Del Mar passes the midway point of summer later this week. Wednesday preview …

Race 1 – Kent Desormeaux is uncharacteristically mired in a 3 for 50 bog that includes seven straight losing favorites. Desormeaux won Sunday to snap a 24-race skid and is favored to win the opener with Bob Hess-trained Believe Indeed (5), claimed for $25k from a win at Belmont and making her local debut as the “best horse.” Her closing style might play well with the turf rails at 30 feet. The last time the rails were at the outermost setting, five of the six routes were won from the back half of the field.

Race 2 – Just Kidding (6) is the horse to beat off a sharp runner-up finish opening day, but glowing commentary from National Turf workout analyst Andy Harrington suggests longshot My Farmer (2) is worth longshot consideration as he moves up in class after a big win at Los Alamitos. My Farmer, listed at 10-1, is a “horse for course.” He paid $37 winning his only previous start at Del Mar.

Race 3 – Speed is good in Del Mar turf sprints, 5 of 11 won by the pacesetter. But with the turf rails out, the profile is uncertain. The only rails-at-30 turf sprint this meet was won by even-money presser Stormy Liberal. In this turf sprint for MSW 2yos, first-time gelding Hartel (4) will be forwardly placed. He removed blinkers his last two works according to workout analyst Toby Turrell in the Daily Racing Form Del Mar Clocker Report; Hartel worked best of a team in both. Truck Salesman (7) is the speed of the speed.

Race 5 – Respect logical contenders Mongolian Window (1) and Marjorie E (4), while Married by Now (5) is training well for her first start since late May. She is fast enough to win this starter allowance turf mile, and her trainer’s horses are firing. Matt Chew’s 10 starters this summer produced one win, five seconds. Little-known trainer fact from DRF Formulator: the past five years in turf routes, Chew is 21 for 133. That is a 16 percent rate and phenomenal return of $4.09 for every $2 wagered to win. Married by Now is 8-1.

Race 8 – Blaze of Glory (2) will be the first horse this meet to make three starts. If he runs as well as he ran six days ago finishing third in a similar maiden-20, he can give trainer David Jacobson the first Del Mar win of his career. The program favorite is Awesome E K (10).

First post Wednesday, 2 p.m.