Del Mar Betting – Playing At The Beach
For those longing for a road trip, you could do much worse that taking that sweet freeway to Del Mar to enjoy, sun, sand, beautiful people and the fastest horses this side of the Mississippi.
The meet opens Wednesday and the other premier stand of the year, Saratoga, will commence on Friday. Today we’ll try to delve into how on-line bettors can thrive at Del Mar and later in the week we’ll do the same thing with Saratoga.
Del Mar will go until September 7 and it is a celebration of life as much as a stage for horseracing.
One thing about the stomping grounds known as Del Mar, and it has been this way for at least 3 decades, is that you cannot make a favorite too short on the morning line. Online horse betting players know that chalk gets pounded here. It may be because it is a resort track and there are a ton of kids in the grandstand and in the infield or maybe it’s just the concept of trying too hard to cash a ticker.
Maybe it’s the salt air, but if you are swallowing chalk, you better pick your spots right. Just like with Saratoga, only the strong survive and to survive you have to pay attention to where the winners are coming from on a daily basis.
Still, if you are at the track, or even playing on line, between the margaritas and the nachos, try to examine winners and why they scored from the way the race set up and played out.
One weekend, inside speed will be king and those types will be very hard to get by while the very next day, the inside might be dead and the place to be will be to rally down the middle of the track.
Go figure.
Give horses that have a race over the track a huge edge. The owners that make the trek down for the meet want action and you cannot keep a decent claiming horse in your stable unless you padlocked him to the stall. Pay attention to upper echelon sophomores that have been freshened for this meet. The fact that they have not been through a hard grind all year gives them an opportunity to put 2 or 3 super races together against a tired crew.
As far as the turf is concerned generally speaking the Del Mar course can play a tad heavy early in the meet but as the days go on, it will get packed down and speed will hold better. Stalking styles fit well and it’s never simple to come from left field because the turns are so tight. If Silky Sullivan types are your appetizer, please get a price before diving in.
There can be some money made if a player zigs and zags as the fans generally will jump on the popular jockey names like Rafael Bejarano and Joel Rosario and the top trainers Mike Mitchell, Bob Baffert, Doug O’Neill and John Sadler.
David Flores had a super meet at Hollywood Park this summer winning with 32 of his first 178 mounts but more importantly his average winner paid over $16.50. Alonso Quinonez also must be watched at Del Mar as he was securely in the top ten at the present Hollypark meet and his mounts during the stand earned over $1.1 million.
Trainers that should be watched by savvy sports betting players are Peter Miller and Carla Gaines.
Miller is stabled at the nearby San Luis Rey Downs and had a breakout meeting a few seasons ago at Del Mar and last year won with 10 of his 59 starters. He is a homeboy, he was born right up the road at Carlsbad, and as a youngster he went to jockey school before the hormones kicked in and he grew.
Peter learned from one of the best trainers ever in Charlie Whittingham as he was around stars like Palace Music and Greinton back in the day. The guy is great with youngsters, has won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and gamblers could do much worse than getting on the Miller Time bandwagon.
Carla Gaines used to be stabled in Northern California but since coming south, she has thrived. She has a nice mix of young and experienced horses and won with 10 of 34 starters at the Del Mar meeting last year.
