Handicapping Saturday's All-Stakes Cross Country Pick 5

There is compelling summertime racing nationwide and across several divisions Aug. 21.

It's Alabama Day at Saratoga Race Course, and the 141st running of the grade 1 test for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/4 miles is preceded by the Smart N Fancy and Lake Placid (G2T) stakes.

At Del Mar there is a mandatory payout in the Pick 6 that featured a carryover of $1,751,884 at the conclusion of racing Aug. 19. There are five graded stakes in the sequence Saturday: the Torrey Pines (G3), Del Mar Mile (G2T), Del Mar Oaks (G1T), TVG Pacific Classic (G1), and Del Mar Handicap Presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2T). The latter two races are part of the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series and offer fees-paid berths to the Longines Classic (G1) and Longines Turf (G1T).

At Monmouth Park, Code of Honor , a multiple graded stakes winner of more than $2.7 million, returns from a layoff in the Philip H. Iselin Stakes (G3) and seeks his first win since the 2020 Westchester Stakes (G3).

A 50-cent Cross Country Pick 5 begins with the Lake Placid and Alabama and continues through the Del Mar Oaks, Pacific Classic, and Del Mar Handicap.

Let's take a look in race order (all times Eastern).

Lake Placid (Sar, race 9, 5:39): It's been a rainy summer at the Spa, and after more wet weather washed most turf races to the main track Thursday and Friday, there is a better than 50-50 chance for still more precipitation Saturday.

Technical Analysis  (2) won a maiden race at 1 1/16 miles on "good" turf last fall at Aqueduct Racetrack, covering the distance a full second faster than what Lovestruck  (5) ran in winning the Tepin Stakes three races later. Technical Analysis comes off a breakthrough performance to win the one-mile Lake George Stakes (G3T) on the inner course for Chad Brown earlier at the meet.

Ego Trip  (3) is a maiden facing winners but posted progressively faster fractions (26.10, 24.18, 23.68, 22.68) when finishing strongly for second in a maiden race at a mile on the inner turf, the day after the Lake George. She could be helped by stretching out and moving to the more expansive Mellon (outer) turf and the same holds true for Runaway Rumour  (4), who rallied wide in finishing fourth in the Lake George first time in a graded stakes.

Spanish Affair  (6) cuts back after forcing the pace in the Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) against Santa Barbara, who returned to beat older mares in the Beverly D. (G1T).

A - 2

B - 3, 4, 5, 6

Alabama (Sar, race 10, 6:13): The top three finishers from a four-filly renewal of the Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) meet again and stretch out to the classic distance of 1 1/4 miles.

Malathaat  (6) had been idle 12 weeks since taking the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) when she was sent from the rail and wound up being hounded all the way in the CCA Oaks, first by Clairiere  (3) and then by Maracuja  (4). After a long drive, Maracuja edged Malathaat, who suffered her first defeat. However, the Alabama figures to unfold through a much different dynamic in terms of pace, as Played Hard  (5) will likely be the one to catch off a pair of front-running scores since stretched out to two turns.

Malathaat has moved up twice figure-wise when making the second start of her form cycle and can revert to the rate-and-finish tactics she employed effectively in the Oaks and Central Bank Ashland (G1).

Clairiere went after Malathaat through the middle stages of the CCA Oaks, and she too might be taken back early. That was the case when she triumphed in the Rachel Alexandra Stakes Presented by Fasig-Tipton (G2) to begin her sophomore season.

Crazy Beautiful  (1) has won graded stakes at three tracks across the country in 2021 and will try to become the third Alabama winner in the past four runnings for Ken McPeek, who saddled Eskimo Kisses  in 2018 and Swiss Skydiver  last year. She reunites with Jose Ortiz, who won this race three straight times from 2017-19.

A - 6

B - 1, 3, 4

C - 5

Del Mar Oaks (Dmr, race 9, 9:03): Assuming we make it through the Saratoga legs, we'll be alive for almost three hours until this nine-furlong turf test, where 3-year-old fillies are again in the spotlight.

