Del Mar Racetrack – Riviera Cocktail Looks Like the Bet in Race 7 at Del Mar on July 28th

The featured race at Del Mar this Wednesday is the $75,000 Wickerr Stakes.

Some very good turf horses are going to line up at the gate for the Wickerr including 5th place finisher in the 2009 Hong Kong Mile, Ferneley.

The horse that I like runs for Neil Drysdale.

[Off topic: by the way, do you want to get a 60% bonus on your first deposit here at BetOnline? Find out more exciting details HERE.]

The horse’s name is Riviera Cocktail. It feels like Drysdale hasn’t had a great horse in his barn for a while now although some may argue that point.

I’m hoping that Riviera Cocktail somehow turns into that great horse starting with a win in the Wickerr Stakes on Wednesday.

Del Mar Racetrack - Saturday

Where: Del Mar Racetrack – Race 7

Del Mar, CA

When: July 28th, 2010 at 8:00 pm EST

TV: TVG

Wickerr Stakes

Purse $75,000. (Plus $22,500 – CBOIF – California Bred Owner Fund). For Three-Year-Olds And Upward Which Are Non-Winners Of A Sweepstakes Of $50,000* Other Than State Bred At One Mile Or Over Since May 1.

1 mile over turf

8-Riviera Cocktail – - 3/1 morning horse line odds

Closers have had success so far over Del Mar’s turf course. Riviera Cocktail might be the best closer in this race. He’s been in excellent form lately with 2 straight victories, both at the allowance level, and now takes a slight, very slight, step up in class.

Drysdale doesn’t put them in a race unless he feels he’s got a shot to win and this guy is a winner with 4 wins out of 13 lifetime races. Riviera Cocktail should be ultra-tough on Wednesday with Rafael Bejarano on his back.

The only real question is whether or not Bejarano can make a trip breaking from the 8 hole.

7-Red Door Drive – - 6/1 morning line odds

If you throw out Red Door Drive’s last race, where he ended up finishing 5th, then what you have is a horse that really fits at this level.

In fact, Red Door Drive finished 2nd to Riviera Cocktail three races back by only a nose.

Trainer Bob Baffert figures to start getting hot at Del Mar soon and if the turf is favoring speed, there isn’t a better horse on which to wager than Red Door Drive in this.

9 – Ferneley- – 7/2 morning line odds

Ferneley is the obvious class of this field, but there’s a huge question as to whether or not he’ll be able to run his best first off the bench since racing against some toughies in the Grade I Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin Racecourse last December.

If Ferneley is ready, then there are only a couple in this that can beat him. If he isn’t, then he could finish off the board.

He’s a must use in all exotics because of his class but he’s an iffy bet to win on Wednesday.

Horse Wagering Strategy

I like Riviera Cocktail and will bet that one to win. I will bet Riviera Cocktail in an exacta over Ferneley, Red Door Drive and likely chalk 6-Gallant Son. I will reverse the exacta for less.

Good luck!

Del Mar is back in action on Wednesday!