A couple of weeks sure does not make a meeting, but there are some early indications from what already has happened at Del Mar that horse bettors should look for certain types of styles to succeed this year at the beach.

Records have been falling on the Polytrack faster than Madonna's clothes on the bedroom floor but that was going to happen anyway since the surface last year more resembled quicksand rather than a racetrack.

As far as the turf course is concerned, as usual, it was a bit heavy early on but as the mind goes on, it will get packed down and burned from the heat and speed will hold on much better.

It appears that you want a fit horse to win races this meet on the main racing surface. To illustrate a point, let's look at a few winners and non-winners from the second week of the stand.

Talking to Devon needed 4 races under his belt before graduating in 2007 and that was an indication that he needs to race himself into shape.

After getting 2 nice preps in Inglewood, he flashed speed in that final Hollypark run, then rallied wide at the top of the lane coming from over 3 back to win going away.

This guy was fit and his trainer Jorge Periban knew he was set for a peak run.

Pack Your Bags is another recent Del Mar winner that was pointed for the meet and was given a super tightener on the Tapeta at Golden Gate directly before cashing at the beach.

Trainer Eddie Truman has been around the game for decades and is now getting some good horses once again. Most clever horse bettors know that it is very hard to beat winners right back and Pack Your Bags had two efforts vs. winners before dropping to a career low and being re-united with leading rider Rafael Bejarano.

So what happens? Bags sits mid-pack, came out at the top of the lane, and also won going away.

It's been said that the track has been playing fair this meet but the truth of the matter may be more like you can win from on the pace, but you are better off coming from no further than 4 lengths off the pace to collar the speed.

To put an exclamation point on the theory that you need a fit horse to win this meet, clever horse bettors can look to a couple of first timers from very live barns that disappointed this meet.

Jaded Illusion had trained like a Swiss Clock before making her debut at Del Mar the 2nd Wednesday of the meet. She takes breakfast at a barn that has popped with 31% of its first timers in the last year or so, was drawn right toward the outside and was realistically placed in a maiden seller.

But the filly had nothing left in the drive after pressing the pace and was out finished for the show dough.

Satyrs made his first start from the rail on the same day. His trainer is well known for winning early, his sire took his juvenile debut, he brought a super steady work pattern to the race and he drew a hot rider that won three races in the opening 2 days of the meet.

So what's the problem? Satyrs was not fit enough. He flashed speed for a half but folded up like a cheap suit and saw all the heels.

The lesson horse bettors can take from the first couple of weeks at this tricky meet is to make sure the horses they bet are fit and make sure they are from barns that are patient and know how to get horses fit.