In a competitive contest, our three-headed A team consists of Going Global  (3), the 9-5 favorite on the morning line, as well as a couple of longer-priced chances in Closing Remarks  (1) and Fluffy Socks  (7).

The Irish-bred Going Global began her U.S. career by winning four straight stakes at Santa Anita Park, then returned from a freshening and was bottled up behind horses turning for home in the San Clemente (G2T) and rallied on the rail to wind up second behind Madone  (4). The latter enjoyed clear sailing outside and improved to 3 for 3 over the Del Mar course.

Closing Remarks has endured a series of troubled trips but was a close second to Going Global in both the Providencia (G3T) and listed China Doll Stakes earlier this year. She comes off a good tightener on the main track first time back from a break.

Fluffy Socks finished with good energy behind stablemate Technical Analysis in the Lake George. She shipped in to win the Jimmy Durante (G3T) at Del Mar last fall for Chad Brown.

The backups are likely pacesetter Javanica  (2) and horse for course Madone.

A - 1, 3, 7

B - 2, 4

Pacific Classic (Dmr, race 10, 9:33): Dr Post  (3) is the lone stranger to the Southern California circuit, and the 4-year-old by Quality Road ships in for Todd Pletcher to take on the first three finishers from the recent San Diego Handicap (G2): Express Train  (5), Tripoli  (1), and Royal Ship  (4). 

Dr Post, owned by Vincent Viola's St. Elias Stable, is basically on a reconnaissance mission to possibly win his way into the Classic while getting a race on the host track at the same time. This is something similar to what Pletcher did with Vino Rosso  , another Keeneland September purchase in the $400,000 range who was campaigned by Viola and Mike Repole, when he shipped in and won the 2019 Gold Cup at Santa Anita (G1) midway through his 4-year-old season, and then returned to win the Classic over the same track. 

Express Train is 3-1-0 from four starts on the track but had to work hard to prevail over Tripoli and Royal Ship last out. Tripoli has posted a pair of triple-digit Equibase Speed Figures since switching to dirt, and may still have upside potential. Royal Ship found himself behind horses at the top of the stretch in the San Diego 'Cap and had to go to the rail on a day when dirt races featured an outside flow.

A - 3, 5

B - 1, 4

Del Mar Handicap (Dmr, race 11, 10:03): Phil D'Amato sends out three runners-Red King  (3) and Acclimate  (7), who captured the last two editions of this event; and Say the Word  (11), a grade 1 winner who was victimized by a slow pace in the Eddie Read Stakes (G2T) last out.

United  (4) was beaten a head by Red King as the odds-on choice last year and has since won three of five starts capped by the Eddie Read, which upped his record over the local layout to 3-2-0 from five starts.

Arklow  (8) closed out 2020 winning the Hollywood Turf Cup (G1T) at Del Mar, and has run only twice at age 7 as his connections try to get him to the BC Turf for the fourth straight year. He returned with a nice win in the Louisville Stakes (G3T), then lost all chance in the United Nations (G1T) when he clipped heels and stumbled on the final turn.

Masteroffoxhounds  (5) and Master Piece  (6) offer intrigue at worthwhile odds. 

Masteroffoxhounds won big over this course second time in the U.S. last fall and took the San Marcos (G2T) in his 4-year-old bow. He has been freshened since a fourth in the Resorts World Casino Manhattan (G1T), which has developed into a key race that has produced multiple next-out winners.

Master Piece is the new face. The Chilean import is as fast or faster than anyone based on his first two U.S. outings, beginning with a fourth in the Joe Hirsch Turf Classic (G1T) last fall. He was taken far, far off the pace in both the Manhattan and the United Nations, but is capable of showing more positional speed. A bullet work over this course Aug. 12 for new trainer Michael McCarthy suggests that will be the case.

A - 4, 8

B - 5, 6, 11