GateCall Selections

46 years at California tracks — long enough to learn the paper lies and the paddock doesn't. Selections posted before post time. Every result graded. 🏇

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Who's behind GateCall? 46 years at California tracks — long enough to learn the paper lies and the paddock doesn't.
Most players lock in bets in the morning, then life happens. If their horse comes over washy and flat at post time, that's money burned and nobody told them. GateCall is the warning — or the all-systems-go — before the gate, right on your phone.
And that "how did the 40-1 shot win?!" race? Half the time the answer was on full display in the post parade — dappled, on the muscle, dragging the pony to the gate. The paper never showed it. We were watching.
One thing we won't do: force a pick every race. We play where we see an edge and pass where we don't. The discipline is the product.
Every selection timestamped before post. Every result graded — winners and losers. The record speaks for itself or we don't deserve your follow. 🏇

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar results

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 11 · Result

4️⃣ Maximon — 2nd. −1u.
9️⃣ Agrowest — Lost. −0.5u.

Maximon came on late for second. He was trying to turn the tables on the 8️⃣ from their last meeting and couldn’t.
Muscled was too good at 7/5. Agrowest fought the bridle the whole way and never fired.

Day: −2.9u
Meet: +21.4u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 11 · Two plays

4️⃣ Maximon — 1u win

9️⃣ Agrowest — 0.5u win

Last one of the day. Starter allowance full of horses that don’t win, and Maximon is the one who just did — drove clear as the favorite at Santa Anita two back, then came right back here at this level and got third with a rail bid at a mile. Stretches to a mile and an eighth today with Eurton, who’s 18% on turf. Grey’s Boy and Lorenzo Bernini both want the lead; he sits behind that. 5-1.

Agrowest is the paper throw. First turf, first route, Drysdale — the paper doesn’t tell you anything, but he came out of Del Mar's paddock looking like a horse. Sire has bred some turf winners going long. 60-1.

Half a unit that could make the day.

#DelMar

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 10 · Result

2️⃣ Morning Glass — Lost. −0.5u.

9️⃣ Smokem Thirsty — Photo for 2nd. −0.5u.

Beat the 3-5 favorite. Got beat by the 1️⃣ at 13-1 who drew off from the rail. Smokem Thirsty ran his 40-1 heart out for the place photo — the rider knew something. We just needed one more horse in the hand.

Day: −1.4u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 10 · Two plays

2️⃣ Morning Glass — 0.5u win

9️⃣ Smokem Thirsty — 0.5u win

Firster race, and the 8 is 3-5. That’s a lot of trust in a first-timer from a barn that hits 11% with them. We’re taking two swings at him.

Morning Glass is the best firster on paper — Freeman’s barn is 28% on dirt this year, the sire hits at 21% with debut two-year-olds, and his works are the fastest in the field. Nobody’s on him at 15-1.

Smokem Thirsty is the rider tell. Pereira was named on two horses here and chose this one. He’s Knapp’s regular rider and could have jumped off — didn’t. 30-1 with a jockey who wanted to be on him.

Both look great in the post parade

Half a unit each. One firster beating another isn’t an upset.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 9 · Result

6️⃣⬛ Less Please — 4th. −0.5u.

She got the lead like we hoped, then got pushed into :22.92 and that’s the race. Still had guts in the lane — held fourth at 15-1 after that fraction, which says something about her.
The 4️⃣🟨 was much the best. Even money and worth every penny of the pass.

Value bet, right idea, wrong fractions.

Day: −0.4u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 9 ·

6️⃣⬛ Less Please — 0.5u win

She looks phenomenal out there — one of the best movers in the parade — and she’s 15-1.

She’s got the speed to get winging early (led every step of her dirt debut), and the stalk-and-win on turf last out showed the footing suits. Blinkers come off today, which usually means they want her to relax and carry it. Bred to go long — dam won twice on turf, four of six siblings are winners. Berrios up.

If she gets loose and comfortable, she might never stop. Half a unit at 15-1.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 8 · Result

4️⃣🟨 Essos — Lost. −1u.
5️⃣🟩 Decisive Win — Lost. −0.5u.

The 3️⃣🟦 was every bit of 4/5. Hernandez didn’t take the bait — sat off the speed duel we called, then crushed them in the lane. Phenomenal ride. Our two were nowhere.

Right pace read, wrong assumption that the favorite would be part of it.

Day: +0.1u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 8 · Two plays

4️⃣🟨 Essos — 1u win

5️⃣🟩 Decisive Win — 0.5u win

Shared Belief, and the scratch of Ahrens rewrote the pace. Three horses now want the front — Decisive Win, Mo Koko and the 4/5 favorite, who does his best work when he’s first or second early. One-turn mile, nobody to sort them out.

