How to Bet the Oceanside Stakes on Opening Day at Del Mar

Photo: Benoit Photo.

July 16th, 2018

The Oceanside Stakes may not be a graded event, but as usual the restricted $100,000 contest drew a strong field of three-year-old colts looking to get the summer meet started with a visit to the Del Mar winners’ circle.

The pace in this year’s Oceanside should be quick given the presence of several horses that have done their best running in sprints or on the front end of two-turn races. With #10 Calexman, #12 Soltero, and #13 Afleet Ascent drawn to the outside you can expect their riders to be aggressive from the gate. This should set things up for a runner from off the pace.

# 5 Desert Stone has been impressive since stretching back out to two turns for trainer . The son of Fastnet Rock brings a two-race win streak into the Oceanside, including a half-length victory last time out in a high-level optional claimer over the Santa Anita sod. In that contest the Zayat Stables colt lacked room for a bit behind horses, but weaved his way through and got the job done in the end despite a less than ideal voyage.

On Wednesday, Desert Stone gets a massive rider upgrade to one of the best jockeys to ever ride the Del Mar lawn in veteran Corey Nakatani. Nakatani should be able to take advantage of a course that plays towards runners from off the pace when the temporary rails are down. I expect C Nak to save ground early and come with a strong run late good enough to get Baltas his first Oceanside victory after running second to Bowie’s Hero with longshot Pioneer Lad in 2017.

#4 Artie Be Good was full of run late in a race run down the hillside turf course on June 8th for trainer William Morey. The son of Artie Schiller has yet to go two turns over the green, but if he can move forward in his second start of the form cycle and has no issue with the stretch out to a route of ground he has a shot to “beef up” the backend of the exotics at 20-1 on oddsmaker Russell Hudak’s morning line.

#9 Move Over has lacked a strong late punch in his five starts since arriving in the States for trainer John Sadler, but he can relax early and has been consistent hitting the board in four of those tries. With an expected hot early pace he should be good enough to pick up the pieces late under jockey Tyler Baze.