Del Mar: Best value bets in the La Jolla Handicap

An intriguing field is set to assemble for Sunday’s 1 1/16-mile La Jolla H. (G3) over the Del Mar turf course, with a blend of Road to the Kentucky Derby veterans and a bevy proven turf stakes performers.

#3 Azul Coast and #7 Storm the Court are the major names bettors will recognize.

The former, hailing from the barn of trainer Bob Baffert, won the El Camino Real Derby and finished second in the Sham (G3) during a productive winter campaign.

Storm the Court has competed in seven straight graded stakes races, and most notably upset the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) at odds of 45-1.

But Azul Coast and Storm the Court have never run on turf, and they’re transitioning to the lawn at least in part because they’ve faltered in recent Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races. Azul Coast was never a factor when he finished last in the Santa Anita Derby (G1), and Storm the Court is winless in four starts this season. He most recently finished third, after a wide trip, in the Ohio Derby (G3).

Perhaps switching surfaces will reawaken Azul Coast and Storm the Court. The latter is bred to enjoy grass, considering his sire — Court Vision — won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). But turf racing is a different ballgame than dirt, and since their name recognition figures to attract wagering support, there won’t be much value in betting them to rebound.

I’m more interested in playing #6 Smooth Like Strait, a proven grass star conditioned by trainer Michael McCarthy.

A frontrunning winner of the 1-mile Cecil B. DeMille (G3) at Del Mar in December, Smooth Like Strait enters off a resounding victory in the 1-mile War Chant S. at Churchill Downs. After he pressed the early pace, Smooth Like Strait seized command to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Four-time stakes winner Field Pass and future Indiana Derby (G3) winner Shared Sense were among his beaten rivals.

With jockey Umberto Rispoli (a 24% winner at Del Mar) in the saddle, Smooth Like Strait should offer more value in the betting than Azul Coast and Storm the Court.

In a race without much speed on paper, Smooth Like Strait figures to work out a perfect trip setting or stalking modest fractions, so I’ll key him in the exacta and trifecta.

$7 exacta: 6 with 4,5 ($14)
$2 trifecta: 6 with 4,5 with 4,5 ($4)
$1 trifecta: 6 with 4,5 with 7,8 ($4)
$2 trifecta: 4 with 6 with 4,5,7,8 ($8)
Total: $30

Good luck!