Daniel's Magic © Benoit Photo

Turf sprinters running under starter allowance conditions are spotted as the featured event on Del Mar’s Thursday program. Nine runners have thrown their hats in the ring and will fact the starter for what will be Race 6 on the eight-race program.

A possible favorite in the test – limited to horses who have never won three races among other things – is the well-bred 4-year-old Daniel’s Magic, who races for the S J S Stables or Diamond, and is trained by Eoin Harty. The colt by the Irish Galileo sire Magician comes into the affair off back-to-back turf wins, the first in June at Santa Anita in a straight maiden affair and the most recent in a first-level allowance race two weeks ago at Del Mar. He’s wheeled back quickly today, but this may be an ideal spot for him and he gets the saddle services of Umberto Rispoli, who was up for both his recent tallies.

The X-factor in the lineup might be Lucarelli Racing Corp, Randall et al’s Golden Ale, a 3-year-old gelding by Goldencents who most recently was running in Texas. He won twice there, both times sprinting on turf. He’s also got a nifty turn of foot and might be the one they’ve all got to catch in the dash. Trainer Frank Lucarelli has assigned rider Ricky Gonzalez to handle his chestnut speedster.

Here’s the full field for the five-furlong race from the rail out with riders:

Areil Moreno’s Fort Bridger (Diego Herrera in the boot); Seymour, Jukie & Jack Stable’s My Harbors Dream (Juan Hernandez); Lyons, Cahill or Koriner’s Finally Here (Hector Berrios); Featherston, Lambert or Underhill, et al’s Stotland (Edwin Maldonado); Golden Ale; Rockingham Ranch’s Inch (Tyler Baze); Gans, Jacobs or Katz, et al’s It’s My House (Ryan Curatolo); JPF Investments I’s McWherter (Abel Cedillo), and Daniel’s Magic. There are also two also-eligibles who would need a scratch or two from the main body in order to run. They are: Robert Lucas’ Edinburgh Express (Edwin Payeras), and Branch, Buster, Jr. and Cohen’s Commander Khai (Florent Geroux).

My Harbor Dreams, a 3-year-old Washington-bred gelding, was claimed out of a $25,000 race less than two weeks ago and will be making his first start on turf. He has one big advantage though for sure, leading rider Hernandez appears to give every horse he rides an edge.

Stotland has been out four times this year and shows a pair of wins and a pair of thirds for his efforts. The gelding by Mucho Macho Man has only appeared in two-turn races so far, but will shorten up noticeably for his Thursday run.

Finally Here is a 6-year-old who didn’t make it to the races until last year when he won at first asking. He returned this year on July 3 after a shutdown of nearly a year and won again at Los Alamitos. The veteran gelding has some blue blood in that he’s by Uncle Mo out of a City Zip mare.

First post Thursday goes at 2 p.m. With the advent of September the following Thursday, the seaside track will switch to a regular 1 p.m. first post for the balance of the season for all days but Fridays, when a 3 p.m. post will prevail.