Christopher Ado’s Del Mar Handicap
Spot Play Selections, Analysis, and Wagering Strategies
Del Mar Wednesday August 16, 2006
Race 6: Allowance N1X, 1-1/16 Miles, Three year olds and upward PRECISE ALLOY (#2, 8-1) is an intriguing price play to begin the Pacific
Classic week here at Del Mar. A winner of only one in five starts, he has
not won over a fast main track in four starts as he broke his maiden over a
sloppy and wet sealed surface at Golden Gate this past April. However, his
previous two starts on a fast surface are better than their second and
fourth place finishes would suggest respectively and looms the controlling
speed under super apprentice rider Martin Garcia for trainer John Sadler as
those two have combined to win 24% of their starts together since the
beginning of last year. He made his only start for a claiming price on May
27 at Hollywood Park in a six furlong sprint and lost more ground than his
two and quarter length margin of defeat would indicate. He found himself
forcing the early fractions while four wide down the backstretch and
continued racing in that path down the backside as he dropped back into the
far turn racing along side the eventual winner. He continued racing four
wide through the far turn, into the stretch and could have easily thrown in
the towel after losing valuable ground from the start to the top of the lane
but stayed on with his business and rallied for second behind the tiring pace
setter Zayed, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 89 which is close to the
average winning speed figure for this class level (Beyer par 93). He would
return at this class level and stretch out to two turns for the first
time on July 9 at Hollywood Park and ran a whole lot better than his six and
half length margin of defeat would indicate. In a field with three other
speed horses breaking inside of this Precise End gelding, he was force to
lose ground into the first turn while racing four wide into the clubhouse
turn and continued in that path down the backstretch after stalking or
pressing a brutal pace for the first half mile in 22.75 and 45.48 seconds.
He continued three to four paths off the rail into the far turn pressing a
merciful six furlongs in 1:09.98-seconds and rightfully could not summon a
rally through the stretch to finish fourth in a race that set up for the
closers in which the first and second place finishers rallied from sixth and
seventh. The strength of that race has already been confirmed as the
runner-up, Top This and That, would returned to win Allowance N2X in his
next start making that a productive “key” race. He draws a much better post
position (post two) and does not find a field loaded with other speed that
compromised his wide journey last time. In addition, he has bounced back with
four solid works including working five furlongs in a sharp 59 2/5 seconds of
which Andy Harrington stated he “Pulled hard down the backside with Martin
Garcia up going 35.2 breezing home in 59.1. Hard trying gelding holds edge.”
With his speed closest to the rail he looms the pace setter and having the
lead after the second pace call is not a detriment on this surface as six of
the thirteen races at today’s trip were won by horses on the lead after the
second pace call and Precise Alloy is fast enough, razor sharp, and fit’s
the track profile of a horse that should take this field coast to coast at a
very generous price.
Wagering Strategies:
Play the (2) PRECISE ALLOY to WIN (Minimum fair odds of 4-1 or better) Main Exactas: 2-1, 2-6, and 2-8. Small reverse for each.
Spot Play Selections, Analysis, and Wagering Strategies
Del Mar Wednesday August 16, 2006
Race 6: Allowance N1X, 1-1/16 Miles, Three year olds and upward PRECISE ALLOY (#2, 8-1) is an intriguing price play to begin the Pacific
Classic week here at Del Mar. A winner of only one in five starts, he has
not won over a fast main track in four starts as he broke his maiden over a
sloppy and wet sealed surface at Golden Gate this past April. However, his
previous two starts on a fast surface are better than their second and
fourth place finishes would suggest respectively and looms the controlling
speed under super apprentice rider Martin Garcia for trainer John Sadler as
those two have combined to win 24% of their starts together since the
beginning of last year. He made his only start for a claiming price on May
27 at Hollywood Park in a six furlong sprint and lost more ground than his
two and quarter length margin of defeat would indicate. He found himself
forcing the early fractions while four wide down the backstretch and
continued racing in that path down the backside as he dropped back into the
far turn racing along side the eventual winner. He continued racing four
wide through the far turn, into the stretch and could have easily thrown in
the towel after losing valuable ground from the start to the top of the lane
but stayed on with his business and rallied for second behind the tiring pace
setter Zayed, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 89 which is close to the
average winning speed figure for this class level (Beyer par 93). He would
return at this class level and stretch out to two turns for the first
time on July 9 at Hollywood Park and ran a whole lot better than his six and
half length margin of defeat would indicate. In a field with three other
speed horses breaking inside of this Precise End gelding, he was force to
lose ground into the first turn while racing four wide into the clubhouse
turn and continued in that path down the backstretch after stalking or
pressing a brutal pace for the first half mile in 22.75 and 45.48 seconds.
He continued three to four paths off the rail into the far turn pressing a
merciful six furlongs in 1:09.98-seconds and rightfully could not summon a
rally through the stretch to finish fourth in a race that set up for the
closers in which the first and second place finishers rallied from sixth and
seventh. The strength of that race has already been confirmed as the
runner-up, Top This and That, would returned to win Allowance N2X in his
next start making that a productive “key” race. He draws a much better post
position (post two) and does not find a field loaded with other speed that
compromised his wide journey last time. In addition, he has bounced back with
four solid works including working five furlongs in a sharp 59 2/5 seconds of
which Andy Harrington stated he “Pulled hard down the backside with Martin
Garcia up going 35.2 breezing home in 59.1. Hard trying gelding holds edge.”
With his speed closest to the rail he looms the pace setter and having the
lead after the second pace call is not a detriment on this surface as six of
the thirteen races at today’s trip were won by horses on the lead after the
second pace call and Precise Alloy is fast enough, razor sharp, and fit’s
the track profile of a horse that should take this field coast to coast at a
very generous price.
Wagering Strategies:
Play the (2) PRECISE ALLOY to WIN (Minimum fair odds of 4-1 or better) Main Exactas: 2-1, 2-6, and 2-8. Small reverse for each.
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