Scully’s Saturday Spot Plays

Here are some horses of interest today at Monmouth Park and Del Mar: Monmouth Park 9^th Race, Wolf Hill: Regal Image (#1) (8-1 m/l) has found his niche in turf sprints and possesses the speed to dictate the action if he breaks from the innermost post position, dueling through an opening half-mile in :44 last time before gamely defeating a favored stakes-placed rival in a salty turf allowance at Laurel Park last out. The Medaglia d’Oro gelding broke his maiden the second time out in his turf and two-turn debut earlier this year and made his next three starts at a route, recording a win and a couple of close finishes. But the front-running gelding is better sprinting and brings excellent BRIS Early Pace numbers to the equation. I like Regal Image’s chances on the front end with Nik Juarez. 12^th Race, Haskell Invitational (G1): King for a Day (#1) didn’t make it back in time for this year’s Triple Crown but the three-year-old still has enormous upside for Todd Pletcher. I think he will continue to improve upon his local victory in the Pegasus (G3) and prove best in the 52^nd running of the Haskell. Del Mar 7^th Race: One Fast Bro (#3) will open his racing career in a five-furlong maiden special weight for California-breds and the two-year-old colt is a half-brother to a pair of stakes winners including multiple stakes-winning juvenile One Fast Broad, who was also campaigned by Ruis Racing and won her unveiling at Del Mar. One Fast Bro is by Coil, who wins at a respectable 11% clip with firsters, and the youngster appears poised to run well from the get-go with a swift half-mile work in preparation over the track. His rivals with racing experience are vulnerable in my estimation. 9^th Race: Pure Xena (#6) is the top seller for sire Warrior’s Reward, commanding $370,000 at the OBS April sale, and the bay filly hails from a dam who has already produced multiple two-year-old winners. Brian Koriner can get them ready (17% win with horses debuting in maiden special weight races) and Pure Xena hasn’t missed a beat since first appearing on the worktab in mid-May, working every week including several lively drills. The competition doesn’t look inspiring on paper and I’ll tab Pure Xena to graduate. 10^th Race: Cajun Treasure (#6) has been stuck inside the last two starts, but I liked the late energy displayed in a rallying third-place effort last time and expect a better trip. A $250,000 son of Treasure Beach, the three-year-old colt came back from a long layoff in an off-the-turf race over the winter and then broke his maiden on the downhill turf course at Santa Anita in late February, closing outside determinedly to defeat a nice field that included Overdue, who is the 7-2 morning line favorite today.  After drawing the rail next out and post 3 in a 12-horse field last time, Cajun Treasure should appreciate the move to post 6 here and the stalker has plenty of pace entered to set up his late kick. Peter Eurton and Brice Blance won a race Friday at Del Mar and Cajun Treasure appears live in this spot for connections.