By Bruno De Julio

 

We don't have to discuss the main track at Del Mar, the San Clemente Handicap is on the Jimmy Durante Turf course. The mile event slated as the 8th on the card starts in the stretch and thus avoiding the dreaded chute start. The chute can create havoc to outside posts, and is a darn clever representation of Jimmy Durante's schnauzer, but that's neither here nor there. Thus, we don't have to deal with the main track or the chute, so we got that going for us.

 

The race, yes, the race, Carlsbad, aptly named to run at the meet, is sitting on a big race for Jeff Mullins. This daughter of Rocky Bar has already exceeded her expectations. She seems to get her stamina from her Pine Bluff broodmare, Kits Peak. She had a bleeding episode after her June 17 work (There has been a widespread epidemic, I know of four horses alone in our barn too that have bled). She has trained well after taking two weeks off. She has trained well since. She is the first over on the leaders or the speed herself. This race is tailor made for her style. Strawberry Tart should be finishing well. The interesting character in the race is Internally Flawless. She trained well and she was a Breeders’ Cup type on the turf last fall before going to the sidelines.

 

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Bruno De Julio is a handicapper at Today’s Racing Digest - www.todaysracingdigest.com