Wednesday's 6th race (4:30pm PT) from Del Mar is the $85,000 Pirate's Bounty Stakes for 3-year-olds and up dashing six furlongs on Polytrack.
#3 Mensa Heat (6-1) has fired Trifecta shots in eight straight and has turned out to be a nice claim for Ted West. The razor sharp gelding shoots for a hat trick and projects a ground saving tactical trip behind honest splits.
#4 Carbonite (5-2) was overmatched in the G1 Bing Crosby last time but was hardly disgraced when beaten less than three lengths. He does his best work at this distance on synthetic and is an obvious tactical threat.
#9 Square Deal (8-1) got up in a local turf sprint off the shelf Aug 10 and he earned a solid number that day. He has won on synthetic before and figures to appreciate today's expected contested pace. The 6yo gelding must avoid a bounce in his second start off a lengthy layoff.
The Plays: $18 to win #3, $8 Quinella 3-4, $4 Quinella 3-9
analysis by Jarrod Horak