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SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020
by: Rich Bieglmeier
BONUS: This week on The Player's Edge, in honor of opening weekend for Major League Baseball, Rich swings for the fences with a Saratoga Pick 6 ticket for Saturday, July 25, 2020 which includes the Grade I, Alfred G Vanderbilt Stakes.
He says, MAXIMUM SECURITY is a must watch as possibly the best racehorse on the planet, running in the San Diego Handicap at Del Mar.
It probably wasn't intentional, but the stakes calendar takes a breather as Major League Baseball opens its 2020 campaign three-months later than usual. Just a half-dozen big money runs with $100,000 in prize money are on the Saturday schedule:
Del Mar Race 9 – $150,000 SAN CLEMENTE STAKES – GRADE II
Del Mar Race 10 - $150,000 SAN DIEGO HANDICAP – GRADE II
Saratoga Race 3 - $200,000 BALLSTON SPA STAKES – GRADE II
Santa Anita Race 10 - $250,000 ALFRED G. VANDERBILT HANDICAP – GRADE I
Woodbine Race 3 - $125,000 MARINE STAKES -GRADE III
Woodbine Race 8 - $125,000 SELENE STAKES – GRADE III
Six for six of the graded kind tells you they are quality races with solid fields. Yeah, but we've got our eye on the West Coast, specifically MAXIMUM SECURITY in the Sand Diego Handicap. The four-year-old son of NEW YEAR'S DAY is a bad step and a disputed disqualification in the 2019 Kentucky Derby away from being undefeated in 10 starts.
In his last race, team Bob Baffert jetted off to King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia for the $20 million Saudi Cup on February 29th. It was the richest race in horse racing history! MAXIMUM SECURITY won, beating a field of 14 of the best horses in the world despite being blocked twice in the stretch.
Personally, I believe MAXIMUM SECURITY is the best racehorse on Earth right now. Greatness is always a show worth watching. Jockey Abel Cedillo will take MAXIMUM SECURITY (PP: 5 ML 1-1) to his customary position in the front after the gates open and it will be "catch me if you can" for the other five horses in the San Diego field.
AX MAN (PP: 2 ML 8-1) is the one most likely to keep the even-money chalk company early on. However, the five-year-old hasn't been able to hold his speed at the Graded Stakes level, tailing off late in his six tries up the ladder.
While AX MAN might be able to escort MAXIMUM SECURITY out of the final turn, we believe HIGHER POWER (PP: 1 ML 7/2) and MIDCOURT (PP: 6 ML 4-1) are the only other horses in the field with a chance to accompany MAXIMUM SECURITY at the wire.
Of the two, we think HIGHER POWER has the best chance, albeit small, at the upset. He does have a Grade 1 win in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar, hitting the highest mark on the speed gun for any of these in their last 10 starts. If he runs the same race today, jockey Flavien Prat will position the rail horse in the favorite's shadow and try to outrun MAXIMUM SECURITY to the checkered flag.
MIDCOURT is two for two at Del Mar, including one for one at the distance. He blew a tire at the start of his last race and will look to rebound in the San Diego Handicap. He has the numbers but hasn't really beaten a "name horse". IMPROBABLE might be the best horse he's faced, but he hopped at the start and took off the last half of the race in is last effort. So, we really don't have a measuring stick versus quality; although, IMPROBABLE hasn't achieved anywhere near the success of our top pick.
Here is how we line them up in our Pro Subscribers' Bonus Commentary.
MAXIMUM SECURITY might be the best racehorse on the planet right now. HIGHER POWER ran the top, last race speed figure and ran his best number on Del Mar dirt. MIDCOURT stunk it up in his last. He should be happy to run at Del Mar where he is two-for-two. AX MAN won his last race, trainer Bob Baffert goes back-to-back Ws at 29%.
Exacta 1,5/1,2,5,6
Trifecta 1,5/1,2,5,6/1,2,5,6
Have a question for Rich Bieglmeier? Email him at gtsrichb@gmail.com.
Good luck at the races!
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