Del Mar: How to bet the Best Pal and Yellow Ribbon

Juveniles sprinting on dirt and older mares running long on grass will take center stage Saturday at Del Mar.

The $150,000 Best Pal (G2) and the $150,000 Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) are the highlights during the fifth week of the seaside track’s summer meet.

Both races have drawn deep and competitive fields, so let’s follow the action with a pair of spot plays on a $50 budget.

Race 6: Best Pal (G2, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Since 2017, trainer Simon Callaghan has excelled with experienced 2-year-olds during the summer at Del Mar. He has a 10-for-31 (31%) record with those runners, and that’s why #3 Schnell warrants watching in the 6-furlong Best Pal.

Schnell isn’t the flashiest runner in the field. A Louisiana-bred son of Star Guitar, Schnell debuted in a 5-furlong maiden dash June 26 at Los Alamitos, tracked the pace, and rallied to win by 3 1/2 lengths for a modest 76 Brisnet Speed rating.

But Callaghan wins at a 23% rate with last-out maiden winners, which suggests Schnell can improve in his second start. A full brother to juvenile stakes winner Minit to Stardom, who later won the Honorable Miss H. (G2) as a 4-year-old, Schnell hails from a classy family and has the upside to vie for victory at a price in the Best Pal.

$20 to win on #3 Schnell

Race 9: Yellow Ribbon H. (G2, 9 p.m. ET)

Four-time graded stakes winner #8 Jolie Olimpica figures to be a clear favorite, after she battled to a runner-up effort in the 1 1/16-mile Jenny Wiley (G1) at Keeneland.

But four of her five wins have come in sprints, and it is fair to wonder if 1 1/16 miles is pushing the limits of Jolie Olimpica’s stamina, at least against this caliber of competition.

Defending Yellow Ribbon winner #7 Beau Recall is a viable alternative.

Trained by Brad Cox, this 6-year-old veteran is a powerful late runner always keen to capitalize on a quick pace. She didn’t get the best setup in a slow-paced Just a Game (G1) at Belmont Park six weeks ago, but gained ground resolutely into a :23.40 final quarter to finish second, ahead of reigning Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) winner Uni.

With hot jockey Umberto Rispoli (a 25% winner at Del Mar) in the saddle, Beau Recall looms as a dangerous player in this competitive field.

We’ll box her in the exacta with Jolie Olimpica, then key Beau Recall in a trifecta, with #2 Bodhicitta and #6 Keeper Ofthe Stars underneath.

$6 exacta box: 7,8 ($12)
$3 trifecta: 7 with 8 with 2,6 ($6)
$3 trifecta: 7 with 2,6 with 8 ($6)
$3 trifecta: 8 with 7 with 2,6 ($6)
Total: $30

Good luck!