Maidens Grab Spotlight

It’s just another maiden Monday at Del Mar. For the third consecutive time in 2001, the track will end its six-day week with a card loaded with races for nonwinners. Four of the eight contests are for maidens, but, at least, only two of them are maiden claimers. The second, a one-mile affair, marks the fourth start of Unbridled Dignity, the chestnut who has yet to do anything to justify the $2 million he was purchased for at the Keeneland sale in September 1999. In two of his three races, he has finished eighth, beaten a combined 28 3/4 lengths. In his one good effort, he was second, beaten a little more than a length by Palmeiro, who finally earned his second victory on Saturday. The blinkers worn in Unbridled Dignity’s last disaster, a 17-length loss at 5-2, come off today, so let’s see how he performs for trainer Bob Hess Jr. and the Fog City Stable. An interesting first-time starter in the fourth, a one-mile race for fillies and mares on the turf, is Calida. A daughter of productive sire Theatrical out of the mare Nobles Time, Calida is a half-sister to Duda, who scored an upset victory in the 1995 Matriarch at Hollywood Park. Trained by Laura De Seroux for the Allen Paulson Living Trust, Calida drew the rail and will be ridden by Alex Solis.

Race of the day: The only nonclaiming race on the program for winners is the seventh, a 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. Lighten Up Tiny, who has won two of three on the dirt for trainer Bob Baffert and owners Jack and Florence Arnold, will try the turf and two turns after missing in a photo to favored Above Perfection in last month’s Fleet Treat. Other contenders include Cindy’s Hero, Desiraes My Candy and Grindstone Lassie.

Who’s hot: Sing Because. The 8-year-old, who was bred and originally trained by the late Charlie Whittingham, won for the fourth time in his last five starts and really hit a home run on Saturday. The son of Seattle Song, who was claimed for $40,000 by trainer Nick Canani for owner Richard Englander on May 25, won the $150,000 Jewel, the main event of Canterbury’s Claiming Crown. Sing Because has now won 11 of 37 in his career.

Who’s not: Julio Garcia. Winless at Del Mar, the jockey has left Southern California--again--and is reportedly headed to Florida to ride there.

Exotically speaking: We’ll play a pick-four using Dee Double Ya Dan and Game Set Match in the fifth, singling Because Of You in the sixth, Lighten Up Tiny, Cindy’s Hero and Grindstone Lassie in the seventh and Earth Pleasure, Seeyaat Redtracton and Pick Of The Valley in the eighth.