One of the intriguing races going down on the primary weekend in August is the $400,000, Grade 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes Saturday at Del Mar, a race received for the reason that flip of the century by champions Riboletta (2000), Azeri (2002 and 2003), Zenyatta (2008, 2009, and 2010), Beholder (2015), Stellar Wind (2016 and 2017), and Distinctive Bella (2018). The Clement L. Hirsch is a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff as a part of the Breeders’ Cup Problem Collection.

The sector for the 2023 version is small with solely 5 fillies and mares within the entries, however that doesn’t imply it’s an unappealing betting race. On the contrary, this 12 months’s Clement L. Hirsch presents a captivating handicapping problem: particularly, what can we make of anticipated favourite #3 Adare Manor, a filly whose brilliance is sometimes undermined by stunning defeats?

As a 3-year-old early in 2022, Adare Manor appeared like a monster within the making. She smashed a one-mile maiden particular weight at Santa Anita Park by a dozen lengths, them dominated the Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes over the identical observe and distance by 13 lengths. These runaway triumphs stamped Adare Manor because the heavy favourite to win the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks, however after dueling for the lead she misplaced by a neck, kicking off a four-race dropping streak that noticed her fall to defeat 3 times as the favourite.

Adare Manor turned issues round earlier this 12 months and has been spectacular in her final two begins at Santa Anita, wiring the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes by 4 ¾ lengths and the 1 1/8-mile Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes by 4 ½ lengths. However can she preserve her successful methods?

There are a few causes to consider Adare Manor might be crushed within the Clement L. Hirsch. The primary is the presence of #1 Elm Drive, a speedy sprinter exiting a detailed third-place end within the Grade 2 Nice Woman M Stakes at Los Alamitos. Elm Drive has plenty of velocity and figures to be a pacesetting presence whereas breaking from the rail off a sequence of quick exercises, so Adare Manor is unlikely to safe an uncontested lead like she did within the Santa Maria and Santa Margarita.

The opposite cause to oppose Adare Manor is the very fact she’s going through #5 Desert Daybreak, the filly who rallied to defeat Adare Manor within the 2022 Santa Anita Oaks. The rest of Desert Daybreak’s 3-year-old season was encouraging if not fairly as productive; she ran third within the Grade 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks, third within the Grade 2 Summertime Oaks, after which second within the Clement L. Hirsch (crushed solely by future Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff runner-up Blue Stripe) and second once more within the Grade 3 Torrey Pines Stakes. The latter two races have been held at Del Mar, the place Desert Daybreak received for the primary time again in 2021.

Desert Daybreak hasn’t been as robust in 2023, and she or he exits a distant third-place end behind Adare Manor within the Santa Margarita. But when Adare Manor will get caught up dueling with Elm Drive for early supremacy within the Clement L. Hirsch, would possibly Desert Daybreak flip the tables whereas returning to Del Mar? A repeat of her efficiency from final 12 months’s Clement L. Hirsch would absolutely be adequate to vie for victory.

So how ought to we wager the Clement L. Hirsch? Let’s take a stand and depend on Desert Right down to upset Adare Manor. That ought to have us coated for the exacta, however bettors enjoying on bigger budgets may also think about a trifecta including Grade 1 La Brea Stakes winner #2 Enjoyable to Dream and Santa Margarita runner-up #4 Kirstenbosch for third place.

Wagering Technique on a $10 Funds

$10 exacta: 5 with 3

What to say on the betting window: Del Mar, tenth race, $10 exacta 5 with 3

Wagering Technique on a $30 Funds

$20 exacta: 5 with 3

What to say on the betting window: Del Mar, tenth race, $20 exacta 5 with 3

$5 trifecta: 5 with 3 with 2,4 ($10)

What to say on the betting window: Del Mar, tenth race, $5 trifecta 5 with 3 with 2,4

Good luck, and benefit from the race!