2017 Bing Crosby Stakes Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - Del Mar Race Track in Del, Mar, California will play host to the G2 Bing Crosby Stakes on Saturday, July 29. Horses three years old and upward will saddle up and dash six furlongs on Del Mar's dirt track for the winner's share of the $300,000 purse.

A solid field of 11 will give it a go in the Bing Crosby Stakes - race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:10 PM. Here is a brief peek into the past performances of all 11 combatants for this intriguing G1 stakes.

2017 Bing Crosby Stakes Entries at Del Mar Race Track

Drefong 5-2

Reigning Champion sprinter has posted five wins in six career starts for trainer Bob Baffert including his graded stakes debut - the G1 Kings Bishop Stakes by 3 1/4 lengths with a 105 Beyer Speed Figure at Saratoga August 27 and last time out on the Big Stage - by 1 1/4 lengths in the Breeders' Cup Sprint November 5. Before that were three more wins by a combined 18 1/4 lengths - two Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita and a maiden score at Del Mar in November. Drefong has improved every time out, has posted three straight bullet works, two at Santa Anita preceding a six-furlong drill in 1:11.2 on July 19 and hopes to make it six straight wins (third straight graded stakes) in his first start in eight months. Mike Smith gets the call on the morning line favorite from gate 2.

Roy H 3-1

Peter Miller trained gelding has four wins, three seconds and a third-place finish in 14 career starts. He made his stakes debut last time out and produced a terrific 2 1/2 length win with a field-best 111 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 True North Stakes at Belmont Park June 9. Before that was a two-race win streak - both Allowance Optional Claiming at Santa Anita with the last coming May 6 and three straight off-the-board finishes in Allowance races in 2016. Roy H has looked good since returning from a nine-month layoff and will try to make it four straight wins (second straight graded stakes) with Paco Lopez guiding the second betting choice from gate 8.

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Ransom The Moon 7-2

Phil D'Amato trainee has four wins in 18 career starts with six seconds and a third-place finish. He made his stakes debut May 20 and produced a very nice 2 1/4 length win with a career-best 103 Beyer Speed Figure in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita and followed that with an OK second last time out in the G2 San Carlos Stakes on that track July 1. Before that was a dominant 4 1/2 length Allowance Optional Claiming score with a 98 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita April 30 and a pair of runner-up finishes in Allowance Optional Claiming this past winter at Woodbine. Ransom the Moon has been very good lately and will be after a third win in four starts Saturday. Flavien Prat will be in the saddle of the third choice from gate 4.

St. Joe Bay 6-1

Peter Miller trained gelding has five wins, five seconds and three third place finishes in 22 career starts. He hits the track for the first time since an OK fourth in the Group 1 Dubai Golden Shaheen at Meydan in March which followed three straight wins - the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes at Santa Anita February 3, the G3 Midnight Lute Stakes on that track December 31 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score by 6 1/2 lengths at Del Mar December 4. Before that was a second in a similar race on this track October 30 and an eighth in the G2 City of Hope Mile here October 8. He had six previous graded stakes starts, placing in just one - the 2014 G3 Bob Hope Stakes. St. Joe Bay has been very good the last eight months (three wins and a fourth in four starts) and tries to get back in the winner's column from post 3 Saturday. Kent Desormeaux will be in the irons.

Big Macher 8-1

2014 winner of this race - Richard Baltas trained gelding has eight wins, two seconds and two third-place finishes in 20 career starts. He enters off a nice one length win in the minor Thor's Echo Handicap at Santa Anita June 11 which followed 19 months away from the track, a seventh in the minor Cary Grant Stake in November, 2015, a tenth in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint and a win in the minor Pirate's Bounty Stakes here in September, 2015. He was at his best in 2014 when, along with a win in this race he won the G2 Potrero Grande Stakes the minor Cary Grant Stakes and minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint but he was mostly underwhelming after that. He shoots for his second straight stakes win in only his second start in 20 months with Rafael Bejarano guiding him from post 5.

