2016 La Jolla Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Del Mar Race Track in Del Mar, California will be the scene of the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Saturday, August 6. A purse of $150,000 will be on the line for three year olds willing to go 1 1/16 miles on Del Mar's turf track.

A field of 10 will take to the track in the La Jolla Handicap - race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:10 PM. Let's take a peek into the past performances of all 10 combatants for this Grade 3 stakes

2016 La Jolla Handicap Race Preview at Del Mar Race Track

Monster Bea 5-2 - Peter Miller trained gelding has three wins, a second and a third place finish in 10 career starts. He enters on a nice two race win streak - by 2 1/4 lengths in the minor Oceanside Stakes at 12-1 last time out at Del Mar July 15 and an Allowance at Churchill Downs June 10. He placed in just one of his five previous starts however including a fifth in the Grade 2 With Anticipation Stakes at Saratoga in September and a fifth in the minor Display Stakes at Woodbine in November. Monster Bea arrives in career best form and will hope to keep the roll going Saturday from gate 8 with Gary Stevens guiding the tepid morning line favorite.

Moonlight Drive 3-1 - Italian bred Bob Baffert trained colt started his career in Europe where he posted a win, two seconds and a third place finish - the only time he didn't hit the board was in his debut. He was second in a stakes in October and third in his last start before shipping in another stakes at Toulouse in November. Moonlight Drive has two starts in North America - a second behind Monster Bea last time out in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita in February. He has been competitive every time out and hopes his success against lesser competition translates Saturday. Flavien Prat has the mount on the second betting choice.

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Lucky Bryan 9-2 - has two wins and a third place finish in six career starts for trainer John Sadler. He enters off an Allowance Optional Claiming score on this track July 16 after a fourth in the minor Rainbow Stakes June 18, a third in the minor Singletary Stakes in May and another fourth in the minor Zuma Beach Stakes back in October. Lucky Brian searches for his first stakes win in his graded stakes debut Saturday in so-so form. Victor Espinoza rides the third morning line choice from gate 6.

Liam the Charmer 6-1 - has placed in three of four career starts for trainer Michael McCarthy - one win, a second and a third place finish - all at Santa Anita. Last time out was a third in his stakes debut - as favorite in the minor Rainbow Stakes June 18 after a maiden score in May and a second in a similar race in February. Liam the Charmer takes a big step up in competition in so-so form and will leave from gate 2 with Santiago Gonzalez aboard.

Dressed in Hermes 8-1 - has three wins (all stakes) and a third place finish in 10 career starts for trainer Janet Armstrong and enters off three disappointing efforts - a fourth in the minor Oceanside Stakes here July 15, a sixth in the Grade 3 Pennine Ridge Stakes at Santa Anita in June and a seventh in the Grade 2 American Turf Stakes at Churchill Downs May 7. He was OK before that - a good win in the minor Pasadena Stakes at Santa Anita March 13 followed a fourth in the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes February 6 and a career best effort - a win in the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar November 29. He's also posted a fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf October 30 and a win in the minor $100,000 Zuma Beach Stakes here October 10. Dressed in Hermes looked good early in his career and will be out to rediscover that form when he leaves from gate 4 with Kent Desormeaux in the reins.

Ebadan 12-1 - Irish bred Neil Drysdale trained gelding has two wins, a second and two third place finishes in seven career starts. He enters off a career-worst effort - a tenth in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15 after a third in an Allowance Optional Claiming June 12, an Allowance Optional Claiming a score May 19 and a maiden score in January overseas in his fourth career start. Ebadan hasn't been all that impressive this summer but hopes to change his fortunes Saturday with Norberto Arroyo guiding him from post 9.

Burger and Fries 12-1 - French bred Peter Gallagher trained colt has two wins and three third place finishes. He makes his North American debut Saturday off a third in a Group 3 race at Chantilly in April after an OK third in the Prix Francois Mathet in March and an Allowance score in February. Burger and Fries has been OK so far and hopes to make some noise on North American soil from post 7 Saturday. Drayden Van Dyke gets the call.

Free Rose 12-1 - Richard Baltas trained gelding has two wins, a second and two third place finishes in nine career starts. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off consecutive thirds in Allowance races - the last on this track July 23 and a Starter Allowance score at Keeneland April 21. He failed to place in his previous three. Free Rose has been just OK against lesser company and is expected to struggle in his step up. Joe Talamo has been tabbed to ride.

Imperious One 15-1 - Irish bred Doug O'Neill trained colt has two wins, two seconds and a third place finish in eight career starts. He was OK at home and has been up-and-down in four North American starts so far - a ninth last time out in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15 followed an Allowance Optional Claiming score at Santa Anita January 24, a respectable second in the minor Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita in December and a ninth in his only graded stakes action to date - the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes on this track in November. Imperious One has been inconsistent to say the least - he has a pair of ninths in his only two starts on this track and will chase his first stakes score from the outside gate 10. Jamie Theriot rides.

Mr. Roary 20-1 - George Papaprodromou trained gelding has a win, two seconds and a third place finish in 10 career starts. He won the minor Rainbow Stakes at Santa Anita June 18 - by far his best career result but stumbled to an eighth last time out in the minor Oceanside Stakes on this track July 15. He failed to place in his other two minor stakes starts. Mr. Roary steps into graded stakes company for the first time Saturday in inconsistent form. He will have Edwin Madonado in the irons from post 5.

2016 La Jolla Handicap Entries & Odds

Race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday card with a Post Time of 9:03 PM.