You can check the main track
The main track does not need speed to win. Although speed can favor the track, overall it is fair and does not favor Del Mar.
This increases the chances of winning for late runners and makes a lot more Santa Anita closing losers Del Mar rallying winners.
Del Mar favors horses that can lead, press, or follow at 6 feet. Del Mar is a better place for horses that are not from the front than Santa Anita, and even better than Los Al.
You can check the main track
The main track does not need speed to win. Although speed can favor the track, overall it is fair and does not favor Del Mar.
This increases the chances of winning for late runners and makes a lot more Santa Anita closing losers Del Mar rallying winners.
Del Mar favors horses that can lead, press, or follow at 6 feet. Del Mar is a better place for horses that are not from the front than Santa Anita, and even better than Los Al.
Avoid tactical speed in two-turn, mile races
Another betting angle is: At a distance of one mile (two turns), tactical pace tends to be a money loser. At Del Mar, the best way to win are to go to the front (nearly 40% wins for horses running at the pace) or to be close from the pace for more than three lengths (stalkers or closers account for 35% of the winners). This distance is best for close-ups on the main track and worst for stalkers and pressers.
Del Mar is becoming less frequent for dirt races at 1 1/16 mile and beyond. The small sample size makes it difficult to compile winning trends. Only seven dirt races were held at 1 1/16 mile or more during the Del Mar meet in summer 2019. Six of those races were run at 1 1/16 miles or longer in 2020. One was the Pacific Classic, which is 1 1/4 miles.
For favorable post positions, 1-mile races are the best. It is very difficult to win from beyond post 7. 36 horses began at posts 8-10 in the 2020 summer meet. Two of them won. This is a win rate of about 6%.
Dirt sprints are more difficult. At 5 1/2 furlongs, post positions are fair. This has almost caught up to 6 furlongs for the longest run distance. Interesting to note is that rail wins less often at 6 furlongs than any other inside draw (3-for 38 in summer 2020) or 6 1/2 furlongs (1-1 for 22). Based on summer stats for 2018-2020, the disadvantages of the two inside posts at 7 furlongs are apparent. Post 1 runners won 3 of 35 races and post 2 runners won 2 of 35 starts at 7furlongs.
Del Mar’s pristine turf course is one the best.
Del Mar hosts some of the best turf racing in the country. There was almost no advantage in post positions at all distances since Del Mar’s 2016 turf course installation, the year it hosted the Breeders Cup. The majority of Del Mar’s turf routes run at one mile or one sixteenth miles. Only a few races are run at 1 mile or 1/16 miles on turf. Around 5-10 turf races are carded at 1-1/8 miles per season. Because the 1 1/8-mile course at Del Mar is the only turf race you won’t want an outside post for, the last three summers have seen no grass horse win from a distance greater than 8 inches.
Del Mar’s turf route preferences can be seen in 20% of its races. 35% of these races are won when horses are more than three lengths behind the second call.
Last Updated on November 18, 2021