Kobe's Back 8-1

Third place finisher in this race in 2015 - Peter Eurton trainee returned to the track for the first time in nine months on March 11 and finished fifth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita and followed that with a fourth in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes on that track May 20 and a third last time out in the G2 San Carlos Stakes also at Santa Anita July 1. Before the layoff was a third in the 2016 Triple Bend Stakes, another third in the G3 Churchill Downs Stakes May 7, 2016 and consecutive wins - the 2016 San Carlos Stakes last March 12 with a 106 Beyer Speed Figure and in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes in February, 2016. He also posted a seventh in the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint, a decent second in the G1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship October 3 that year and a good win in the G3 Commonwealth Stakes at Keeneland April 4, 2015. Kobe's Back now has five wins, three seconds and five third place finishes in 23 career starts (three graded stakes scores) and will be looking for his first win in 16 long months. Gary Stevens has been tabbed to ride from gate 10.

Denman's Call 20-1

Has placed in six of 10 career starts for trainer Doug O'Neill - two wins, one second and three third place finishes. He enters off an ugly tenth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10 which followed a disappointing seventh in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6, a career-best win at 16-1 in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes at Santa Anita March 11 and consecutive thirds in Allowance Optional Claiming races. He was just OK in 2016. Denman's Call has been decent so far in his career and will be out to avenge two straight poor outings when he leaves from the rail with Tyler Baze aboard.

Solid Wager 20-1

Peter Miller trained gelding has eight wins, three seconds and five third place finishes in 35 career starts. Last time out was an eighth in the G1 Metropolitan Handicap at Belmont Park June 10 which followed an OK fourth in the G2 Churchill Downs Stakes May 6, a third in the minor Tiznow Stakes at Santa Anita February 26, a fifth in the minor Donald Valpredo California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita January 28 and a career-best effort - a win in the G3 Midnight Lute Stakes at Santa Anita December 31. He won the minor Cary Grant Stakes at Santa Anita before that. Solid Wager was very good this past winter and hopes to get back to that form Saturday with Joe Talamo aboard from post 9.

Moe Candy 20-1

Has placed in eight of nine career starts for trainer John Sadler - three wins, three seconds and two third place finishes. Last time out was a decent second in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita May 20 which followed his only off-the-board finish - a sixth in the G3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park April 15, a second in the G2 Palos Verdes Stakes February 4 and three straight wins - two Allowance Optional Claiming and a MSW in October. Moe Candy has been decent in his career so far and hopes for a first graded stakes score when he leaves from the outside post 11 with Victor Espinoza scheduled to ride.

Coastline 30-1

Phil D'Amato trainee has five wins, four seconds and three third place finishes in 25 career starts. He hasn't been all that great lately - a fourth last time out in the G2 San Carlos Stakes at Santa Anita July 1 followed a fourth in the minor Siren Lure Stakes here April 23 and another fourth in an Allowance Optional Claiming on this track March 31. He was off for nine months before that and had an eighth in the G1 Triple Bend Stakes last June, a fourth in the G2 Kona Gold Stakes last May 21, a second behind Kobe's Back in the 2016 San Carlos Stakes March 12 and a nice win in the minor Clocker's Corner Stakes January 24, 2016. He placed in just one of his last seven starts overall and hopes for a first win in 17+ months Saturday. Jockey Jamie Theriot will try to accomplish that goal from post 7.

Magic Taste 50-1

Has just two wins in 27 career starts to go along with eight seconds and four third-place finishes. He makes his stakes debut Saturday off a Starter Allowance score at Los Alamitos July 9, a third in a Starter Optional Claiming June 3 and a second and a third respectively in a pair of Claiming races at Santa Anita. Magic Taste has been OK against lesser company and hopes it translates Saturday when he leaves from gate 6 with Tiago Josue Pereira in the irons.

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2017 Bing Crosby Stakes Odds & Entries

Race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday card with a Post Time of 9:10 PM.