Del Mar Picks & Predictions — July 19, 2026

Sorrento Sky is the other D'Amato runner and rates out at 76.77 — second best in the field by a healthy margin over Book Smart. Umberto Rispoli gets the leg up, and his feel for turf racing at Del Mar is arguably better than anyone on the grounds. There's a scenario where D'Amato uses Motorious to soften up the pace and Sorrento Sky swoops in late, making the 5/1 morning line look very generous.

Book Smart at 5/1 with Mike Smith aboard is not a horse to dismiss in this spot. A 26% career win rate is respectable at the allowance level, and trainer Robert Hess, Jr. rarely enters horses without a real shot. The 69.37 TrackWiz rating puts Book Smart clearly ahead of the remaining field — if the D'Amato duo runs each other wide or gets into traffic, Smith's patient style could thread through for third.

Attack Now at 7/2 is the morning-line favorite and checks in second with a 72.02 TrackWiz rating — no small thing in a 10-horse maiden claimer. Emisael Jaramillo is up for Doug O'Neill, a trainer who wins maiden claiming routes at a high rate at Del Mar. The 53 avg speed is modest, but O'Neill often improves horses dramatically from their debut work to first start, and Jaramillo's confidence in a mile route is a key asset.

Stage Run at 8/1 is a price play worth including in trifecta tickets — a 67.63 TrackWiz rating makes him third in this field and Tim McCanna does his best work when spotting horses in appropriate conditions. Kyle Frey's aggressive early style could put Stage Run in a comfortable stalking position that sets up perfectly for the stretch drive on the front-side of a mile. At 8/1, he offers solid overlay value for the show slot.

Sammy Davis at 5/1 has a 33% career win rate for John Sadler — another top-tier turf trainer — and Joel Rosario steering is as automatic as it gets. A 66.1 TrackWiz rating is well above mid-field, and Sadler's horses tend to improve with each start on turf, especially around two turns. If Savage Warden gets pressured early and flattens, Sammy Davis has the profile of a horse who runs a huge race for second.

Tiz All That shows a 50% career win rate — the best in the field — and Richard Baltas has quietly assembled a solid turf stable at Del Mar. The 3/1 morning line actually makes this horse the second choice off the board, suggesting sharp money may be on him too. Edwin Maldonado has been building chemistry with the Baltas barn and gets the call here; at 56 avg speed, this is a horse capable of running a big number on the right trip.

Typhoon Tommy at 8/1 is a juicy price for a horse rated 58.42 — fifth-best overall but with a notably low win percentage that suggests he's a chronic runner-up type who rarely wins but pops up for pieces. The 6 1/2-furlong distance is right in his wheelhouse, and trainer Edwin Alvarez has shown patience in placing this horse in spots where he can hit the board. A horse who spots you money on the win and delivers in the exacta is exactly what you need in an 11-horse field.

Harbor Code checks in with a 55.67 rating for Carla Gaines — a trainer who doesn't waste starts — and Kazushi Kimura is one of the most underrated jockeys in the country right now. A 16% career win rate is respectable in claiming company, and the 5/1 morning line puts him on the cusp of value. In a chaotic field scenario with multiple speed horses, Harbor Code's tactical versatility should position him nicely for a share of the purse.

Sirnami at 6/1 is the most intriguing overlay in the race — a 71.83 TrackWiz rating that ranks second in this massive field, and trainer Mike Puype pairs with Joel Rosario, one of the most turf-savvy jockeys in the country. A 56 avg speed gives Sirnami a real edge over most of this field, and Rosario's ability to find daylight in a full turf field is unmatched. At 6/1, this is a legitimate value play for the exacta.

Lucky N Smart at 7/2 for Carla Gaines with Kazushi Kimura up is a horse whose connections command attention. Gaines rarely wastes a Kimura booking and the 55.83 TrackWiz rating puts Lucky N Smart squarely in the top tier of a wide-open maiden field. In a race where the top two horses may battle each other into the stretch, a fresh horse with sharp tactical speed could sneak up for a piece of the purse.

Gabriel's Gift at 7/2 is the public's second choice and gets the Richard Baltas-Joel Rosario treatment — one of the most reliable trainer-jockey combinations in Southern California racing. A 55.83 TrackWiz rating puts him second in our model, and while he lacks recorded speed figures, Baltas consistently has first-time starters fit and ready on opening day. Rosario's patient style in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint means this horse won't be asked to do too much too soon.

Here On Business at 5/1 brings a 53.33 TrackWiz rating and an avg speed of 55 — both above mid-field — for trainer Dean Pederson. Tiago Josue Pereira gets the mount and has been improving with each week at Del Mar. In a chaotic 12-horse field where the favorite and our top pick may be jostling for position in the stretch, a horse who rates kindly from a mid-pack trip could easily inherit third at a useful price.

King of Gosford is the morning-line favorite at 5/2 and boasts the best career win rate in the field at 50% — half his starts have resulted in victories. Philip D'Amato has this horse pointing perfectly, and Umberto Rispoli is a proven stakes jockey on the Del Mar lawn. A 66.45 TrackWiz rating ranks him third overall, but his consistency and pedigree make him a near-lock to hit the board.

First Peace at 4/1 is Mark Glatt's third entry and the one with the highest avg speed figure in the field at 59 — that number stands out in a turf mile stakes where late pace matters enormously. A 29% career win rate for Mike Smith is the kind of combination you don't dismiss in a stakes race, and Smith is one of the most decorated turf riders in the history of Del Mar. If the pace collapses on the frontrunners, First Peace's raw speed is a powerful weapon.

Letmein at 4/1 rates second in this field at 71.31 and trainer Mark Glatt pairs with Abel Lezcano — a rider who has been sharp in sprint routes all summer. A 9% career win rate sounds modest, but Glatt horses frequently hit the board without winning, and in a starter optional claiming spot, hitting the exacta with Letmein is a high-percentage play. The distance — seven furlongs — sits in his comfort zone based on the avg speed figure.

Charlie Foxtrot at 8/1 is the value bomb in the exotics — a 60.93 TrackWiz rating with a 14% career win rate for Robert Hess Jr., a trainer who spots horses in spots they can succeed. Armando Ayuso is a forward-pressing rider who will have Charlie Foxtrot in position through the first turn, and at 8/1 he brings serious overlay value if the top two beat each other up. Include him in trifectas and exacta wheels for maximum coverage.

Enterdadragon at 6/1 is Philip D'Amato's entry in the nightcap — second best in the field at 82.71 — and Joel Rosario will be looking to make a sustained move on the far turn going around two bends. A 16% career win rate is workmanlike, but D'Amato horses rarely run off the board when entered at this level, and Rosario knows every blade of grass at Del Mar's turf course. The 6/1 price is solid overlay for a horse of this quality.

Ah Jeez at 8/1 is the third leg of the TrackWiz trifecta in Race 11 — a 68.93 rating for Doug O'Neill with Emisael Jaramillo up, a combination that has been clicking at this meet. A 6% career win rate is low, but the rating says the talent is there and O'Neill often finds overlooked spots for horses who run well without necessarily winning. In a full turf route where positioning is everything, Jaramillo's tactical awareness gives Ah Jeez a real shot to grab third.