CALEXMAN. The latter’s workmanlike victory last out may have been better than it appears. He had a light work pattern going in (just one work), won anyway, and posted three solid drills since. He faced top company much of his career (Justify, Ax Man, McKinzie). There are no such graded winners in this field. CALEXMAN won a mile maiden race on this turf course last fall. ARAWAK has improved this spring and summer; he will roll from behind. That has been the winning style in this race. Since the Del Mar turf course was replaced in 2014, all four Oceanside Stakes winners rallied from the back of the field. TEXAS WEDGE finished a close third last out in a N2X nd turf sprint vs. older. Question is, can he stay a mile? If so, he fits. PEPE TONO will rally late a big price.

NINTH RACE

BLAME JOE crushed low-level maiden-claiming sprinters last out by 10 lengths, and steps up into a starter allowance while stretching to two turns. His pedigree says he should run long. The finishing kick that he showed racing six furlongs suggests he will stay this one-mile trip. SUPER DUPER COOPER, runner-up two of his last three starts at this level, will roll late. HARD FOUGHT was gelded after he was claimed from a disappointing comeback. Trainer Bob Hess Jr. has had much success with the Del Mar ship-and-win program; he won with 6 of his last 20 domestic shippers into Del Mar.

TENTH RACE

Lightly raced DATA CENTRAL is sitting on a maiden win third start back. He finished third as the favorite last out, but the winner led gate to wire and it was just the second start for ‘CENTRAL following a layoff. He ran well finishing second on this course last summer, and should fire his best shot third start back. KAZAN looms an upset candidate from the back of the pack. He finished well in his comeback last month, ran well on this course last summer when third in a stakes race, and will rally late. ZIPMAN is an eight-start maiden with five in-the-money finishes; SELLWOOD was eliminated on the first turn last time; LUCKY SOUL returns from a layoff as a first-time gelding.