Racing! Good news, Laffit Pincay III back for more racing

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome back to our horse racing newsletter as we tell NBC sports how to do its job.

When the Breeders’ Cup made their shocking and secret announcement that Del Mar would host the event in 2021, I was delighted to see that Laffit Pincay III was the host for the (non-)news conference. So, let’s get his TV status out right at the top.

“I will be back on for the Travers,” Liffit said. “And I’ll be back on for everything else except the Woodward.”

OK, we feel a lot better.

Now, talking to Laffit in a public setting is like being with a rich guy handing out $100 bills. Everyone wants to come up and say hello and he is unfailingly polite to everyone. He asks people their names, personifying why we (and many readers) were upset when he wasn’t on the broadcast of the Whitney.

He didn’t really elaborate on what NBC has in mind long range for their broadcasts or talent. Randy Moss and Jerry Bailey even were off one show.

It’s my guess that NBC is doing what most every broadcast outlet does, just trying to figure out what works. Well, I’ve got the answer. It works with Laffit, Randy and Jerry in the booth. You’ve got a smart, articulate son of royalty, a former newspaperman (we love to see those folks employed) and a Hall of Fame jockey. All the boxes are checked. Move along. Don’t tinker.

When I wrote about it the last time, I was tough on Nick Luck, whose style is to dominate a broadcast and be bigger than the event. One reader compared him to the TVG announcer I’ve dubbed MA (Mr. Annoying). Boy, that’s harsh. At the Breeders’ Cup announcement, Luck even narrated the video they showed about the BC returning to DM. I was told not to read anything into it.

And, it’s not like I’m opposed to accents. I’ve called for NBC (not that they care even the tiniest what I think) to allow Michael Wrona and Trevor Denman to call Breeders’ Cup races when in Southern California.

Now, for you race fans, never lose sight of the fact that you are lucky to have that race series on the air. Pretty sure it’s not a big source of high ratings or revenue. If NBC didn’t carry the Triple Crown races and Breeders’ Cup there is virtually no chance it would be on the air. And with the rampant cord cutting, the scissors are getting very close to networks such as NBCSN.

With all that said and an update on Laffit’s work schedule, we can reduce the DEFCON level for NBC doing something stupid. But, we’re watching, in more ways than one.

Who goofed, I’ve got to know?

Me, of course. I think most of you knew what I meant when I said Justify was the only undefeated Triple Crown winner. But, that was incorrect. What I excluded was the word “retired.” He is the only Triple Crown winner to retire undefeated. The other horse to win the Triple Crown undefeated was Seattle Slew.

Del Mar review

The $75,000 Harry F. Brubaker Stakes didn’t turn out to be as good of a race because Mubtaahij, mostly, and Grecian Fire scratched leaving a four-horse field. Now, what that said about the one-mile race, it was a really good stretch run with the favorite Dabster winning by 1 ½ lengths.

During the run down the backstretch, the four horses were lines across, but eventually the 10-year-old Soi Phet settled back and Dabster, under a hard ride from Joe Talamo, fought Isotherm to near the finish line. Ike Walker was third.

The Bob Baffert trained Dabster paid $3.40 and $2.40. There was no show betting. Crazy enough, there was a superfecta. If you wagered 10 cents and got it right, it was worth 75 cents.

Del Mar preview

It’s a pretty basic Thursday card at Del Mar with eight races starting at 2 p.m. There are three turf races, five straight-out claiming races and two allowance/optional claimers. The feature is the seventh, 1 1/16 miles on the turf for fillies and mares 3 and up. The purse is $67,000.

The favorite, at 3-1, is Beau Recall, whose last 11 races have been graded stakes, five of them Grade 1s. Now, he’s only won one of those stakes, the Grade 2 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita. Simon Callaghan is the trainer and Geovanni Franco will ride.

The second favorite is Bernina Star at 7-2. She’s run in five graded stakes, three of them Grade 1s. Her best graded stakes finish was third in her last race when she was third to Unique Bella in the five horse Clement L. Hirsch at Del Mar. The trainer is James Cassidy and Kent Desormeaux will ride.

Bob Ike’s DMR pick of the day

THIRD RACE: No. 8 Come On Kat (8-1)

Very competitive maiden race going 5 furlongs on turf and I will take a shot with this price horse from the Richard Baltas stable. She broke a step slowly before dueling for the lead inside, then understandably tired going a tough 6 1/2 furlong debut distance. With that race under her belt, outside post and shorter distance, she could spring a minor upset in here.

