Last year’s winner Hong Kong Harry returns to defend his title in the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at his favourite track Del Mar on Saturday, although he will face stiff opposition from old rival Astronomer – just a neck between them last time – as well as a potential threat from his new barnmate Easter. Get the 2023 Seabiscuit Handicap Odds, Field & Picks here
Seabiscuit Handicap
G2 – purse $200,000 – 1m 1/16 – turf – 3yo+ – 3.25pm PT
Much has changed in the last 12 months but it is the same situation in the Seabiscuit, as last year’s winning favourite is again the chalk as he bids to go back-to-back in the main event at Del Mar on Saturday.
The returning champ is Hong Kong Harry, who came with an irresistible rally to get the job done by a neck in 2022, giving him a two-for-three count at Del Mar. This is his first time back here since then, during which time he has come up short in G1s but maintained his effectiveness at this level.
Last time out he duelled with Astronomer all the way down the stretch at Santa Anita before coming out on top by a neck in the 2023 G2 City of Hope Mile, and although he meets that rival on 2lb worse terms and spots weight all round, the return to his favourite track should put an extra spring in his step.
That was a career-best for Astronomer, and although he was totally outclassed in the 2023 G1 Breeders’ Cup Mile on his next start, his feisty brand of front-running will always make him a dangerous opponent. He has only ever won at a mile, but the extra yardage is not an issue.
Hong Kong Harry is accompanied by two barnmates, with Easter of the greater interest after making his stakes breakthrough with a career-best at Santa Anita over a mile. He did all his best work late to grab the money by a half-length, with the one-paced Cabo Spirit three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Now he makes his first start for Phil D’Amato and may move up again, while barn third-string Balnikhov needs to rebound from two dull performances, including when eighth in the 2023 G2 Del Mar Mile.
Cabo Spirit is sitting on an eight-race losing streak but does have a victory over course and distance on his resume, when leaving it late to take the 2022 G3 La Jolla, with Sumter – who is winless in his last nine – beaten a length and a quarter into third.
Front Run The Fed has a better recent record but is a sprinter by nature, winning a stakes at Colonial Downs over five and a half furlongs two starts ago. He does have a stakes win over a mile, but that was back in August 2019, and at the age of seven it is a bit late to be re-teaching an old dog tricks he has probably forgotten.
The longshot Yes This Time is cross-entered in the Hollywood Turf Cup here on Friday and looks outclassed wherever he goes.
2023 Seabiscuit Handicap Odds
There may not be much between HONG KONG HARRY and Astronomer again, but a Del Mar G2 is the perfect spot for the former and he can go back-to-back.
| Horse | Jockey | Horse Betting Odds by JazzSports |
| Sumter | Edwin Maldonado | +1200 |
| Easter | Antonio Fresu | +300 |
| Balnikhov | Hector Berrios | +800 |
| Hong Kong Harry | Juan Hernandez | +160 |
| Yes This Time | Kyle Frey | +2000 |
| Cabo Spirit | Victor Espinoza | +800 |
| Astronomer | Umberto Rispoli | +300 |
| Front Run The Fed | Geovanni Franco | +1200 |
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