Choices Plentiful for Bettors

This is a dream day for horseplayers. There’s a solid nine-race card at Del Mar, Saratoga offers the $750,000 Alabama Stakes and Arlington Park will have its signature events, the Arlington Million and the $700,000 Beverly D. Stakes. Taking the stage in two of those races are Flute and Astra, the top members of their respective divisions. Trained by Bobby Frankel and owned by Juddmonte Farms, Flute has established herself as the best 3-year-old filly in the country and should have little trouble winning her second Grade I of the year. The winner of the Kentucky Oaks the day before the Kentucky Derby, Flute got a taste of Saratoga with an easy allowance win. Fleet Renee, who would have been her main danger in the Alabama, was declared earlier in the week because of to an unspecified injury. Perhaps her connections just didn’t want to deal with Flute again. Fleet Renee was no match for the Seattle Slew filly in the aforementioned Oaks. In the Beverly D., Astra, the best filly/mare turf performer, should make short work of her rivals. Her performance in the Beverly Hills Handicap on June 24 at Hollywood Park might have been the best race run by any horse in this country this year.

Race of the day: The main event at Del Mar is the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, a Grade I that attracted a talented group of eight 3-year-old fillies. Six of the participants enter having won their last start, and the likely favorite, Voodoo Dancer, has won five of six on the turf for trainer Christophe Clement. A winner at four different tracks, including an easy score in the Flawlessly at Hollywood Park on May 28, Voodoo Dancer will be ridden for the first time by Brice Blanc. The other serious contenders are Reine De Romance, who has won three of her last four since returning to the turf for Jenine Sahadi; Hollywood Oaks winner Affluent, who is one for one on the grass; Live Your Dreams, who has been worse than second only once in seven races on the turf; and Innit, who won the Honeymoon Handicap after finishing second to Voodoo Dancer in the Flawlessly.

Who’s hot: Buster’s Daydream. The 2-year-old son of Housebuster has won four in a row for trainer Tim Tullock and will seek another win in today’s $100,000 Ellis Park Juvenile. Owned by Stephen Barberino, the $38,000 yearling purchase has three graded stakes wins--the Flash and Tremont at Belmont Park and Sanford at Saratoga.

Who’s not: Jerry Dutton. Surprisingly, the veteran trainer is without a win at Del Mar.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Kolob and Futuristic in the sixth, Eric Da Bomb, Long Gone Con and Count V Ullmann in the seventh, singling Voodoo Dancer in the eighth and Visual Energy, John U To Berry, Mega Gift and Dixie Law in the ninth.