Del Mar Thursday

- Chance of storms up at the Spa on Thursday, and a solid line of bright colors headed east on the weather radar. So with five turf races plus a steeplechase on the nine race card, I'm gonna pass on handicapping the card and take a look at Del Mar instead. Gotta start to warm up for it anyway.

In the 4th, Wake Me Now (8-1) returns to the turf and drops in class for trainer James Lloyd. This daughter of the British sire Almutawakel was a different mare when she returned in earnest after a couple of stuttersteps for her five-year old campaign in the spring, with two wins and two good thirds. That includes a win at the 50K level in which she moved four wide on the turn while confidently handled by jockey David Flores, and unleashed a powerful late run to get up over Starjumpin Marnie, who had won an overnight stakes earlier in the year. Her two efforts since then that look disappointing at first glance. However, she faced far better two back in an allowance race which produced two subsequent winners. And, if I didn't know better, I might think she was merely out for the exercise last out on Polytrack, when she lagged far behind the field before mounting a no-chance late rally to within 4 1/4 of the winner.

Now, Wake Me Now returns to her favored surface and drops to 32K with what appears to be a definite purpose, as Flores sticks around. Might not be the best pace scenario on paper for her late run, but I think she's simply better than these. Sometimes pays to not think too much about how the race will be run if you're getting a good price on what you consider to be the class of the field. Hameildaeme (4-1), Gumption (3-1), and El Nadia (9-2) ran 1-2-3 in that order at this level in July. The first two had nice trips up the inside, and El Nadia, who had led all the way, battled back gamely and lost by less than a length. Back up to this level after stalking and closing to beat cheaper (and claimed by Doug O'Neill, she can use her speed to her advantage here. Initial Impression (6-1) drops to a more competitive level. Best of luck and have a great day.

- Finally a trip to the winner's circle for Tom Bush with a front-running win in the 9th at Saratoga with Grace and Courage ($9.10). Dracup, who I also mentioned in the last post, completed the exacta, which again was a pleasant surprise at $53.50 with the second and third choices in that order.