Wednesday’s result: Diosa was in a wicked early speed duel but cracked by the 1/4-pole and backed out in a disappointing effort.

Bob Ike is a Partner/VP of Horsebills.com (here's a video) and the proprietor of BobIkePicks.com (full-card picks, 3 Best Plays and betting strategy).

Final thought

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If you have any thoughts, you can reach me at [email protected]. You can also feed my ego by following me on Twitter @jcherwa

And now the stars of the show, Wednesday’s results and Thursday’s entries.

INDIA MANTUANA pulled her way outside a rival to the lead on the first turn, opened up along the inside while tugging under a hold, set the pace from the rail and held on gamely under urging. BLOSSOM TRAIL MISS angled in and saved ground off the pace, came out in upper stretch, was three wide in deep stretch and edged a rival for the place. WAR MOCCASIN chased inside then outside a rival on the final turn, was momentarily a bit crowded in upper stretch, angled to the inside past midstretch and was edged for second. SIBERIAN IRIS (IRE) saved ground stalking the winner, came out into the stretch, was between horses in deep stretch and lacked the needed late kick. MYBLUEBELL (FR) angled in and chased inside, continued outside a rival on the last turn and three deep into the stretch, came in some in upper stretch and lacked the necessary rally. CHICA LA HABANA (IRE) settled off the pace inside and saved ground throughout to no avail. 1-1/4 MILE SPLIT HAND TIMED.

GUNMETAL GRAY stalked inside then a bit off the rail, bid between horses on the backstretch and outside a rival on the second turn, took the lead leaving that turn and drew off inside in the stretch under urging and steady handling late. JEFE saved ground stalking the pace, moved up inside on the second turn, came out into the stretch and was clearly second best. DARK PRINCE sped to the early lead, angled in and set the pace inside, dueled on the backstretch and second turn, was no match for either of the top pair in the drive and just held third. CARBON ZERO between horses early, chased a bit off the rail, swung out leaving the second turn and three wide into the stretch and was edged for the show between foes on the line. PARSIMONY chased three deep on the first turn then between rivals on the backstretch, continued off the rail on the second turn, came three wide into the stretch and was edged for a minor award three deep on the line. EASY KEEPER settled a bit off the rail then came out leaving the first turn, chased three deep, dropped back and angled in some on the second turn and gave way. RUNNINGWSCISSORS stalked outside then bid four wide on the backstretch, dropped back and angled in some on the second turn, gave way and was eased in the stretch. PIRATE'S PUNCH stalked between horses then bid three deep between foes, also dropped back and angled in on the second turn, gave way and was eased in the drive.

TIZ TOFFEE had good early speed and dueled between horses, put a head in front on the turn, continued off the rail into the stretch, drifted out some in upper stretch, kicked clear and proved best under urging. SAUCE ON SIDE broke a bit slowly, settled off the rail, angled in leaving the turn, slipped through inside in the stretch and gained the place. LOVELY RAQUEL stalked the pace inside, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch and held third. WISHFUL angled in and pressed the pace inside, fell back some leaving the turn, came a bit off the rail in the stretch, was between horses in the drive and was outfinished for the show. MAJESTIC AUTHORITY dueled three deep then outside the winner leaving the turn and weakened in the stretch. GYPSY BLU pulled and steadied along the inside early then came out and chased three deep to the stretch and also weakened. WINSINFASHION stalked outside a rival then between horses, dropped back leaving the turn and gave way.

CANDURA chased a bit off the rail, came out some in the stretch and rallied under urging to get up nearing the wire. MO ME MO MY saved ground chasing the pace, came out leaving the turn and into the stretch, bid outside the leader to gain the advantage in deep stretch but was caught late. DISCREET DIVA hopped in a slow start, settled just off the rail, split horses into the turn, continued inside on the turn and in the stretch and gained the show. DATA STORM KITTY had good early speed and dueled inside, inched clear on the turn, kicked away a bit off the fence in the stretch and lost third late. ARCHANA angled in and saved ground off the pace, fell back on the turn, came out in the stretch and lacked a rally. STAYTHIRSTYMYAMIGO chased outside, angled in some on the turn, found the fence past midstretch and also lacked a rally. SUPERHOTAMOLLY broke slowly, chased outside, angled in outside a rival on the turn and did not rally. DIOSA angled in and dueled outside a rival then stalked a bit off the rail on the turn and weakened in the drive.

