Saratoga Daily Notebook

DEL MAR DAILY NOTEBOOK

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005

by Brian P. Turner

A field of six contested Friday's Torrey Pine S. for three-year-old fillies

going eight furlongs on the main track. Bella Banissa (Good and Tough) bounded

to the lead out of the gate and opened up on the field as she guided them

through torrid opening fractions of :22 and :44 4/5. PUSSYCAT DOLL (Real Quiet)

was content to let Bella Banissa have her way on the lead early but began to

close ground on the pace setter as they moved into the final turn.

Bella Banissa dug in gamely but the fractions proved far too tiring and

Pussycat Doll passed her in the stretch drive to hit the finish line four

lengths in front. A very tired Bella Banissa staggered across the wire in

second, six lengths clear of Soldier's Kiss (One Man Army) in third.

There were six sprints on the main track today with horses on or near the

pace winning three and horses coming from off the lead winning three. The lone

route was won by Pussycat Doll closing from off the pace. The only turf race on

the day was a five-furlong sprint which was won in gate-to-wire fashion.

Victor Espinoza picked up three wins on the day while Garrett Gomez only

picked up one, which allowed Espinoza to widen his lead in the jockey standings.

The score currently stands at 47 to 44. Patrick Valenzuela picked up a win today

as well and remains in third with 36 winners for the meet.

As for the trainers, Jeff Mullins saddled a winner today and Bob Baffert

saddled two, but Mullins still has the lead in the standings by a score of 21 to

19. Doug O'Neill remains in third with 16 winners to date.

Horses to Watch

1ST - TOO MUCH GEORGE (Muqtarib) had a career debut that was better than what

it looks like in the charts. The two-year-old colt broke extremely slow in this

5 1/2-furlong maiden claiming event and was at the back of the pack early. Too

Much George finally began to get his head in the game in the stretch drive and

closed with a nice turn of foot to finish fourth. The dark bay was extremely

green but definitely appears to have some talent.

5TH - HIDDEN BEATUY (Cahill Road) was claimed from trainer Frank Monteleone

two starts ago and he immediately claimed her right back in her next start,

where she ran 10TH, beaten by 10 1/4 lengths. The four-year-old filly found new

life though with the return to Monteleone's barn as she guided this claiming

field through early fractions of :21 4/5 and :44 2/5 before sprinting clear in

the stretch drive to hit the wire seven widening lengths in front.

Tomorrow's Outlook - Saturday, September 3

A pair of stakes races highlights Saturday's card at Del Mar and kicks off in

the 4TH race with the $200,000 Palomar Breeders' Cup H. (G2). Contested at 1

1/16 miles over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course, the Palomar has attracted a solid

field of six fillies and mares headed by INTERCONTINENTAL (GB) (Danehill). The

five-year-old mare will be looking to rebound off of her third-place effort last

out in the John C. Mabee H. (G1) here at Del Mar. The bay had some troubles in

that race but finished evenly to come up 1 1/2 lengths short. Intercontinental

has had her greatest success with Jerry Bailey in the irons and he will be

making the trip in from New York in an attempt to once more guide her to the

winner's circle.

Standing in her way will be AMORAMA (Fr) (Sri Pekan), who pulled off the

upset over Intercontinental in the Mabee. The dark bay has been gradually

improving all year and she is a perfect two for two over the Del Mar lawn.

KATDOGAWN (GB) (Bahhare) will be making her first start since early July and

could make things interesting with a top effort, provided she is ready to roll

after her brief vacation.

FLIP FLOP (Fr) (Zieten) failed dismally in her one effort against stakes

company since coming to North America but has looked impressive in her two

starts against allowance company. It wouldn't be wise to dismiss her. After

being off the board only once in 10 starts through all of last year, TICKER TAPE

(GB) (Royal Applause [GB]) has yet to visit the winner's circle in four starts

this year. A return to her old form, though, would definitely make her a factor.

Saturday's other stakes offering comes in the 8TH race as a field of 11,

including one coupled entry and one who is also eligible, is scheduled to go to

the gate for the El Cajon S. Contested at eight furlongs on the main track, the

El Cajon has brought together an evenly matched field of three-year-olds

including Grade 2-placed DOVER DERE (Cherokee Run), who trainer Doug O'Neill

will be running as part of a coupled entry with GOLD BRIDLE (Untuttable).

Saturday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to

upper 70s.

Saturday's Best Plays

7TH - SOMUCH HIGHER (Horse Chestnut [SAf]) has looked good in each of his

first two tries on the lawn and fits in very well in this starter allowance

field. The chestnut began his career on the grass with a half-length victory

against maiden claiming company before coming back to finish second, beaten by

only a head, against the same level he will be facing today. The three-year-old

gelding's BRIS Speed ratings on the grass are on par with the best of these and

he is near the top in BRIS Prime Power as well. Trainer Craig Dollase, who wins

15 percent of his turf starts, has enlisted Gomez, who wins with 14 percent of

his turf mounts, for the ride.

8TH - ICED OUT (Comic Strip) is a third runner for O'Neill in the El Cajon

but will be running as a separate betting interest from the coupled entry. The

dark bay really came to life at the first part of the year after being moved

into O'Neill's barn. Iced Out put in a solid second-place effort in the San

Rafael S. (G2) at Santa Anita in January before coming back in February for a

fifth-place finish in the Risen Star S. (G3), where he was beaten by only 2 1/4

lengths. Afterwards, Iced Out went on vacation and did not return until August

11, where he finished a troubled fourth against optional claiming company on the

grass here at Del Mar. The turf race should have served as a nice little prep

for the colt, setting him up for a solid effort here today. O'Neill is an 18

percent "Turf to Dirt" trainer and wins 13 percent of the Non-Graded stakes

races he has a runner in. Iced Out's best BRIS Speed ratings on the dirt stand

with the top of this field and he appears to have a solid chance here at what

should be a fair price.