Racing From Coast to Coast

There is no shortage of good racing today, both at Del Mar and, especially, at Saratoga. The main event locally is the $400,000 Eddie Read Handicap, a Grade I at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. Saratoga, meanwhile, will have a pair of Grade I’s--the $750,000 Whitney Handicap, headed by Albert The Great, and the $250,000 Test Stakes, featuring Xtra Heat, a 3-year-old filly who has won 14 of 16 for owner Kenneth Taylor and trainer John Salzman. A race after the Test, Red Bullet, the 2000 Preakness winner, will make his first start since July 9, 2000, in a seven-furlong allowance race. A winner of four of six lifetime, the 4-year-old Unbridled colt will be ridden by Jerry Bailey. Red Bullet is perfect in his two sprint races. He broke his maiden by seven lengths in his debut on Jan. 8, 2000, then won by 2 1/2 lengths going seven furlongs less than a month later at Gulfstream Park. At Del Mar, Irish Prize is the 9-5 morning line choice as he seeks his fourth consecutive stakes victory for trainer Neil Drysdale and owner Sheikh Maktoum al Maktoum.

Race of the day: There are several good betting opportunities on today’s card at Del Mar as many of the races attracted full, competitive fields. The sixth, an allowance sprint for 3-year-olds and up, could fall a lot of different ways, and so could the eighth, a 6 1/2-furlong optional claimer. The lukewarm favorite in the sixth at 7-2 is Bills Paid, and Romanzo is the 7-2 choice in the eighth.

Who’s hot: Bruce Headley. The veteran trainer, besides doing an outstanding job with champion sprinter Kona Gold, has won with three of his first six starters at the meet. He will start maiden Von Stauffenberg in today’s third race.

Who’s not: Morocco. A $2-million yearling purchase, the 4-year-old son of Brocco has managed to win only two of eight starts and earn $63,920. No better than fifth in his last four starts, Morocco will try to turn things around in the eighth race while racing coupled with Riyadh City.

Exotically speaking: A pick three singling Live Your Dreams in the fourth, using Good Cop Bad Cop, La Bandera and Doc N Jag in the fifth and Bills Paid, Lytle Creek, Battle God and Ran D Scott in the sixth.