Red Carpet Stakes Picks

By Jarrod Horak

Del Mar’s Bing Crosby Season continues on Thanksgiving Thursday and I have included 2023 Red Carpet Stakes picks below. The Grade 3 event for fillies and mares has a purse of $100,000 and the eight entrants will be traveling 1 3/8 miles on the turf course. It is the 6th race on Nov. 23. 

Red Carpet Stakes Picks & Final Time Ratings

Oakhurst is one of three entrants for trainer Phil D’Amato. She won a turf route at Del Mar on July 23 and owns competitive Today’s Racing Digest Final Time Ratings. She reconnects with Hector Berrios and he is a quality turf pilot. 

Linda’s Gift might be the controlling speed and she must be considered based on that fact alone. I don’t know if she wants to go this far or if she is this good, but this pace puzzler is full of closers and Tiago Pereira almost has to put her on the lead.

Musical Rhapsody (IRE) won twice in Ireland earlier this year. She moved to the Phil D’Amato barn and found trouble in a pair of optional-claiming turf routes at Del Mar over the summer. Mike Smith is her new pilot and she needs clear sailing. 

Sister Otoole won the local CTT and TOC at 1 3/8 miles on turf in 2022 and 2023. Graham Motion’s late running mare was 4th as the beaten favorite in this race last fall. Thursday’s rider Antonio Fresu booted her home at this course and distance on Aug. 18.

With Love (GB) is still eligible for an entry level allowance race and has not won since June 2022. Phil D’Amato’s sophomore filly rallied for the place in her last pair. She steps up in class and tries a longer distance, and looks overmatched on paper. 

Neige Blanche is a 10-for-25 mare with over $600k in career earnings. The multiple graded winner has struck twice at Del Mar and three times at 1 3/8 miles on turf.

Loved Reiko elevated her game in her last three starts. She was clearly second best at 1 5/16 miles at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 10, and was strong in a mile and a half entry level allowance affair on Oct. 1. She exits a show finish in the Grade 3 Dowager at 12 furlongs on Oct. 22. Mark Glatt excels with new additions to his barn and Umberto Rispoli is a strong turf rider. 

Symphony Perfect (IRE) rounds out the field. Michael McCarthy’s 3-for-23 filly reunites with her winning rider Juan Hernandez, but she never got seriously involved in her last three stakes starts. 

Red Carpet Stakes Picks

The Red Carpet is the seventh race in my Del Mar 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 Red Carpet Stakes picks video below.