Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 5-Opus Uno (GB) (Race 4)
Race #1: Selections: 6-2-3
The speedy 6-Long Mayshe Reign looks for her third straight grass sprint win for trainer George Papaprodromou and should be able to establish a clear lead again this afternoon from the outside draw. The 6-year-old mare has finished first or second in 10 of 18 lifetime starts. 2-Lady Rider just missed running down the top choice in the last, but now has a furlong less to work with. This 4-year-old filly rarely misfires, evidenced by her (12-4-4-1) career mark. The lightly raced 3-Empress Matilda (GB) exits a career-best winning effort on June 6 when claimed with a lofty (81) Beyer, but this barn is only 2-for-41 (5%) with new acquisitions.
Race #2: Selections: 1-3-6
1-Makenarita drove clear to beat next-out winner Pretty Cecy on July 3 and now moves inside looking for the repeat. The 4-year-old daughter of Hard Spun sports the field’s best late pace figure and should get another live race flow to help utilize her closing kick. 3-Theresaliverlinin got trounced in her latest sprint try but moves back to her preferred mile trip on the class drop, and she finished second in three consecutive efforts prior to the recent mishap. Both of this mare’s efforts over the Del Mar course have been solid. A multiple winner over the track and distance, 6-Love Our Family drops from $16k claimers to today’s $10,000 level while making her second try off the bench. She figures to get a favorable outside stalking trip.
Race #3: Selections: 2-5-6
Reddam Racing’s 2-Factor P showed a ton more early zip to begin her 2026 campaign when coasting away by three lengths before tiring late and settling for third in start number two. It was her first try in 10 months, and this daughter of Pavel figures to be much tighter today, making her second start off the long layoff. 5-Mustang Knicky goes turf to dirt for her second start off the 11-month freshening and ran Ok in both five-furlong main track tries over this course last summer. Improvement likely getting back on dirt and going second time Lasix. 6-Native Empress ships in from Emerald Downs off three consecutive runner-up finishes and lands in an MDSW that doesn’t look particularly salty. She should fit well with this group.
Race #4: Selections: 5-6-2
5-Opus Uno returns off a seven-month layoff for a career-low claiming tag but should prove tough to reel in late with Bravo aboard. The Peter Miller-trained 3-year-old gelding was a maiden-breaking winner over this course last September. The other Miller gelding, stablemate 6-Marcus Performance, is back off a seven-month break. This 3-year-old ran well in both Del Mar starts last year, and this top barn is 4-for-18 (22%) with a $2.39 ROI with dirt starters returning off >180 days at Del Mar the past five years. 2-Hurricane Way rallied for second in his last at Los Al despite breaking through the gate pre-race while coming off a 14-month hiatus. It was a solid effort for the Mark Rheinford-trained charge who figures to be much tighter this afternoon, second off the bench.
Race #5: Selections: 2-8-3
Seven of the eight juvenile fillies entered here are making their initial start. Trainer Tim Yakteen sends out a pair in this spot. 2-Big Twist is by Mr. Big, who is a below-average 12% with debut runners and 8% with grass sprinters. Nonetheless, he lures Rosario, who has done well for this outfit from limited chances, and this rider has really picked things up as of late after a slow start. Her stablemate 8-Not So Merry Mary (by Sir Prancealot) has trained smartly for today’s unveiling and gets Kimura with an outside draw. 3-Miss Mo Brown (by G1 winner Mo Forza) is one of two for conditioner Andy Mathis. She debuts off some steady a.m. drills, but sire is 1-for-20 with juvenile debut runners, and this barn is 0-for-13 with grass firsters. A tough leg to close out the early pick five sequence.
Race #6: Selections: 8-10-9
We’ll lean towards the outside runners in this maiden main track dash for 2-year-old fillies. Blinkers on 8-It’sthetwentythird ships in from Churchill off an even fifth on debut when attracting some tote support for trainer Bob Hess. A solid three-furlong improved gate drill in :35.2 over the Del Mar course July 30 indicates improvement is likely. 10-Make Me Money has flashed speed and tired in both career efforts for conditioner Luis Mendez, but her Beyers are on the improve. The daughter of Vino Rosso figures to fall into a favorable upfront pressing journey with today’s outside draw. She makes the all-important third career try today. 9-Blue Sky Rain debuts for trainer Dan Blacker off some solid a.m. drills. She’s by multiple G1 winner Early Voting, who is a strong 27% (18-5-3-3) with juvenile debut runners according to DRF Formulator. However, this barn is a chilly 1-for-19 with dirt firsters at Del Mar the past five years—mixed signals.
Race #7: Selections: 4-6-2
4-Early Encore is a deserving Graduation S. favorite off his 6 ¾-length Santa Anita well-meant debut romp and (80) Beyer back on May 24 for trainer John Sadler. The Early Voting juvenile has trained well in the interim, including a “bet of 134” bullet four furlongs in :46.1 back on July 18. This talented juvenile should be tough to overhaul here. 6-King Kameha has improved with each subsequent try for Knapp with a maiden-breaking win in career try number three. The McKinzie colt defeated both Fumano’s Fire and Net Par that June 28 afternoon and is dangerous with the right set-up from off the pace. 2-Net Par put it all together in start number two when bouncing away to an impressive 7 ¾-length score for conditioner Anthony Garcia when making his first appearance over the track on July 18. The gray Pavel colt will need a Beyer boost to compete with the top choice, however. Hernandez sticks.
Race #8: Selections: 1-5-8
A tricky starter allowance grass route closes out the late pick five and $3 pick three. Dirt to turf 1-Joint Venture returns off a four-month break and was a 3 ¾ length one-mile main track winner when last seen at Santa Anita in April. The gelding steps up in class today, and despite having a shaky record on turf (when last trying it back in 2023), Hernandez sticks. He may be a better horse now as a 6-year-old—tepid vote. 5-Gold Foot ran a better-than-looks sixth when making his long-awaited return to the Del Mar lawn on July 19, when forced to steady behind traffic on the rail, losing some momentum before finishing up with interest while no threat to the top three. The gelding worked well over the Gulfstream synthetic prior to the ship over, and can improve today. 8-Jimmy Blue Jeans has been off form as of late but usually flashes more speed than he showed last start and will likely revert to those upfront pressing tactics this afternoon. That might be enough to grab a piece of the vertical exotics.
