Columnist Ralph Siraco: Saratoga having fine season as short fields hurt Del Mar

AS WE PASS by the halfway point of the summer racing seasons at Del Mar and Saratoga here are some Dog Day Racing observations:

In Spa-to-Spa comparisons, the upstate betting emporium of the Empire state is winning the numbers game.

Saratoga has been enjoying a strong on-track meeting and a degree of the upsurge must be attributed to the ongoing feud between the New York Racing Association and the New York Off-track Betting company. NYRA has shut off it's signal to OTB patrons in the city and also canceled the daily racing programs on cable television in the big apple. Hence, one picture is worth a thousand words -- or in this case thousands of dollars -- and has caused many to return to the "live" product for their race wagering experiences. Saratoga compared to Aqueduct or Belmont in August is a pleasant problem solver...for now.

The biggest surprise of Saratoga's session, so far, is not it's reputation as a graveyard of favorites, although that still holds true for California invaders that are batting zero, but, rather the unseasonable clear racing weather.

Through Sunday, the historic track that is nestled in an area of summer thunderstorm patterns, there have been no off-tracks to deal with and as a result, large fields of races have complimented the daily programs.

By contrast, Del Mar is suffering days of small unattractive fields on short programs. Although the popular seaside track is still enjoying a profitable meeting and the weather is seldom a problem, the usual large fields of horses that make for good wagering opportunities are not apparent at Del Mar this year.

Many observers are blaming an increasing concern over the Del Mar racing surface and the over-publicized amount of breakdowns on the track as the reason for the light activity at the daily entry box. Although every horse injury is a cause for concern, the track condition may be one of a combination of factors for the situation at the sea this season.

Since Del Mar is the shortest meeting on the Southern California racing calendar outside of the Los Angeles County Fair session that runs 18 consecutive days, it is hard to get a consistent racing surface before the meet starts and often the track is at it's best just as the meet ends. In addition, horse owners love to vacation at Del Mar each year and attend the races with daily frequency. They also expect to see their stable color-bearers in action, so trainers are under more pressure to run horses that may otherwise deserve a rest. Or maybe the answer is as simple as reducing the non-stop racing seasons that creates a Southern California seamless racing year. Less may be the answer to more.

Jockey Gary Stevens and trainer Bob Baffert each got off to a rocky start at Del Mar. Both were pre-season favorites to take their respective titles where the turf meets the surf. But, with fourteen racing days left to the 43-day stand, each has climbed their way to the top of the standings. Stevens is starting to pull away from early leaders Alex Solis and Corey Nakatani as he reaches the 30-win plateau while Baffert is still in a dog fight with Bruce Headley, who started the meet on fire, as they may take the training title to closing day.

It is certain trainer Ron McAnally's biggest Del Mar win may be his next. The 66-year-old conditioner will tie Farrell Jones as the all-time winningest seaside trainer with his next visit to the winners circle. With seven victories this season, McAnally has amassed 373 Del Mar wins over 39 meetings, while Jones took just 22 Del Mar sessions to establish the record 374. The patented McAnally smile should be a little wider next time he takes a picture in the Del Mar circle.

Speaking of just one more victory, that's what jockey Laffit Pincay was certain to break the record of 889 victories riding his 23rd Del Mar season when an early meet spill cut his quest short. Sitting at 888 with the most recent pair chalked up this year, Pincay has hastened his recovery from a staggering twelfth collarbone break and may be back in the saddle as early as this weekend. The 51-year-old ageless riding Adonis still has Shoemaker's all-time victory record of 8,833 as his ultimate goal and is just over 200 wins away from becoming the sport's winningest rider...Trainer D. Wayne Lukas all but owns the historic Sapling Stakes run each summer at Monmouth Park, N.J. The track's showcase event for the freshman class renewed for the 64th time last Saturday. Team Lukas sent out the Hollywood Juvenile Championship winner Yes It's True in quest of an eighth Sapling trophy from the last dozen years. The prohibitive favorite did not let Lukas down as he romped to an easy score and remains the division leader with five victories and one second from six lifetime starts.

A couple of favorite sophomore fillies failed at odds-on over the weekend. At Saratoga on Saturday, Manistique put her perfect record on the line in the prestigious Grade I Alabama. A winner of three career starts by a combined 31 lengths, she suffered her first defeat at the hands of Banshee Breeze. It had been reported by her rider Gary Stevens, that she may have had breathing problems in her loss. No immediate excuse could be learned for the other damsel in distress at Del Mar on Sunday. Who Did It and Run, who amassed 6 wins for 8 starts this year, came up empty as the choice in the Del Mar Oaks. So, while Sicy d' Alsace captured the Del Mar feature to remain undefeated in the U.S., the marquee Spa-to-Spa shippers were coast-to-coast disappointments.

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