La Jolla Handicap 2013 at Del Mar Race Track

Las Vegas, NV - The Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap takes place this Saturday, August 10 from Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, California. Three year olds will take to the track and chase the winner's share of the $150,000 purse over 1 1/16 miles on Del Mar's turf track.

A field of nine three year olds will take to the track in the La Jolla Handicap - race 8 on Del Mar's Saturday schedule. Post time is 5:40 PM. Let's take a brief look into the past performances of all nine combatants for this Grade 2 stakes - the last major prep for the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby September 1.

2013 La Jolla Handicap Race Favorites

Greeley Awesome - John Sadler trained colt most recently finished an OK second in the minor Oceanside Stakes over names like Den's Legacy and Si Sage after a Claiming score at Hollywood Park June 9. He has four wins, two seconds and two third place finishes in 15 career starts but steps up in graded stakes company for the first time Saturday. He looked good in the Oceanside on this track earlier in the meet - a lot is expected this week as well.

Freakin Rocket - races for just the fourth time in his career for trainer Tim Yakteen. He started his career with two wins at Hollywood Park and most recently finished a respectable third in his stakes debut - at the minor Oceanside on this track July 17 behind Greeley Awesome and Gervinho after holding the lead up until the stretch of that race. With Mike Smith in the saddle there is reason for optimism that this colt will improve on his Oceanside effort.

La Jolla Handicap 2013 | Remaining Field Entries

Rosengold - has six career starts and four wins - four straight between January and June of this year including three minor stakes scores. Included in that are the Tsunami Slew at Hollywood Park June 23, the Pasadena Stakes in March and the Baffle Stakes in January. Last time out was his worst start since his debut however - a fourth in the Oceanside Stakes here July 17. He will be looking to rebound from that effort and certainly has shown the form to run with the leaders!

Si Sage - French bred colt makes just his second start on North American soil - the first being a fifth in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 17. At home he had three wins, five seconds and a third place finish in 11 career starts. He is highly regarded but has yet to prove himself quite yet in North America.

La Jolla Handicap betting at Del Mar Race Track with OffTrackBetting.com

Den's Legacy - Bob Baffert trained colt was second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint Preview Stakes November 3. He followed that with an impressive win in the Grade 3 Generous Stakes on turf November 24. He had a decent third in the CashCall December 15, a nice second in the Grade 3 Sham Stakes on dirt January 5 and followed that with a second in the Grade 2 Robert B. Lewis February 2. He was thought to be on the Triple Crown trail this year with a third in the Grade 3 Rebel Stakes March 16 at Oaklawn Park but had a sixth in the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby April 13. He bounced back with a respectable second in the Grade 2 Affirmed June 2 but most recently fell back to earth with a sixth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 17. He has certainly been up and down and has not realized the potential Mr. Baffert thought he had early in the year.

Dry Summer - entered the Sunland Derby lat time out having won two in a row - the minor Mine That Bird Derby February 23 and an Allowance January 27 but failed to fire in the Sunland finishing eighth of nine. His other graded stakes results were less-than-impressive as well - a fourth in the Grade 3 Sham January 5, an eleventh in the Breeders' Cup and an eighth in the Grade 1 Frontrunner at Santa Anita in September. Dry Summer will be looking to get back to the winning ways he enjoyed at the beginning of the year - hopes are that four months away and a switch to turf will have done him some good.

Dice Flavor - Patrick Gallagher trained colt made his stakes debut with an upset win in the Grade 3 El Camino Real Derby at 9-1 odds at Golden Gate February 16 after a win and two third place finishes in four career starts. He broke maiden at Hollywood Park in December and had a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita February 1 as well. He finished fourth in the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap June 2 after an unsuccessful trip to Dubai - an eighth place finish in the Grade 2 U.A.E Derby March 30 and most recently was third in the four horse Grade 2 Swaps at Hollywood Park July 4. Dice Flavor has two wins and three third place finishes in eight career starts.

Uno Dos Adios - will make his stakes debut Saturday after five career starts yielded two wins and a third place finish. Last time out was one of those wins - an Allowance at Hollywood Park June 27.

Pure Loyalty - raced to a tenth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity last September but went on to place in six straight including a second in the minor Tsunami Slew Stakes two back. Last time out was an eighth in an Allowance Optional Claiming here July 19.