How to bet the 2023 Yellow Ribbon Handicap

A total of seven fillies and mares will vie in Saturday’s $250,000 Yellow Ribbon H. (G2) at Del Mar. The 1/16-mile turf affair looks like a perfect spot for the Carla Gaines-trained #1 Closing Remarks (5-2) to pick up a second Grade 2 victory. By Vronsky, the talented late runner eclipsed the Royal Heroine S. (G2) at Santa Anita in the spring and comes in fresh following an even run against better in the Gamely S. (G1) in her most recent endeavor.

The California-bred chestnut owns a win and a second from three prior tries at Del Mar, and the mare lands in a field with a good measure of early speed signed on to aid her late burst. She will be saving ground throughout with Umberto Rispoli in the stirrups.

I liked the acceleration that #5 Lucky Girl (5-1) displayed in her first run for Phil D’Amato on the course last time out and will give her a late chance second time off the layoff. The four-year-old daughter of Exceed and Excel has never hit the board from four previous runs on the local lawn, but she displayed ability off the long rest most recently and will surely move forward off of that showing. Joe Bravo will be in the silks aboard the Irish-bred.

#4 School Dance (3-1), the second of the trio of D’Amato trainees in the field, was a smart allowance winner last season in her lone run at Del Mar. The Animal Kingdom four-year-old is a Grade 1-placed filly with obvious ability, and she possesses the good tactical presence to get first run on the deeper closing types turning for home in this spot. Ramon Vazquez will ride.

Stakes victress #2 Turnerloose (8-1) makes her first appearance of 2023, as well as her initial try for D’Amato, and I’m expecting her to give a nice account of herself in a field lacking a ton of depth. The Nyquist filly has done some of her best work racing on the carpet, and her recent morning drills have been encouraging for a conditioner who thrives off the layoff. The four-year-old has good exotics value with Antonio Fresu in the silks.

Yellow Ribbon Wagers

$10 exacta: key 1 with 2,4,5 ($30)

$5 trifecta: key 1 with 2,4,5 ($30)