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The Grade 1 race this Saturday at Del Mar is the Darley Debutante for two-year-old fillies.  Last year’s Debutante saw Mi Sueno out-finish Blind Luck, which was about the only time Blind Luck has been out-finished in her career.  This year’s edition features some very nice prospects in the filly division.

Heading the field is the two-for-two Wickedly Perfect, who won the Grade 3 Sorrento over the track in her last start. She has been impressive in her two starts, but it’s possible she does not go favored.  Favoritism may land with Avid. Avid was bet like a good thing in her debut and was geared down late. Trainer Richard Mandella steps her right up in class at the bullet two works back at the seven furlong distance looks very good.  Sugarinthemorning equaled Avid’s speed figure in her debut and she did it very professionally.  The Candy Ride filly sat patiently behind the speed then angled out late and won going away. Add Tell a Kelly, A Z Warrior and Izshelegal to the mix and this race is going to be real good.

The Del Mar meet is winding down and the last full week of racing there begins on Wednesday with a good betting race for two-year-old fillies.  The Generous Portion drew a field of 13 and is led by Perfect Curls, who is already a two-time stakes winner.  Perfect Curls had a troubled trip in her second place debut, but in three starts since is a perfect three-for-three.  Her last two races were over conventional dirt after starting her career on the synthetic surface at Golden Gate.  She does not; however, have the fields fastest speed figures.  That honor goes to Miles Rules.

Miles Rules was dismissed in her debut at 15-1, but broke the gate running and never looked back.  She won’t be 15-1 on Wednesday, but she is a threat to take the money.  Swiss Wild Cat, Hi Ho Yodeler, and Rockin Heather ran one-two-three in the CTBA earlier in the Del Mar meet.  Only Rockin Heather hit the board in her next start, a second to Perfect Curls.  Vonn Nez scratched out of a maiden race this past weekend to run here and her trainer has six wins in 13 starts at this meet.  She is also a full to the stakes winner La Nez.  With the 50-cent minimum in the pick-4, this could be the perfect race to use as many as possible.

The premier race at Louisiana Downs this summer, the Super Derby, is not for another month, but this Saturday is the track’s Prelude Day.  The day features six stakes races including the local prep for the Super Derby.  Of the six stakes races, five of them are on the turf and two of those are for two-year-olds.

The Prelude drew a field of nine led by the morning line favorite Coyote Legend.  Coyote Legend has won six of his last seven races, but none of those were in open company on the main track going a route of ground.  The same connections of top older horse Blame bring their three-year-old colt Apart into the Prelude.  Apart only has a maiden victory to his name, but must be respected.  Down With Dixie also rates a shot off his fourth place finish in the Iowa Derby where both the first and third place runners in that race came back to win their next starts.  Holiday Buzz is another to consider and he can make it a big afternoon for offspring of Afleet Alex.

In the 19 Pacific Classic races there have been two horses to win it in back-to-back years.  This year, Richard’s Kid will try to duplicate the efforts of Skimming and Tinner’s Way.  Last year Richard’s Kid was a 24.4-1 outsider and while he won’t be 24.4-1 this year, he will be one of the favorites come post time.  The probable favorite could be The Usual Q.T. even with his zero-for-five record on a synthetic track.

The interesting aspect of this race will be the pace scenario.  Isle of Giant’s and Temple City will both have their sites on the front end.  Temple City has the class edge, but P-Val on Isle of Giant’s can never be discounted.  The Usual Q.T. should get the good stalking trip as will Hold Me Back. Hold Me Back picks up Garrett Gomez, who has won the race four times including in 2008 with Go Between.  Go Between was trained by the same trainer as Hold Me Back is, Bill Mott.  Awesome Gem was able to get to the winner’s circle in his last and this is his fourth straight Pacific Classic race.  As the first leg of the pick-4 this race could be a good spot to use “all” especially with a probable short-priced favorite in California Nectar in the last.

If betting two-year-olds is your specialty then look no further than the Calder card on Saturday.  There are 13 races for the juveniles, including six stakes races.  The stakes are run over the turf and dirt and are all worth $100,000.  Last year’s winner of the Affirmed, Jackson Bend, went on to run in this year’s Triple Crown series.

This year the Affirmed drew a field of six, which is the lowest of any of the stakes races along with the Susan’s Girl.  The best betting races are the two turf races and the two around two turns on the main track.  The best bet of the day could come in the first stakes race, the Fasig Tipton Turf Dash.  On speed figures alone Madman Diaries is a standout, but throw in his excellent turf breeding and he appears to be a single on all the multi-race exotics.