Essos is the one built to run past that. First time gelded last out, tipped four wide and won going away here at this exact mile with an 89. Bullet :59.1 on Aug 30, best of 61. Rosario got off Ahrens to ride him.

Decisive Win is the other side of the same coin. His two 93s came at a mile with the lead; if he clears them early, he’s the one they chase. 5-1 for a horse with the second-best figure in the race.

Not touching 4/5. He’s what’s making these two prices.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 7 · Result

5️⃣🟩 Wink and a Grin — 3rd. −0.5u.

The 10🟪 was the horse, and she was 8/5 doing it — which is exactly why she wasn’t the call.
Wink and a Grin ran on for third at 6-1, short of the value paying off.

Day: +1.6u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 7 ·

5️⃣🟩 Wink and a Grin — 0.5u win

The 10🟪 is probably the winner. She’s also the price you’d expect, and that’s not a call.

The value is the 5 at 5-1. Third off the layoff — the start where a horse like this usually puts it together — with a blinker change today. She was closing for third in the
Solana Beach last out against Cal-bred stakes fillies, and this is the softer spot. Gaines, Berrios, Harris Farms homebred.

Half a unit on the one improving into the race instead of the one everybody’s on.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 6 · Result

9️⃣ Big Juanito — 3rd. −1u.

6️⃣ Mici’s Express — Lost. −0.5u.

The favorite didn’t bounce.
Pioneer Prince and Shady Tiger ran 1-2 and were well clear; Big Juanito got third and never threatened them. Mici’s Express was nowhere.

Right read on the horses, wrong read on the tired favorite — he wasn’t.

Day: +2.1u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 6 · Two plays

9️⃣ Big Juanito — 1u win

6️⃣ Mici’s Express — 0.5u win

Big Juanito is 2-for-4 over this dirt with both wins at a mile, and he was second here three weeks ago running his best number of the year. Hess drops him to the $14k tag today. 6-1 for a horse who’s already proven he likes it here.

Mici’s Express is the class riser — Antonio Garcia claimed him for $10k off a third and moves him up to $16k. Garcia’s barn has been firing all summer, and this horse ran 79–85 earlier this year at higher levels. He chased Pioneer Prince last time; he’s had five weeks to recover. 15-1.

One of them runs down a tired favorite.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 5 · Result

5 Mesmerize — WON. +7.1u.
11 Preclude — Lost. −0.5u.

Wire to wire by a length and a half. Mandella filly, first time on turf, first time routing, and she never saw another horse. Sometimes the paddock tells you everything and I had seen some previous workout videos that were impressive enough for me to add her in my virtual stable and to keep an eye out for her to run.

Half a unit, seven back. That’s why the gut gets a vote.

Day: +3.6u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 5 · Two plays

5 Mesmerize — 0.5u win
11 Preclude — 0.5u win

Mesmerize is the gut play, and it starts with the walk. She’s been in my virtual stable for months and she looks phenomenal today — best-looking horse in the paddock. Dirt sprint to turf route, Mandella, Mike Smith. The one start doesn’t tell you much. The 6-furlong work in 1:12 alone does.

Preclude was beaten a half-length at this trip last out in her second start in the country, rolling late from the widest path. Rispoli rode her that day and jumps to the 2-1 favorite — that’s why she’s 9-1. We’re okay on the other side of that. Wootton Bassett filly, McCarthy, looks great.

If the speed gets hot up front, one of these is running past them.

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 4 · Result

5️⃣🟩 Domus — Lost. −0.5u.

The 4️⃣🟨 was the real deal.
Washy or not, he dominated.
The 5️⃣🟩 went to the front, then went backwards — no idea what happened, but he was well beaten.

Sometimes the sweat means nothing. Small chance, small loss.

Day: −3u

#DelMar #GateCall

[GateCall Selections @GateCallRacing]

Del Mar · Race 4 · Late call

5️⃣🟩 Domus — 0.5u win

Change of heart at the gate. The 4️⃣🟨 is getting worked up and washy in the post parade, and that’s not what you want from a 1-5 shot.

Meanwhile the 5’s debut was a pip. Yes, the 4’s Best Pal was fast — but the track was flying that day. Extend the 5’s 5½ furlongs out to six and he was three ticks off the Bing Crosby, a Grade 1, on the same card.

Two Bafferts, one’s sweating. Taking a small chance on the other one.

#DelMar #GateCall