Week’s Final Card Is a Joker

After a weekend of watching some of the best horses in the country perform, things are back to normal for fans at Del Mar. The final card of the meet’s fifth week is forgettable and features two of the worst races for winners we’ve seen this year. Check out the fourth and fifth on the program if you don’t believe it. The so-called feature is a $53,000 allowance for 2-year-olds and it looks like the Bob Baffert Invitational. The leading trainer entered two horses--Ecstatic and Funny Meeting--to make the race go with a field of five. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Funny Meeting scratched, leaving a four-horse field. It wouldn’t be the first time that has happened. A 10-1 overlay in his debut on July 18, Ecstatic won the initial 2-year-old race of the season by two lengths and has trained well in the interim. A $400,000 purchase earlier this year, he appears another runner for Prince Ahmed Salman’s Thoroughbred Corporation. Rounding out the field are Yougottawanna, who defeated California-breds maidens in his first local start July 22; Holdthehelm, who earned his maiden victory on the Hollywood Park turf course last month, and Sharper Too, a California-bred who was defeated by 12 lengths by Officer, the top 2-year-old in the country, in the Graduation Stakes on July 25.

Race of the day: From a wagering standpoint, it is probably the sixth, a turf route for $40,000 claimers. The 1 1/16-mile race will bring together old pros King Clef, Royal Hill and Self Feeder. King Clef has been 1-2 in three of six on the Del Mar turf and is dropping to a career low. He’s also a specialist at the distance, having won four times at the trip. Royal Hill has won six times at Del Mar and Self Feeder, who has been competitive in graded stakes in the past, tries to reverse his fortunes with a class drop for trainer Pat Gallagher.

Who’s hot: Flute. The daughter of Seattle Slew made it three victories in a row for owner Juddmonte Farms and trainer Bobby Frankel with an impressive tally in Saturday’s $750,000 Alabama Stakes at Saratoga. Maybe people will finally realize she is the best 3-year-old filly in the country--and it isn’t even close.

Who’s not: Churchland. A tiger at Hollywood Park, where he won three in a row for a different barn, the 7-year-old was seventh of nine in his initial start at Del Mar against $12,500 sprinters. So, to get him turned around, his connections are running him against $40,000 foes on the turf this afternoon. Good luck.

Exotically speaking: We’ll play an early Pick Three using Jordi Moi and Memphis in the first, McCreary and Historical Marker in the second and singling Ron Cherry in the third.