On Turf, He’s Not About to Be Denied

A winner of two of his first five starts for trainer Bob Baffert, Denied hasn’t lost since changing barns and switching to the turf.

The 5-year-old Bertrando gelding will seek his fourth consecutive grass win and try to remain unbeaten for trainer Jeff Mullins in today’s seventh at Del Mar. The $70,000 allowance at a mile is the fifth leg of a pick six with a carry-over of $241,338.

Owned by Blue Field U S A Inc., Denied has won at three different tracks during his streak. He began his mini-roll with a one-length win over then-stablemate Marine on April 16, won by a neck about a month later at Hollywood Park, then rolled to a 2 1/2- length victory over Long Gone Con and eight others in his Del Mar debut on July 30.

Never worse than third in his eight-race career, Denied will again be ridden by Victor Espinoza and will be opposed by Designed For Luck, Lord Jim, Mountain Rage, Wooden Phone, Decarchy and Reel’em In, also trained by Mullins.

Owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms and trained by Bobby Frankel, Decarchy holds the class edge. The 6-year-old was second to Special Ring in the Eddie Read Handicap, a Grade I, on July 27 and won the 2002 Jimmy Kilroe, a Grade II, at Santa Anita.

However, Decarchy is winless since the Kilroe, a losing streak of eight races.

Race of the day: Some promising 2-year-old maidens will get together in today’s second at Del Mar. The field of six includes sons of Kentucky Derby winners Real Quiet and Silver Charm and colts by Smoke Glacken and Smart Strike.

One for the road: Kosade won her debut 1 1/16 miles on turf at Delaware Park and it’s never an easy task to win a route race at first asking. The Cozzene filly makes her first start at Saratoga in today’s sixth for high-percentage trainer Michael Dickinson.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Lucky Pulpit, Miss Sand Bar and Blairs Roarin Star in the fifth, Hollywood Honey, Susie Joe’s and Last Kiss in the sixth, Decarchy and Denied in the seventh and single Standing Tall in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/53. Money: Previous day/meet total: $9.80/$300. Total money bet: $394.