Ralph Siraco’s Selections For Del Mar

Thursday, Aug. 21, 1997 | 10:08 a.m.

Friday's card

Selections made for clear racing conditions before scratches.

Post Time 2 p.m.

1st race 7 fur 3YO Clm

1 Hit The Line (Pincay) 115

2 Footstepsinthehall (Solis) 115

3 Gold Expectations (PValnzuela) 115

4 Who's Who (Stevens) 115

5 Cody Taylor (Gonzalez) 108

6 Stormy Ambition (Espinoza) 115

7 Noisey Slewpy (Matos) 108

8 Stop Making Sense (Pedroza) 115

Footstepsinthehall -- Four-wide runner-up in last, moves back up class ladder, nice work since raced, jockey switch from struggling Pedroza to Solis for trainer Carava, well placed.

Stop Making Sense -- Other Carava trainee was four-wide and weakened in last when in need of a race, in the money eight of 12 lifetime starts, beaten in photo finish only time at the distance, Pedroza stays here.

Value Play -- Who's Who

2nd race 1-1/8 mi 3&up F&M Turf Alw

1 Sonja's Faith (Delahoussaye) 115

2 Ecoute (Stevens) 117

3 As You Wish (Solis) 117

4 Tejano's Pride (Blanc) 117

5 Aerleon Jane (Black) 117

Ecoute -- French-raced import makes U.S. debut, placed in group stakes, has series of nice works with most recent trio over Del Mar course, trainer Mandella gets Gentlemen rider Stevens, well placed.

Aerleon Jane -- Split rivals for runner-up effort over the course when in need of a race in last, in the quinella six of 11 turf starts with a trio of victories, good stalking style for this, Black got to know her in last.

Value Play -- Sonja's Faith

3rd race 6-1/2 fur 2YO Mdn Clm

1 Raise Cotton (Arias) 116

2 Stephanie's Jet (Atkinson) 118

3 Loyal Nat (Blanc) 116

4 Captain Tripps (Scott) 118

5 Bad Things Man (PValenzuela) 118

6 Gracious Prize (Pedroza) 116

7 What Me Worry (Toscano) 116

8 Yousif (Gonzalez) 111

Stephanie's Jet -- Dueled lead between foes and third in last, ran off in post parade and placed third through disqualification before that, steady improvement with each of three career starts, diploma theft on agenda.

Loyal Nat -- Four-wide and weakened in debut, came back in state-bred race with four-wide and improved second in last, maintenance work since, draws inside post now, Blanc stays for trainer West.

Value Play -- Gracious Prize

4th race 7 fur 3YO&up F&M Clm

1 T. Jay's Gypsy (Pedroza) 117

2 M'Etoile (Gonzalez) 110

3 Lite 'N Comfy (PValenzuela) 117

4 Carolco (Garcia) 117

5 Ardently (Valdez) 107

6 Del Mar Reunion (Blanc) 117

7 Juliet's Dreaming (Espinoza) 117

8 Slewby Dewby Dew (Vergara) 117

9 Facen Up (Scott) 117

Slewby Dewby Dew -- Drastic class drop for return to races, three sharp Del Mar drills with a bullet move on July 24, solid off-the-bench effort in early May, placed for fire sale, Vergara for money run.

Lite 'N Comfy -- Held third at a mile in last, closed gamely to just miss when second by a head before that, in the quinella four of seven Del Mar starts with a pair of victories, drops back to competitive level, P. Val. takes over.

Value Play -- Juliet's Dreaming

5th race 1 mi 3YO&up Turf Alw

1 Fabulous Guy (Almeida) 113

2 Barrier Breaker (Desormeaux) 117

3 Bobs Draw (Pedroza) 117

4 Freedom To Fly (Delahoussaye) 122

5 Fairway Foe (Stevens) 113

6 Foreign Rescue (Berrio) 119

7 Uncle Linwood (Espinoza) 117

8 Anziyan (Solis) 117

9 Cerdan (Douglas) 117

Freedom To Fly -- Returns to races from year layoff, solid worktab with several long foundation moves, in the quinella five of last eight starts with a pair of wins and two of three at Del Mar, winning rider Delahoussaye returns, could win off the shelf.

Anziyan -- Another that returns from layoff, steady works with most recent pair over the course, trainer Frankel gets Solis to scale comeback, has a good stalking style for this heat.

Value Play -- Fairway Foe

6th race 1-1/16 mi 3YO Fil Clm

1 Dancing Frona (Stevens) 115

2 Dixie Knight (Blanc) 113

3 Lady Cadet (Matos) 110

4 Dreamin Of Daisy (Garcia) 115

5 Reality Note (Delahoussaye) 115

6 Toe Tappin' Wizard (Pincay) 115

7 Cris The Swimmer (Desormeaux) 115

8 Sweet Symmetry (Solis) 115

Dancing Frona -- Split foes for third at higher level in last, won photo-finish grass race before that in needed outing, in the quinella six of eight lifetime starts with five victories, Stevens takes over on Mitchell trainee.

Cris The Swimmer -- Four-wide, loomed up and finished fourth in last when in need of a race, runner-up when claimed before that, in the quinella six of 11 lifetime starts with a pair of victories, drops back to claimed price, Desormeaux returns on beaten favorite.

Value Play -- Toe Tappin' Wizard

7th race 6-1/2 fur 3YO Fil

1 Fair Mims (Pincay) 116

2 Calling You (Espinoza) 114

3 Silken Magic (Desormeaux) 114

4 Relaxing Rhythm (Stevens) 116

5 Fleet Lady (Solis) 121

6 Fun In Excess (Delahoussaye) 116

7 Granja Realeza (Blanc) 116

Granja Realiza -- Rank while setting pace and weakened late in Grade II Del Mar stakes when in need of an outing in last, won restricted Hollypark stakes at this trip before that, has won three of last five starts, steady swift works since raced, Granja Uno here.

Fleet Lady -- Won restricted Del Mar stakes by eight lengths in last, won prior pair of starts in Northern California, is five for 10 lifetime, three for six this year and two for two at Del Mar, Solis takes over to stretch win streak to four here.

Value Play -- Relaxing Rhythm

8th race 7 fur 3YO&up F&M Mdn Clm

1 Wild Lady (Gladney) 115

2 Giggles (Atkinson) 118

3 Southern Bonnie (Stevens) 116

4 Motel Links (Solis) 120

5 Glamorous Broad (Pedroza) 118

6 Play'em Or Fold'em (Black) 118

7 Callomania (Almeida) 118

8 Just Lily (Matos) 111

9 Wheatly's Choice (Gonzalez) 111

10 Gypsy Jan (Valdez) 110

Southern Bonnie -- Four-wide and just missed by a head when second in last, troubled wide trip while runner-up before that, runner-up in three of last four starts, Stevens returns on twice-beaten favorite for trainer Mitchell.

Play'em Or Fold'em -- Finished well for third with best career effort in last, played 'em and folded in prior pair of outings, steady works since raced, Black bak.

Value Play -- Just Lily