Del Mar Fall Meet Picks

By Jarrod Horak

The second week of the Bing Crosby Season gets underway on Friday, Nov. 17, and this Del Mar fall meet picks article includes analysis of the feature race of the day. The seventh race is an $80,000 optional-claiming event for 3-year-olds and up traveling 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. 

Race 7 Analysis & Final Time Ratings

Sir Atticus stalked and finished 4th of 10 in the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien on Aug. 26, and set a pressured pace and ended up 4th of 9 in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G2) on Sept. 30. He goes back on lasix and might be the main speed from the inside post. He dueled and kicked away in a local optional claiming affair at this distance on July 21. 

Positivity is a sharp class riser for Kristin Mulhall. Antonio Fresu booted him home in a $40k claimer and a $50k/1x affair in his last pair, and the claim was voided on Oct. 1. He fired exacta shots in 6 of 8 starts at Del Mar and drilled a bullet for this on Nov. 12. He figures to stalk the pace.

C Z Rocket is a 9-year-old gelding with over $2 million in career earnings. He is 4-for-4 at this distance but has not won a race since July 2022. Flavien Prat takes the call and he will try to get involved in the lane, but others are more appealing on the win end.

Fort Bragg drew a comfortable post and figures to stalk while out in the clear under Juan Hernandez. Bob Baffert is strong with his first time lasix starters and this one might be using this as a prep for the Grade 1 Malibu on Dec. 26. 

Radical Right has not won a race in more than a year. He looks overmatched. 

Classic Car Wash hit the board in a pair of Kentucky Derby points races earlier this year. He was given half a year off after finishing up the track in the Grade 1 Blue Grass, and returned with a nice extended sprint win as the favorite at Churchill Downs on Oct. 21. All three of his wins were at Gulfstream Park at longer distances than this. Mark Casse’s sophomore gelding is 2-for-2 at seven panels and he might be targeting the Malibu. 

Del Mar Fall Meet Picks 

The seventh race on Nov. 17 is the fourth race in my Horse of the Day video series. I will cover one race each day during the 13-day Del Mar Bing Crosby Season, and the bulk of my videos will include stakes action. Check out my Nov. 17 video below.