Del Mar Picks & Predictions — August 29, 2026

Kozy Kurlin Kitten rates second at 71.04 and shows a 21% career win rate — the best win percentage among the experienced runners outside the top pick. Trainer Doug O'Neill has a strong allowance book at Del Mar and Jaramillo gives this one every chance to fire into the front flow. At 7/2, the morning line makes her a natural place companion to No Cap in exacta constructions.

Shared Future checks in at 68.85 and owns a 19% career win rate — right in the range of a consistent, professional allowance horse who finds a way to hit the board. The 5/1 price is fair, and trainer Mark Rheinford with Armando Aguilar aboard gives this one a workmanlike setup. For trifecta coverage, Shared Future provides a live option at a price that keeps the exotic payoffs meaningful.

Grandisimo sits just behind at 85.45 with a notably stronger career win rate of 23% — the best among the top-rated contenders. Abel Lezcano takes over in the saddle for trainer Brian Cunningham, and the 7/2 morning line mirrors Caisson's, making this a genuine co-top of the market situation. On turf, where pace often sorts out in the stretch, a horse with Grandisimo's career win efficiency can be the one to come calling late.

Druidic rates third at 80.91 for trainer Daniel Azcarate with Kazushi Kimura — a jockey whose turf form at Del Mar this meet has been quietly excellent. The 6/1 morning line offers value for a horse sitting just outside the top two in our model, and a 13% career win rate in allowance company is respectable. In a three-horse photo for the top of the model, Druidic rounds out a logical trifecta wheel at a price that helps the ticket pay.

Hit the Track Jack sits second in our model at 70.09 for trainer Ruben Gomez and draws Armando Ayuso, who is comfortable rating off the pace in short sprints. An average speed of 56 matches Positive Times on figures, which suggests this horse can keep up with the top pick physically — the model separation is about overall profile, not raw speed alone. At 6/1 on the morning line, Hit the Track Jack has genuine place appeal in a big field.

De Facto comes in at 57.27 with Joel Rosario grabbing the mount for trainer Brian Koriner — a jockey-trainer combo that regularly delivers in maiden company. The 7/2 morning line makes De Facto the second market choice despite sitting third in our model, which suggests connections and the betting public see something worth backing here. He's a logical show play and keeps your trifecta ticket honest in what could be a wide-spread exotic race.

Petite Marie rates 55.83 and shows an average speed of 56 — one of only a handful of horses in this field carrying an actual figure into the race. Paula Capestro sends her out at 7/2 with Tyler Baze, and a prior speed mark on turf is invaluable when most of the competition is guessing. That measurable performance history gives Petite Marie a slight edge in projection and makes her a natural place complement to the top pick.

Savvy Tiger at 5/1 gets Umberto Rispoli for trainer Philip D'Amato — and D'Amato's turf debut record at Del Mar is a genuine angle worth noting. Despite no prior speed figure on record, the 53.33 TrackWiz rating and the Rispoli-D'Amato combination give Savvy Tiger legitimate show appeal in a race where guessing is unavoidable. A 5/1 price for a D'Amato first-timer on turf is not a price to dismiss lightly.

Matt At Five is a compelling place play at 5/1 — a 42% career win rate is the highest mark among the legitimate contenders and signals a horse who finds the winner's circle with real regularity. Trainer Peter Miller with Hector Isaac Berrios is a live combination in sprint allowance races at Del Mar, and an 81.69 rating puts Matt At Five clearly in the second tier of the model. The gap between Septembersixtyfour and Matt At Five is modest enough that a circuit or a trip issue for the top pick makes the place position very attractive.

Howie's Law carries a 78.40 TrackWiz rating and a 33% career win rate — strong credentials, and notably the morning line listed EVN before the scratch removed Re Armed Jon and rearranged the market. Trainer and jockey details are unavailable post-scratch, but the model number is legitimate enough to keep in exotics. At whatever price this horse settles at, the 33% win rate and near-80 rating make it a credible show inclusion.

Day At the Track is listed as scratched in the data but appears as the place pick — if this horse is declared out, bettors should adjust their tickets accordingly and look to the next-rated contender. The 72.62 TrackWiz rating and 14% career win rate represent a solid mid-tier claiming profile, and the EVN morning line suggested genuine confidence before the scratch. Always confirm final field status through TrackWiz updates before wagering.

It's a Factor sits at 67.84 in our model with Ricardo Gonzalez aboard for trainer Antonio Garcia — a 6/1 morning line that offers legitimate value for a show play. The 7% career win rate is on the low end, but in a field this large, a horse who finds the board consistently matters more than raw win percentage when constructing trifectas. An average speed of 53 is below the top tier, but at 6/1, the show price alone makes It's a Factor worth including as a hedge.

Big City Lights rates second at 78.85 and owns the field's best career win rate at 52% — more than half his starts have ended in the winner's circle, which is a remarkable figure in stakes company. Trainer Richard Mandella sends him out at 7/2 with Kazushi Kimura, and an average speed of 57 matches the top pick on raw figures. This horse is not a place-and-forget — he's a serious win contender who just gets edged in the model, and in a stakes race, that gap can close on any given day.

Stronghold comes in at 65.83 for trainer Philip D'Amato with Antonio Fresu and brings a 33% career win rate — the highest among the second tier of contenders. The 6/1 morning line is fair, and D'Amato has consistently put up competitive stakes runners at Del Mar throughout the summer. Stronghold is a logical show anchor in a stakes trifecta — experienced, well-conditioned, and guided by one of the meet's sharpest trainers.

Test Score slots in at 78.30 — barely a point behind the top pick — with Juan Hernandez aboard for trainer H. Graham Motion, a conditioner with an excellent record at routes on turf. A 31% career win rate mirrors Gold Phoenix's profile almost exactly, making this a genuine co-top scenario where the place bet is nearly as logical as the win. At 3/1 on the morning line, Test Score will likely go off as a co-favorite, and at this distance on turf, the Motion-Hernandez combination deserves that respect.

Packs a Wahlop is the value play of the race at 10/1 with a 76.88 TrackWiz rating — just a step behind the top two, but carrying a morning line that suggests the market is underestimating this horse's chances. Trainer John Sadler with Emisael Jaramillo is a turf route combination worth watching, and a 19% career win rate at longer distances shows consistent effort. At double-digit odds, Packs a Wahlop rounds out a trifecta ticket that could pay handsomely if the top two run their race and this one slots into third.