Del Mar Handicap Picks — Betting Preview and Predictions (Aug 30)

A high-quality afternoon of racing action is set for California on Saturday, with the card being headlined by the G1 Pacific Classic. However, the final race on the card this weekend comes in the form of the G2 Del Mar Handicap. You can find the odds and our picks here.

Odds

Del Mar Handicap Recent Winners

Del Mar Handicap: Event Information

Race Preview

The G2 Del Mar Handicap is typically one of the most competitive races on the schedule at the track, and that should be no different in 2025, as a field of eleven runners will go to post. Gold Phoenix looks to be the one to beat after winning each of the last three editions of the race for Philip D’Amato.

The seven-year-old is winless in three starts this season, but he looked back to his best when taking third on his return to Del Mar earlier this month. Gold Phoenix saves his best runs for the Californian track, which includes an excellent effort at the end of last season when finishing fourth in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.

D’Amato’s record in the race ensures that he could be the trainer worth following, as he has won nine editions of the Del Mar Handicap since 2014. Balnikhov always threatened to be a runner of interest, but he is yet to prove his quality in the U.S. But, he could be weighted to make an impression at this level on Saturday.

Aside from D’Amato’s runners, the progressive Atitlan deserves respect for trainer John Shirreffs. The four-year-old was an impressive winner of the G2 Charles Whittingham in May, before finishing a respectable fifth in the G1 Shoemaker Mile. Up in trip again this week, he should be capable of making an impression.

Del Mar Handicap Picks

A wide-open renewal of the race ensures that cases can be made for plenty. However, City Exile runs off a light weight, and could be an interesting angle for D’Amato. The five-year-old showed plenty of promise in Ireland before moving to the States, and has set some eye-catching figures in defeat at Del Mar on his last two starts.