Friendly Confines (Benoit Photo)
Del Mar Press
DEL MAR, Cali.—The Bing Crosby Season at Del Mar kicks off this Thursday with a nine-race card headlined by the 12th annual $100,000 Let It Ride Stakes, featuring seven three-year-olds at a mile on turf.
The 2-1 morning line favorite, Friendly Confines, trained by Richard Baltas with partial ownership next to Li, John Ford Racing, will break at post position 6 with jockey Flavien Prat in the stirrups. The Kentucky-bred by Twirling Candy won in his last attempt of the distance on the very same turf course and seems comfortable with the parameters, with a place and two wins this year, holding well to the finish line.
Trainer Jonathan Thomas has Geometry also by Twirling Candy, bred in Kentucky by George Strawbridge Jr. going off at 5/2 in the morning line. His last attempt at the mile was during Del Mar’s summer meet where he was first to the finish line with rider Hector Berrios, but he struggled in his last outing in the $150,000 Kent Stakes at Delaware Park. He’s number 4 in the starting gate.
Out of the same barn, Hiding in Honduras (15-1) is a quick study as well as Mescalero (6-1), trained by Richard Mandella. The two will be stretching out in this stake; both having only their debut wins on the board, going 6 furlongs and finishing on top in their respective races. Oisin Murphy rides for Thomas and Umberto Rispoli for Mandella, both being two out of three lightest of the field next to Tempus Volat weighing in at 120.
Lyle the Crocodile (IRE) is 4-1 on the morning line, making his stateside debut earlier this year at Santa Anita and running twice at Del Mar this summer, finishing fourth in his last race in August. Trainer Phil D’Amato has east-coast jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. in the saddle.
Trainer Leonard Powell has Tempus Volat (6-1) coming out of stall number 2. A Kentucky-bred who favors the seaside turf course, ran twice during the Del Mar summer meet and came up with a first and second place finish with Mirco Demuro in the saddle.
The highweight, at 124 is Bodi Zafa (12-1). Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer with Kazushi Kimura in the saddle, he’ll start off from the inside. Finishing ninth at his last attempt at the distance in July at Del Mar’s summer meet, he has three wins to his name this year.
First post for Thursday is 12:30 PM and will continue, after the Breeders’ Cup has concluded, starting the second week of November, on Friday the 7th.
