Rosario leads, O’Neill reloads, turf posts 10–12 remain missing—and we’re LIVE Thursday at 4:15 PM PT.
DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE • DEL MAR MEET REPORT
250 RACES.
2,124 STARTERS.
ZERO SIGNS DEL MAR IS CALMING DOWN.
The numbers have spoken—and apparently they’ve been drinking.
PRESENTED BY ADELPHI RACING
🚨 NEXT DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE SHOW
THURSDAY AT 4:15 PM PT
Frank brings the Matrix. Ciaran brings actual judgment.
Mark brings a computer that has studied more horses than most veterinarians.
WATCH DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE
Del Mar has now produced 250 races, 2,124 starters and enough handicapping trauma to qualify as continuing education.
We went through the entire meet because “just trust your gut” is excellent advice if your gut has a database, historical bias reports and absolutely no emotional attachment to a 12-1 horse.
THE MEET BY THE NUMBERS
|
135
DIRT RACES
|
115
TURF RACES
|
|
97 / 38
DIRT SPRINTS / ROUTES
|
44 / 71
TURF SPRINTS / ROUTES
|
Translation: plenty of evidence—and considerably fewer places for bad opinions to hide.
🏇 THE JOCKEY ROOM
Joel Rosario: 36 wins, 20% winners and 51% in the money.
Juan Hernandez: 30 wins from only 125 mounts—a meet-leading 24% strike rate among the top riders.
Antonio Fresu: 26 wins and 53% in the money.
Umberto Rispoli: 20 wins and a ridiculous 55% in the money.
MARK ENSIGHT: Rosario has the win lead. Hernandez has the better win percentage. Rispoli keeps landing in the money. Bet the price—not whichever name you recognize while the horses are loading.
🧢 TRAINERS CURRENTLY RUINING EVERYONE’S “CLEVER” OPINIONS
Doug O’Neill: 24 wins from 101 starters. He isn’t knocking on the door—he has removed it from the hinges.
Phil D’Amato: 14 wins and a meet-leading $1.8 million in earnings. Apparently turf horses enjoy money.
Peter Miller: 12 wins and 49% in the money.
Bob Baffert: 10 wins from only 38 starters—a terrifying 26% win rate.
The official handicapping term for leaving a live Baffert horse off your ticket is “saving money for the next race.”
POST-POSITION NONSENSE
🌱 One-mile turf: Posts 1 and 3 are each winning at 20%.
🪦 Posts 10–12 at one mile on turf: A combined 0-for-36.
🟤 One-mile dirt: Post 3 has won 21%. Post 5 has won just 3%.
🎯 Six-and-a-half furlongs on dirt: Posts 1 and 5 are both winning at 27%. Post 2 is 0-for-15 and has requested reassignment.
At Del Mar, post position isn’t everything—but sometimes it is standing behind you holding a shovel.
💰 THIS WEEKEND’S BANKROLL ASSAULT
Nesso’s Lastharrah: $40.80.
Manee: $41.00.
Arrowthegreat: $41.60.
Del Mar produced three $40-plus winners in three consecutive racing days because apparently favorites had Labor Day weekend plans.
Sunday’s early Pick 5 paid $9,655.65. Saturday’s late Pick 5 paid $24,587.65. Frank has already informed his accountant that he was “very close.”
🧠 THIS WEEK’S MARK ENSIGHT
“The data says stop forcing outside turf horses, respect Rosario’s volume, respect Hernandez’s efficiency and never assume Del Mar owes you a logical result.”
Del Mar owes you nothing. Del Mar has seen your tickets.
DOUBLE TROUBLE LIVE
Frank Scatoni • Ciaran Thornton • Mark Gelding
Handicapping, wagering strategy and deeply unnecessary arguments.
250 RACES ANALYZED. ZERO EXCUSES ACCEPTED.
Statistics updated through Sunday, August 30, 2026.
