Truly A Judge Favored

Truly A Judge, who has made a nice living in California, has a chance for his biggest win Saturday.

A 4-year-old gelding, owned by a partnership and trained by Dave Bernstein, Truly A Judge is the 2-1 favorite in the $150,000 Jewel, the longest at 1 1/8 miles and richest of the half dozen events in the fourth annual Claiming Crown.

Run for its initial three years at Canterbury Downs in Minnesota, the Claiming Crown, a series of fairly lucrative races for horses who have run in claimers at one time or another in the past year, is being held this time at Philadelphia Park.

Jose Valdivia Jr. will be in Pennsylvania to ride Truly A Judge, who was a close second to Pie N Burger in an optional claimer at Del Mar on Aug. 15.

Race of the day: Atlantic Ocean, a pricey ($1.9 million) purchase at Barretts earlier this year who has been a bust in her first two starts for trainer Bob Baffert, will try to turn things around as she stretches to a mile in today’s sixth at Del Mar.

Who’s hot: David Flores. The jockey is the only rider in the top 10 at Del Mar to be winning at a 20% clip heading into the final two weeks of the meet.

Who’s not: Duan Salvino. The jockey lost with 70 of his first 73 mounts at Arlington Park.

Exotically speaking: Exacta boxes in the fifth keying Order Del Dia with Groovewiththebean, A Major Pleasure, Semper Tap and Great Alarm.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/63. Money: Previous day/meet total: $7.40/$375.40. Total money bet: $528.