2017 San Diego Handicap Preview, Entries & Odds

OffTrackBetting.com - The G2 San Diego Handicap is on tap for Del Mar race track in Del Mar, California this Saturday, July 22. Horses three years old and upward will take to Del Mar's dirt track and race 1 1/16 miles for the winner's share of the $200,000 purse.

A field of six will give it a go in the San Diego Handicap - race 9 on Del Mar's Saturday schedule. Post time is 6:10 PM. Let's take a look into the past performances of all six entries for this competitive G2 stakes - five of which will likely be looking at the back of Arrogate.

2017 San Diego Handicap Entries at Del Mar

Arrogate

Sensational Bob Baffert trained colt and 2016 winner of the Eclipse Award for 3-year-old has eight career starts with seven wins and a third-place finish wins. He enters on a terrific seven race win streak - the $10 million Group 1 Dubai World Cup by 2 1/4 lengths last time out March 25, the $12 million G1 Pegasus World Cup by an impressive 4 3/4 lengths over the legendary California Chrome at Gulfstream January 28, the Breeders' Cup Classic over California Chrome again, the G1 Travers August 27 by an unfathomable 13 1/2 lengths in his stakes debut, an Allowance Optional Claiming at Del Mar August 4, another Allowance Optional Claiming June 24 and a maiden score at Santa Anita June 5. Arrogate has been untouchable the last year and has elevated to become the most dominant horse on the planet. He tries to keep an incredible run going Saturday from post 3 with regular rider Mike Smith guiding the obvious overwhelming favorite.

Accelerate

John Sadler trained colt has three wins, three seconds and four third place finishes in 11 career starts. He arrives in decent form - a third right behind Cat Burglar last time out in the G3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita June 24 followed a second with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in an Allowance Optional Claiming on that track May 5, a third in the G2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita February 4, a second in the competitive G2 San Pasqual Stakes on that track January 1 and a respectable third in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile. Before that was a nice three race win streak - in the G2 Los Alamitos Derby September 24 (his graded stakes debut), the minor Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar August 26 and a maiden score by a terrific 8 3/4 lengths on this track July 28. Accelerate has placed in nine straight races against pretty good company ahead of this weekend, has won both of his career starts on this track and will be after a first win in 10 months Saturday from the rail. Victor Espinoza gets the call.

Bet Del Mar Horse Racing with OffTrackBetting.com

Cat Burglar

Has six wins, five seconds and three third place finishes in 19 career starts for trainer Bob Baffert. Last time out was a respectable runner-up finish in the G3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita June 24 which followed a 1 1/2 length Allowance Optional Claiming score there March 31, 10 months away, a fourth in the G2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs last May 6, a good win in the minor Santana Mile in April, 2016, a fourth in the G2 San Antonio Stakes in February, 2016 and an Allowance Optional Claiming score in January of that year. Other results include a fifth in the 2015 G3 Cougar II Handicap in July another fifth in the G1 Stephen Foster Handicap at Churchill Downs June 13, 2015 and an OK third in the G3 Pimlico Special in May of that year. Cat Burglar has been a tad inconsistent and has yet to record a graded stakes win. Rafael Bejarano has been tabbed to change all of that from post 5.

Dalmore

Has three wins, four seconds and a third-place finish in 18 career starts for trainer Keith Desormeaux. He hasn't been all that great lately - a fifth last time out in the G3 All American Stakes at Golden Gate May 29 followed a seventh in the minor Essex Handicap at Oaklawn Park March 18, a sixth in the G2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita February 4 and a third in the G3 San Pasqual Stakes also at Santa Anita. Before that was a fourth in the minor Zia Park Derby November 23, a respectable second in the G3 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs September 10, a fifth in the G1 Pacific Classic in August and two straight wins - the best being a terrific score in the G3 Affirmed Stakes with an impressive 103 Beyer Speed Figure at Santa Anita last July. Dalmore has failed to place in four of his last five starts but has shown serious form in the past. He tries to get back on track Saturday with Kent Desormeaux in the saddle from the outside gate 6.

Donworth

Doug O'Neill trained colt has eight career starts with two wins, a second and three third place finishes. He recently returned to the track after a 14- month layoff and finished fourth in the G3 Precisionist Stakes at Santa Anita June 24. Before the layoff was an OK third as favorite in the 2016 G2 Charles Town Classic last April 23, a very disappointing seventh as second choice in the Santa Anita Handicap March 12 of 2016, a respectable third after clipping heels in the G2 San Antonio Stakes last February 6, a good win by 11 lengths in the minor Stanton Stakes at Delaware Park in June 20 of 2015, a third in the minor Sir Barton Stakes at Pimlico in May of that year, a second in the 2015 G3 Lexington Stakes in April and a win at first asking in March of that year. Donworth has been OK so far in his career and will be chasing a first ever graded stakes victory. Mario Gutierrez rides from gate 4.

El Huerfano

Peter Miller trained gelding has 27 career starts with five wins, four seconds and four third place finishes - his best results were a win in the minor Golden Bear Stakes at Sacramento in July, 2015 and a third in the minor Robert Dupret Derby in August, 2015. He arrives off an Allowance Optional Claiming score by 2 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita June 18 which followed an ugly ninth in the G2 Alysheba Stakes at Churchill Downs May 5 and a pair of seconds in Allowance Optional Claiming races at Santa Anita. Before that was a fourth in the G2 San Antonio Stake February 4. He has been OK against lesser competition so far but has yet to hit the board in five graded stakes tries. Evin Roman will try to change all of that from gate 2.

2017 San Diego Handicap Odds & Entries

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