Behaving Badly Is Favored

Behaving Badly is the 3-5 morning-line favorite to win the $200,000 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for a second consecutive year today at Del Mar.

A 5-year-old daughter of Pioneering, Behaving Badly made her first trip to the place where she was bred last month.

The 1-5 favorite in the Genuine Risk Handicap on July 3 at Belmont Park, Behaving Badly won by half a length against only three opponents.

However, Swap Fliparoo, who finished second to her in the Grade II, returned to win the Test, a Grade I, three weeks ago at Saratoga.

Owned by Patti and Hal Earnhardt III and trained by Bob Baffert, Behaving Badly has never lost at Del Mar, winning her three races by a combined 10 1/4 lengths.

Victor Espinoza, who has been aboard Behaving Badly for six of her eight wins, has the mount today in the field of six.

Her main competition figures to come from Proposed, who has won three of six this year, and Somethinaboutlaura, who won the A Gleam, a Grade II, by a nose in her last start on July 1 at Hollywood Park.

Race of the day: Wait A While, who won the American Oaks by 4 1/2 lengths July 2 at Hollywood Park, will seek to remain unbeaten on the turf in the $150,000 Lake Placid today at Saratoga. Garrett Gomez, who rode the 3-year-old Maria’s Mon filly to the easy victory in the Grade I in Inglewood, will ride back for Arindel Farm and trainer Todd Pletcher in the Grade II at 1 1/8 miles.

One for the road: Royal Leah broke her maiden easily on the main track July 20 and switches to the turf, a surface on which she was bred to excel, in the sixth race today at Arlington Park. Jesse Campbell will ride the 4-year-old daughter of Royal Academy for owner-breeders Jacquelyn Cochonour and Triple C Thoroughbreds, and trainer Michael Stidham in the $29,000 allowance for Illinois-breds at about 1 1/16 miles.

Exotically speaking: A place pick all using Luis’s Especial in the first, Lady Truffles and Quarterly Report in the second, Proxenia in the third, Skipping Court and In High Form in the fourth, Am I Tan in the fifth, Billy’s Echo and Margaritalosflores in the sixth, Behaving Badly in the seventh and South African Baby and Pink Polkadots in the eighth.

Winners: (previous day/meet total): 2/71. Money: (previous day/meet total): $7.20/$395.60. Total money bet: $442.