BELLE MONTE pressed the pace five wide on the backstretch, took the lead outside the runner-up on the turn, inched away off the rail into the stretch and drew off under some left handed urging. GIA LULA dueled four wide between horses, angled in a bit off the rail on the turn, found the inside in the stretch and clearly bested the others. SHANGHAI TOOTSIE chased outside then alongside a rival, came three deep into the stretch and gained the show. CHAPIS broke a step slowly, saved ground chasing the pace, came out into the stretch and lacked a rally. MONGOLIAN CHEETAH broke slowly, settled off the rail, angled to the inside leaving the turn, came out some past midstretch and did not rally. QUEEN SHELLY ANN dueled between horses then stalked inside on the turn and weakened in the drive. KELSEYBELLE had good early speed off the rail, dueled three deep between foes, stalked on the turn and gave way in the stretch. SCURRY sent inside to duel for the lead, dropped back between foes on the turn, came out into the stretch and had nothing left for the drive.

EXOTIC GHOST pressed the pace inside then stalked on the backstretch, re-bid three deep on the second turn, took the lead into the stretch, inched away, drifted out under left handed urging past midstretch and brushed with the runner-up late. SAVE GROUND chased inside, came out leaving the second turn and into the stretch, bid outside the winner past midstretch, was floated out in the final furlong and brushed with that one late. SIX POINT RACK bumped at the start, chased outside a rival then a bit off the rail, continued just off the inside in the stretch and bested the others. JUNIOR GILLIAM chased three deep then outside a rival, continued three wide on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed late kick. THERMOPOLIS pulled hard between horses then dueled three deep, battled outside a rival on the backstretch and between foes leaving the second turn, continued just off the inside into the stretch and weakened in the final furlong. EL TOVAR bumped at the break, tugged along the inside chasing the early pace, went outside a rival on the second turn and four wide into the stretch and lacked the needed rally. CALIFORNIA JOURNEY stalked three deep then outside a rival, came four wide into the stretch and could not offer the necessary response. ACCREDITATION stumbled at the start, angled in and settled a bit off the rail then inside, came out in the stretch and did not rally. CAIIFORNIA CLONE bumped at the start, had good early speed and angled in, dueled between horses then inside on the backstretch, fought back along the rail leaving the second turn, fell back in the stretch, drifted out late and gave way. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the stretch run of the top pair but made no change when they ruled the late contact between the pair did not alter the original order of finish.

DABSTER sped to the early lead, set the pace inside then dueled along the rail, fought back under urging through the stretch and gamely inched away late. ISOTHERM bobbled at the start as the ground broke out behind, stalked off the rail then bid four wide leaving the first turn and on the backstretch and into the second turn, battled three deep leaving that turn and in the stretch and edged a rival for the place. IKE WALKER stalked a bit off the rail then bid between horses to duel for the lead, fought back between foes on the second turn and through most of the stretch and was edged for second. SOI PHET bobbled slightly at the start, stalked early then tugged his way up to bid three deep between horses leaving the first turn and on the backstretch, fell back a bit on the second turn, continued off the rail leaving that turn and in the stretch and lacked the needed late response.

COLORMEMONEY stalked inside, bid between horses on the turn to gain the lead, inched away a bit off the rail leaving the turn and won clear under urging. DON'T STALK ME tracked between horses then bid five wide on the turn and three deep into the stretch, loomed behind the winner in midstretch and just held second. BOB'S ALL IN settled outside chasing the pace, went up four wide on the turn and five wide into the stretch and was edged for the place. GRINGO STAR stalked off the rail or between horses, angled in some on the turn, came out in the stretch and bested the others. JUST CALL ME KEN broke a bit slowly, settled just off the rail then inside, split rivals in midstretch and continued along the fence. GIDDYMEISTER stalked between rivals, bid four wide on the turn and three deep leaving the turn, came out into the stretch and weakened. OUR TIGER'S BOY had speed between horses then stalked between foes, bid between rivals on the turn, angled in outside a foe into the stretch and also weakened. NORTH COUNTY GUY stalked outside then six wide into the turn, came four wide into the stretch and also weakened. RHETTBUTLER stalked between horses and five wide into the turn, came three wide into the stretch and weakened. HOLLYWOOD DANCER dueled inside then inched away on the backstretch, dueled on the turn then stalked inside leaving the turn and had little left for the stretch. JOEJOE'S KINGDOM broke slowly then ducked in and tried to leap the temporary rail nearing the gap and lost the rider. The stewards conducted an inquiry into the early running before ruling JOEJOE'S KINGDOM was the cause of his own trouble.