Frankel Horses Favored

Trainer Bobby Frankel, a winner of four stakes the first two weeks of Saratoga, will try for his second victory of the Del Mar season in this afternoon’s $75,000 Escondido Handicap.

A prep for the $250,000 Del Mar Handicap on Sept. 1, the Escondido, run at 1 3/8 miles on the turf, attracted only six entrants, and the two horses who figure to get the most attention are trained by Frankel.

Lord Flasheart, the 7-5 morning-line choice, will be looking for his second U.S. win in his fifth race in this country for owner Ed Gann, who teamed with Frankel to win Sunday’s Jim Dandy Stakes at Saratoga in a runaway with Medaglia d’Oro.

The 5-year-old, who was third by a neck as the 17-10 favorite in last month’s Sunset Handicap at Hollywood Park, will have to beat 3-1 third choice Dance Dreamer.

Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms, Dance Dreamer, a 4-year-old son of Nureyev, has won two of three in the States but will be making his first stakes appearance. It will also mark his first start in this country beyond 1 1/8 miles, but he did win at a mile and a quarter in France and was third at the Escondido distance in his career debut May 17, 2001.

Race of the day: Windy’s Halo, a 10-year-old, makes his first start of the year in the fourth, a $12,500 claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs against a field that includes Big Shakespeare, who has won three of his last four.

Who’s hot: Eddie Delahoussaye. He is right in the thick of the jockeys’ race with nine victories and won Sunday’s $250,000 San Diego Handicap with longshot Grey Memo.

Who’s not: Chance Rollins. The rider is one for 28 at Del Mar.

Exotically speaking: A pick four singling Warn Me Again in the fifth, using A Touch Of Grey, Kinston, Kinetic Bend and Always Game in the sixth, Dance Dreamer, Lord Flasheart and Little Ghazi in the seventh and singling Bush Triumph in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/25. Money: Previous day/meet total: $10.80/$156.60. Total money bet: $206.