Some horses for today
Take a look at these horses running today at Del Mar. I think they have a big shot.
SECOND-- Steal Your Thunder didn't close a lick of ground last time out, but Corey Nakatani will have him closing in the stretch in this spot. He's 8-1 on the morning line. If someone goes with Leprechaun Kid and helps soften him up, Steal Your Thunder can win here at a nice price. He's my best bet in the Star-News race edition.
THIRD -- Sunday Times is dropping off a third-place effort in a $50,000 claiming race, long-shot specialist Saul Arias sticks around to ride and Doug O'Neill is the meet's leading trainer. Don't leave Sunday Times out of your exotics.
FIFTH-- Zoemeg tumbles down the class ladder in this spot for trainer Christopher Paasch, who is having a nice Del Mar meet with four wins. Juan Ochoa, who has struggled some since losing his bug, is still a very capable rider and could guide this filly into the winner's circle.
SEVENTH-- I like two horses here: Sir George Prize and Russian Veto. Sir George Prize, like Steal Your Thunder, is another who should be rolling late. Russian Veto, in the care of the very capable Martin Jones, is a great bet for you trip handicappers. He traveled six wide last time out and still got up for third. If he gets a better trip today, he'll be tough.
EIGHTH-- I'll be rooting for T.H. Approval, though I won't have a cent on him. Eduardo Inda is one of the really nice guys in the sport. He doesn't have many horses left to train, so this horse is his meal ticket. I think he'll eat nicely tonight, but Approval will be too short a price for me to touch.
NINTH-- Another race where I really like two horses: Alex and Me and Innaboutaweek, the latter of whom should go off at a very nice price. Innaboutaweek will be ridden by Clinton Potts, who has been teaming successfully with trainer Jack Carava quite a bit at the beach. Alex and Me is a second-time starter for trainer David Hofmans who will get a lot of support at the windows and has an excellent chance to give Hofmans his second win of the meet.
You are right about T.H. Approval. He's been handled great by Eduardo Inda and should win this race albeit at a short price. Solis will have him rolling through the lane!
After T.H. Approval's facile win in the Del Mar Handicap on Sunday do you know how many horses Eduardo Inda currently has in training? I find it hard to believe that the former assistant to Ron McAnally has problems getting owners to his barn! Look at the job he's done with 'Approval! What gives?
delmar,
I think Eduardo Inda is just a victim of not having a lot of horses, never experiencing a lot of success and potential owners shying away and preferring to go with higher-profile guys like Baffert, Frankel, O'Neill, etc.
I know this much -- Eduardo Inda is a VERY capable trainer, as his work with T.H. Approval shows, and if I was an owner I would not hesitate to give him my horse. After all, he learned from one of the best (McAnally).