Keeneland Select Pick of the Day | August 21, 2021

Race 9 at Del Mar | Saturday August 21| Post Time 9:03 PM Eastern

Del Mar Oaks – Grade 1 | Purse $300,000 | One Mile and One-Eighth on Turf | Fillies, Three Years Old

There is ABSOLUTELY no horse with a desire to lead early in this nine horse field. The closest thing to an early pacesetter is Javanica (2), who led from start to finish in an allowance race five weeks ago on the Del Mar turf. She was flattered when the runner-up came right back to win a turf route so there’s that, and although it was just an allowance race, Javanica has run very well in stakes previously, including four straight runner-up finishes, two on grass, from last October through this February. Her lone try on dirt in the Santa Anita Oaks (in April) doesn’t count one bit, and she was squeezed back badly and checked when back on turf in the Senorita Stakes in May. Taking out those two races with excuses, and ignoring her debut at five furlongs on turf, Javanica has done little wrong. Yet, she opens at 10/1 and from the two post can control the pace. As she has shown a good closing kick in the past if able to lead from the start on slow fractions, she may not be caught.

Then there’s Closing Remarks (1), also a filly who has done little wrong in five turf route races, all stakes, excluding the one last November when she was trapped for most of the stretch run. She returned from two months off in a dirt sprint, likely because there were no turf races which fit the conditions for which she’s eligible. She finished third in that race which serves as a big springboard to this nine furlong turf trip. Best of all, Umberto Rispoli gets on after two other jockeys rode recently, and Rispoli was responsible for three top efforts including a win in the California Cup Oaks in January and probably most importantly a neck defeat behind favorite Going Global (3) in the Providencia Stakes in April. In that race, Closing Remarks ran the last eighth of a mile in 11.1 seconds, which is on par with the favorite. Opening at 6/1 she’s got a nice shot to help us make a profit in a race which is more competitive than it might appear on paper.

Going Global (3) opens at 9/5 while Madone (4) opens at 5/2 and both are legitimate contenders but not standouts on any level. Going Global reeled off four straight wins between February and May of this year, all since importing from Ireland, before coming up a half-length short to Madone four weeks ago in the San Clemente Stakes. The 103 and 104 Equibase speed figures, respectively, are fine but Javanica earned a 101 figure last month which is very close and Closing Remarks earned a 99 when Going Global earned the same figure in the Providencia in April.

For the trifecta and some exacta tickets, we will also look at Fluffy Socks (7) and Soaring Sky (9). Fluffy Socks ships in from New York for Chad Brown and Joel Rosario rides off a fine third place effort in the Lake George Stakes at Saratoga last month. She shipped into California once before, to WIN the Jimmy Durante Stakes last November, beating Javanica by a half-length. Soaring Sky imports from Ireland for excellent trainer Jessica Harrington and has a pretty good record in her last three races, all second or third place finishes versus older foes, so moving to just three year olds might move her up.

Win bets:

Javanica (2) and Closing Remarks (1) at odds of 5 to 2 or more.

Exactas:

Javanica (2) and Closing Remarks (1) over Javanica (2), Closing Remarks (1), Going Global (3), Madone (4), Fluffy Socks (7) and Soaring Sky (9)

Javanica (2), Closing Remarks (1), Going Global (3), Madone (4), Fluffy Socks (7) and Soaring Sky (9) over Javanica (2) and Closing Remarks (1)

Going Global (3) and Madone (4) over Javanica (2), Closing Remarks (1)

PICK 3 (two tickets):

Although my selections and analysis for races 10 and 11 are on another blog, which you can get via my twitter account @ubercapper, here are my pick 3 plays starting in this race:

Race 9: Javanica (2), Closing Remarks (1), Going Global (3), Madone (4), Fluffy Socks (7), Soaring Sky (9)

Race 10: Dr Post (3)

Race 11:  United (4), Arklow (8), Say the Word (11)

Race 9: Javanica (2), Closing Remarks (1), Going Global (3), Madone (4), Fluffy Socks (7), Soaring Sky (9)

Race 10: Tripoli (1), Tizamagician (2), Dr Post (3), Royal Ship (4), Express Train (5), Cupid’s Claws (9)

Race 11:  United (4