Xpressbet writer Jeff Siegel offers his top plays for Saturday.
Del Mar Race No. 4 (5 p.m.ET/2 p.m. PT)
#4 Teena Ella (2-1)
War Front filly from the marvelous race mare Beholder makes her well-anticipated debut in this six-furlong main track dash for juvenile fillies and has shown enough in her morning preps to expect a winning performance first crack out of the box, the presence of two highly regarded Bob Baffert entrants (#3 Wudi and #7 Faiza) notwithstanding. The Richard Mandella-trained filly appears to be an excellent athlete with plenty of speed and has been given a solid foundation to be fit and ready. At 2-1 on the morning line, she’s a Win play and rolling exotic single.
Del Mar Race No. 5 (5:30 p.m ET/2:30 PT)
#5 Ballet Dancing (5-2)
The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro drops into a first-level allowance event after finishing a non-threatening but respectable fifth in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks over this course and distance in August and a recent steady, healthy work tab should have her primed for a major effort. The Simon Callaghan-trained filly lacks early speed but can turn it on late, and a repeat of her strong runner-up performance at this level two races back (third-place finisher Rhea Moon has subsequently won a stakes race) should be good enough. Listed at 5-2 on the morning line, she offers good value in the Win pool and in the various rolling exotics.