Del Mar Handicap at Del Mar
Las Vegas, NV - Del Mar Race Track will host the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap this Saturday, August 25. Horses three years old and upward will race one and three eighth miles on Del Mar's turf track in search of their share of the $200,000 purse.
The Del Mar Handicap has drawn a field of nine to go in race 8 on Del Mar's Saturday card. The winner of this race gains an automatic bid into the Breeders' Cup Turf - needless to say this is an important weekend! Post time is 5:30 PM. Let's take a look at the credentials of all nine combatants and what brought them to this Grade 2 event.
2012 Del Mar Handicap Race Favorites
Dhaamer - enters the Del Mar Handicap on a two race win streak - the Round Table Stakes on May 13 by four and a half lengths and an impressive win in the Grade 3 Sunset Handicap last time out. Before that was an OK fourth in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita on April 22 and a second in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup Stakes at Santa Anita on March 24. Dhaamer has five wins in 14 career stars and is clearly peaking right now.
Interaction - Former Argentinean Horse of the Year Interaction is coming off a win in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hollywood Park on June 16 and a very good second last time out to Acclamation in the Grade 1 Eddie read Stakes here on July 21. He did have some disappointing results to end 2011 however - a ninth in the Grade 2 Bernard Baruch Handicap, an eighth in the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap and a seventh in the Grade 2 Dubai City of Gold. Hall of Fame trainer Ron McNally took over Interaction two starts ago and seems to have turned things around.
Del Mar Handicap 2012 | Remaining Field Entries
Casino Host - bounced back after two straight disappointing results - a seventh in the Colonial Turf Cup Stakes and a fourth in the Grade 2 Dixie with an OK third last time out in the Grade 1 Eddie Read Stakes here on July 21. Before those results he looked good in posting two straight wins in 2012 - the Grade 2 Mervin H. Muniz Jr. Memorial Handicap at Fair Grounds on April 1 and Allowance score at Gulfstream on February 4. Casino Host has been good in the past, is a graded stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed - he could surprise if he puts it all together on Saturday.
Hog's Hollow - had a decent third in the Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes behind Bourbon Bay in March but has struggled since - a fifth in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Hollywood Park June 16 followed another fifth in the Grade 2 San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita in March. Last time out was an OK fourth in the Grade 1 Eddie Read on this track July 21.
Del Mar Handicap betting at Del Mar with OffTrackBetting.com
Worth Repeating - returned after a long layoff to a fifth in the Santana Mile Stakes at Santa Anita on March 18 and followed that up with another disappointment - a seventh in the Grade 3 San Francisco Mile. Since then he has looked better - a fourth and a third in a pair of Allowance Optional Claiming were followed by a very impressive second to Richard's Kid last time out in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap here on July 27.
Dynamic Host - Dynamic Host had a pair of third place finished in two Allowance Optional Claiming races to start his year but won the Grade 3 Tokyo City Stakes in upset fashion on March 23. Since then has been a pair of minor stakes races - a fourth in the Round Table Stakes, and a second in the Prove It Stakes behind Richard's Kid - both races at Hollywood Park. Last time out was a fourth in the Grade 3 Cougar II Handicap here on July 27.
Brushburn - had two wins and a third place finish in 2010 before a two year layoff. Brushburn retuned July 22 to an OK second in the minor California Dreamin' Handicap here.
Fire With Fire - will make his graded stakes debut and has raced six straight Allowance races with three seconds and a third place finish. Fire With Fire hasn't tasted victory in over a year - an Allowance at Saratoga.
Temple's Door - is coming off an Allowance Optional Claiming score - his first win in 15 months. Temple's Door started 2012 with a seventh in an Allowance Optional Claiming and followed it with a third in an Allowance before his most recent win here on August 5.
