Del Mar (Friday-8/2/24) By Dean Keppler

Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 11-Moonlight Tryst (Race 8)

Race #1: 5-Unconquerable Keen finished behind Man O Rose in his last start on June 16 but now makes what will be his second try off of the six-month freshening for D’Amato and shortens back up to five furlongs where he’s (3-1-0) from five starts. The 5-year-old gelding loves this grass course and could easily reverse that last decision. Likely and deserving favorite 4-Man O Rose has won six of his last seven starts and was a smashing 11-1 winner with a field’s best (104) Beyer when moving back to the turf in the aforementioned June 16 event. 2-Fast Buck hasn’t been seen in 10 months and returns in a salty competitive spot for trainer Cesar DeAlba. Nonetheless, he’s been training lights-out in his a.m. drills. The lone filly in the field, 1-Sassy Nature, hasn’t been out in six months but has good speed from the rail and was a gate-to-wire winner over this course last September.

Selections: 5-4-2

Race #2: A well-beaten second in last, 2-Annie Fox has good speed and draws inside today for conditioner Ryan Hanson. The 3-year-old filly by Classic Empire– dropping in for a career-low claiming tag– looks like a strong gate-to-wire threat with jockey Emily Ellingwood. 5-In Without Knockin was a much-improved second when switching to dirt on July 7 at Los Al when dismissed at 32-1. He drops to the bottom $20K claiming level this afternoon for trainer Peter Eurton who looks to end his 0 for 16 skid this current meet. 4-Dixie Blaze exits the same 6 ½-furlong event as In Without Knockin when finishing third behind that main rival.

Selections: 2-5-4

Race #3: 2-Kale’s Angel is by grade 1 winner Complexity, who is off to an astonishing start with his 2-year-old debuting prodigy going an impressive 6 for 17 (35%). The juvenile colt has trained well for conditioner Peter Miller and lures Hernandez for this afternoon’s unveiling. 6-Scipio (by multiple grade 1 winner Caravaggio) has trained swiftly for conditioner Richard Baltas and lures top turf pilot Umberto Rispoli, who is off to a solid meet, clicking close to 30% overall. 4-Cajun Gold debuts for the Sadler barn off a steady work tab and teams up with go-to pilot Hector Berrios.

Selections: 2-6-4

Race #4: 9-Vibez was much-improved when switched to dirt at Los Al in her most recent effort, earning a strong (81) Beyer and giving Baffert’s heavily-backed Arrogate filly Relatable all she can handle when falling just a neck short. This daughter of Collected should handle two turns just fine and has come back to fire a strong four furlongs in 47 flat over the local footing on July 27. 8-Normandy Queen stretches out to two turns in start number two for trainer Mark Glatt after finishing a decent third in his June 23 Los Al debut. This barn has solid overall stats with sprint-to-route second-time starters, and this daughter of Omaha Beach has the right to improve substantially today. The grade 3 placed Meydan shipper 1-Mizzyaan may need a race after returning from a five-month break and making her first stateside start for McCarthy. She’s well-bred, adds Lasix, and gets a favorable inside draw for her Southern California debut.

Selections: 9-8-1

Race #5: A logical threat once again, 5-Certitude (Fr) has gotten the best of Ang N Ash in her last pair of grass starts at Santa Anita, and this filly didn’t have the smoothest of journeys when forced to check late in deep stretch in her most recent runner-up finish on June 15. The slowly improving 1-Ang N Ash has speed and the rail while making her second start around two turns. 6-Precipice was a dominating 5 ½-length short-priced Maiden turf winner at Golden Gate back on June 1.

Selections: 5-1-6

Race #6: Blinkers on 6-Curlin’s Kaos shortens up this afternoon off a series of route tries on both dirt and turf for trainer Antonio Garcia and may find today’s seven-furlong main track trip right in his wheelhouse. Multiple stakes winner 13-Shady Tiger moves from the rail to the far outside but has won four of five starts for D’Amato and shortens back up while switching back to dirt after a sharp score in the May 25 Snow Chief Stakes. The talented 3-year-old gelding is well-rested and fired a “best of 87” five-furlongs in :58.2 on July 27 in preparation for this. His versatile running style gives Hernandez several tactical options. Recent impressive 17-1 upset Maiden winner 1-Pure Madness goes turf to dirt in start number two and should be just as effective running over the main track for trainer Brian Koriner.

Selections: 6-13-1

Race #7: 9-Everything Bugs Me ships back in from Kentucky for a new barn and hinted at ability when finishing second over this turf course back on Dec. 2 at 28-1  in a fairly decent Maiden event that’s produced some winners. 8-Lovin’ On the Run goes two sprints to a route this afternoon for conditioner Carla Gaines, who has a win and a pair of seconds with her last three turf starters this surfside meet. 1-Sweet Delta Dawn ran an OK fifth in her first stateside turf start on May 26 at Santa Anita for trainer Richard Baltas and is eligible to improve off that effort today. She’s worked four times since that try, and Rispoli sticks.

Selections: 9-8-1

Race #8: Blinkers off 11-Moonlight Tryst moves back to the main track for career start number three and was just a nose shy of winning her 4-year-old dirt debut on May 12 when finishing a close second. The daughter of American Pharoah makes her first start for trainer Dean Pederson on the class drop, and this barn is an impressive 5 for 9 (56%) with a $7.11 ROI with runners returning off of 61-180 days rest at Del Mar. 1-Betty Pack finished a wide trip fourth in her most recent start on July 4 at Los Al and now drops in for a first-time tag. Trainer Steve Miyadi is 3 for 11 (27%) at Dell Mar the past five years with MDSW to Maiden Claimer dropdowns. 7-Bajan Bashert returns from a seven-month layoff for trainer Mark Glatt, having hit the board in seven of eight career tries. She’s yet another filly dropping in for a first-time tag in the Friday nightcap and appears ready to roll based on her morning workouts.

Selections: 11-1-7