ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, LIL SYDNEY

FIRST RACE

FOREIGN PROTOCOL, a Northern California-based four-time winner, gets the call in this claiming sprint for 3-year-olds. He returned to form three weeks ago with a decisive win vs. low-level claiming 3yos at Pleasanton, he has won twice at this five and a half-furlong distance, and his figures are appropriate for this level. Off the pace and into the winner’s circle to give No Cal-based Quinn Howey the first Del Mar victory of his training career. OCTOPUS is speed, first start since a romping maiden-32 win on this racetrack last fall. Sharp workouts for his comeback, he is realistically spotted in a low claiming race. Juan Leyva, assistant to trainer John Sadler, is currently calling the shots. The colt’s owner, Hronis Racing, was the leading Del Mar owner the past three summer meets. MISTER MCLEAN defeated older N2L claiming rivals last out in his first start on dirt. He will be forwardly placed. Class dropper HYDROGEN adds speed.

SECOND RACE

HANDSOME CAT, who ran the best race of his career last out against older Cal-breds, drops into a $50k claiming turf sprint for 3yos. He chased a fast pace last time and held his position; this field is easier. The speedsters drawn inside flatter his closing rally. SHOOTIN MONEY also ran well last out, third after chasing fast fractions in a turf sprint at this level. He is sharp, has more speed than the top choice, and should get first run if/ when the two speedsters falter. CARPE VICTORIAM was claimed by Hronis/Leyva/Sadler from a $40k dirt mile win last out at Churchill Downs. Not sure if he benefits by the surface switch to grass, but his dirt form is solid. FINAL FINAL goes route to sprint, allowance to claiming, synthetic to turf. He will make the last run. SHARP WARNING and D K’S CROWN are the aforementioned speedsters that help insure an honest pace.

THIRD RACE

Second start back from a layoff and dropping to rock-bottom maiden-20, DA KINE gets the nod. He ran the best race of his career the only time he raced on Del Mar dirt last summer, he may have been too close to the pace in his sixth-place comeback vs. maiden-40 company. Easier foes, likely off-pace strategy second start back, and possible wagering value as a non-favorite. No Cal-based BIGFOOT CITY drops from special-weight all the way to maiden-20 for his first start on dirt. His two sprints vs. special-weight maidens on synthetic at Golden Gate compare favorably to this field. TROJAN MAGIC looms a potential favorite/potential pacesetter, dropping to his lowest level and cutting back to one turn after setting the pace and fading in a maiden-40 mile at Los Alamitos. He is expected to vie for favoritism, but his form has been on a steady decline and front-runners have not won their fair share here the past two summers at seven furlongs. TROJAN MAGIC could win nonetheless, but he sure looks like an underlay. CONVEX drops in class for his comeback, first since he was gelded.

FOURTH RACE

Eleven-start maiden SAPORI GIRL and seven-start maiden SURFACE are the top contenders in this maiden-50 turf mile. Tough to trust either, although the third-place finish last out by SAPORI GIRL was better than it looks on paper. She broke from post 11, was four- and five-wide throughout, yet missed by only two and a half. She moves from post 11 to the rail, and with a ground-saving trip can finally break her maiden. SURFACE pressed and faded in a comeback, her first in more than six months. Her form last fall includes a pair of runner-up finishes in special-weight turf races at Golden Gate; those make her a fit against these. CONSTANTIA is speed, dropping another notch after dueling to deep