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Full card analysis on every Del Mar race, AI ratings on every runner, and SmartBet ticket construction.
Free Del Mar Picks & Predictions
Del Mar runs on dirt and turf, with about 54% of races on the dirt, racing from 5 fur to 1 3/8 mi, with fields averaging 9.5 starters. Every card gets free picks on selected races plus a full-card breakdown for subscribers — 15 Del Mar sheets published so far.
Latest Del Mar Free Picks
Del Mar is not racing today. Below are the free picks from the last Del Mar card, August 9, 2026.
Race 1
Maiden Special Weight · 1 1/8 mi · Turf
A wide-open maiden turf route where TrackWiz's model finds a clear class edge at the top, but the second and third picks are close enough to make exotics interesting.
Pentle Bay tops our ratings by a comfortable margin — an 87.08 grade that stands well clear of the field — and Simon Callaghan conditions are always worth respecting on the Del Mar turf. At 3/1 on the morning line, this is one of those spots where the favorite actually looks like reasonable value rather than a lay. The 1 1/8-mile trip should suit a first-time starter from a turf-savvy barn, and Antonio Fresu gets the call in what shapes up as a well-spotted debut.
Daring Pursuit rates second in the field with a 78.19 TrackWiz score and draws a manageable outside post at 4/1. Dan Blacker doesn't send horses out to lose on debut, and Hector Isaac Berrios gives the stable a capable pilot. If Pentle Bay faces any early trouble on the turf course, this one looks like the most likely beneficiary.
Ulysses Rose is the morning-line favorite's stablemate — both are trained by Michael W. McCarthy — which adds an interesting wrinkle since McCarthy could easily have a two-pronged attack here. At 5/2 on the line, Ulysses Rose is the public's second choice, and a 71.7 rating with Juan J. Hernandez up makes this a legitimate exotic anchor rather than a throwout.
Race 2
Maiden Special Weight · 6 1/2 fur · Dirt
Three debut firsters with zero workable speed figures line up against a pair of first-out runners in what promises to be a barn-versus-barn shootout on the dirt sprint.
Miss Monica breaks from the rail for Bob Baffert and Juan J. Hernandez — a pairing that has historically clicked at Del Mar — and carries the top TrackWiz rating in the field at 59.0. She opens at 8/5 on the morning line, reflecting public confidence in the Baffert first-out angle on the dirt, which has been one of the more reliable patterns on the Southern California circuit. With no workable speed figures on any of the main rivals, this is largely a trainer-and-connections play, and those connections don't come stronger.
Well Versed is trained by Richard Mandella and ridden by the legendary Mike E. Smith — a combination that rarely shows up without a horse ready to run. The 58.33 TrackWiz rating tracks closely with Miss Monica's top mark, and at 2/1 on the morning line, this is effectively a coin-flip with the favorite. If Miss Monica is overbet, Well Versed offers a comparable profile at potentially better value.
Royal Pearl gives Michael W. McCarthy another arrow in his quiver today — he's sending runners out in multiple races — and Antonio Fresu is a reliable Del Mar turf pilot who can also handle dirt. At 3/1 with a 56.67 rating, Royal Pearl has enough upside to land in the exacta or trifecta, and McCarthy's first-out record on the local circuit warrants respect even when the horse isn't the top pick.
Race 3
Allowance Optional Claiming · 1 mi · Turf
The top two in TrackWiz's ratings are separated by just six points in an AOC turf mile that shapes up as a two-horse battle at the top, with a monster longshot lurking in the show slot.
Red Cherry earns the top TrackWiz score in this field at 87.81 — a full six points clear of her nearest rival — and Joel Rosario sliding into the irons for John Sadler is a powerful rider-trainer combination at Del Mar. She opens at 5/2 on the morning line, which feels fair given the class edge our model identifies. The one-mile turf trip is a distance where Sadler's grass horses routinely fire, and in an AOC spot, the class picture favors a horse with this kind of rating separation.
Mia Familia brings actual experience to a field that has several unknowns, posting a 14% career win rate alongside an 81.52 TrackWiz score that ranks a clear second in the field. Trainer Jose D'Angelo keeps her engaged with Emisael Jaramillo up, and at 5/1 on the morning line, there's some real place value here if the top pick draws clear. Her average speed of 55 is competitive for this level.
Soul Sister is the longshot angle in the show slot — 12/1 on the morning line with a 58.08 rating that doesn't scream top three, but Karen Headley's 14% career win rate with this horse is a live number. At that price, she's a trifecta wheel candidate and a smart inclusion in any exotics approach. Tiago Pereira has been finding his footing at Del Mar and can get her into a good spot from post 3.
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About the Del Mar Racing Surface
- Surfaces
- Dirt and Turf
- Distance range
- 5 fur to 1 3/8 mi
- Typical field
- 9.5 starters
- Typical card
- 9.5 races
Most common race conditions at Del Mar: Maiden Special Weight, Allowance Optional Claiming, Claiming, Maiden Claiming.
Measured across the last 15 Del Mar cards we have handicapped.
Recent Del Mar Race Sheets
- August 9, 20269 races
- August 8, 202610 races
- August 7, 20268 races
- August 6, 20268 races
- August 2, 202610 races
- August 1, 202611 races
- July 31, 20268 races
- July 30, 20268 races
- July 26, 202611 races
- July 25, 202611 races
Del Mar Picks — Common Questions
Is there a free Del Mar card?
Yes. Every Del Mar race sheet includes free picks with full analysis on selected races, with no account required. The remaining races on the card are part of a TrackWiz subscription.
What surface does Del Mar race on?
Del Mar cards run on dirt and turf. Across the last 15 cards, roughly 54% of races were on the dirt.
How many races are on a typical Del Mar card?
Del Mar cards average 9.5 races, with fields of about 9.5 starters. Distances run from 5 fur to 1 3/8 mi.
When are Del Mar picks published?
Del Mar picks are published ahead of the first post for that day's card. We have published 15 Del Mar sheets; you can get each new one by email before post time.