Imagine the odds you could have gotten in Vegas — Bobby Frankel winless with 17 starters through the first 41 days of the Del Mar meet. It’s downright unthinkable, but it’s happened. One of the top trainers in the country, Frankel is fourth in both all-time victories and stakes wins at Del Mar. Well, it says here the drought ends today, and Frankel could do it with a bang.
His West Coast assistant, Humberto Ascanio, will saddle three horses on today’s 10-race card, and all three are live — Bleu Intense in the second, Solo Piano in the sixth and Ksar Ghilane in the nightcap. Frankel spends his summers these days at Saratoga. He’s a native New Yorker and he’s not all that hyped up about synthetic surfaces. But any bad vibes he and Ascanio have about Del Mar figure to be put to rest today.
I really like Ksar Ghilane a lot in the 10th. The 3-year-old Grand Slam colt signified his readiness in his last on June 28 at Hollywood Park by holding his speed to the stretch for the first time. He was wide most of the way and finished fourth, beaten only 4 1/4 lengths in a race that sets him up perfectly for today’s maiden special weight at 6 furlongs on Polytrack. He’s 8-1 on the morning line, but figures to get some play and might go postward around 5-1.
Good luck today!!!
