posted July 18, 2008 at 13:13 in Triple Crown Articles

We are now right on top of one of the greatest meetings of the year and before getting into the human behaviors that astute horse betting players must evaluate, let’s go over what one should avoid and embrace during the Del Mar stand this season.

Do get to the track as early as possible. This will allow you to avoid the inevitable logjam on the highway and will assure that you can get that early Daily Double down. There is nothing worse than after studying for hours on end, to get shut out at the windows with a double-digit winner.

With so many sights to see, both human and equine, show up early, find a spot where you can relax, and start studying.

Do give South American bred runners a long shot look. Year after year they seem to thrive at the seaside. Do give the barns of Darrell Vienna, Wesley Ward, and Bill Spawr extra consideration.

Don’t get caught up in the chalk fiesta and jump on all the short prices you’ll see. Some of the younger fans that are in mass at this meet just want to cash tickets. Some don’t care if the price is 3-5 or 3-2. They just get a thrill of cashing. That’s why short prices abound.

Don’t focus on the speed and only the speed. Since the bias changes so quickly at this track, day-to-day and even race-to-race, morning to afternoon, know that a really wide bias will show up, sooner rather than later. Early in the week, the track could play a bit slower, but as the week goes on and the major stakes come into view, the surface should tighten up and get quicker.

Don’t be scared to take a shot with Northern California shippers. Terry Knight has had an off year but he could show here with some live stock. And Steve Miyadi, a high percentage guy, is sure to ship in with at least one or two live runners.

Don’t you dare leave the track without trying a margarita. There is no better way to soothe a tough beat or celebrate a trifecta hit.

Some general suggestions for the Del Mar meet go as follows.

If you are swallowing chalk, you better pick your spots right. Only the strong survive and to survive you have to pay attention to where the winners are coming from. Know that the owners that make the trek down for the meet want action and you cannot keep a decent claiming horse in your stable, unless you padlocked him to the stall.

Pay attention to upper echelon sophomores that have been freshened for this meet. The fact that they have not been through a hard grind all year gives them an opportunity to put 2 or 3 super races together against a tired crew.

As far as the turf is concerned, compare the first few days to how the grass played at Hollywood Park. In most years, the grass course will play slightly heavy the first week and become more conducive as the meet unfolds.

Last but not least, don’t rush out to beat the traffic. When the final sounds of Bing Crosby are blasting throughout the track, take a minute to take it all in. With the pretty people in no hurry to sit in the parking lot waiting for the throng to disappear, you can take this guarantee that there will be some human sights lingering that you will not want to miss.

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