Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Morning Addiction (Race #2)
Race #1: 7-Storming Machine was an even money beaten favorite in well-meant August 11 debut try when coming up short after a wide bid. This barn has solid numbers overall with second time starters and Hernandez takes over this afternoon. 3-Zookeeper cuts back to a sprint and makes the all-important 3rd career start for trainer Ryan Hanson. The colt has shown good positional speed in both local turf tries. 1-Crowning Gold switches to grass off encouraging runner-up try and is by Harbor the Gold who gets 15% with grass sprint runners.
Selections: 7-3-1
Race #2: The speedy 2-Morning Addiction broke on top and then settled back before making a decent run to get the show spot in most recent try. The mare galloped out sharply in what can be considered an odd effort while running in spurts. Nonetheless, he drops back down to the $8k claiming level where he was a runaway wire-to-wire winner two-back over two next-out winners. He switches to aggressive gate rider Maldonado and should be long gone here. 4-Secret Square stretches out; makes her second start off the layoff and was an impressive 10 length winner here at this level last summer. The veteran 8-year-old mare 3-She’s So Pretty has never started here but remains ultra-consistent and game sporting a 11 for 28 record while 10 for 18 at today’s mile trip.
Selections: 2-4-3
Race #3: 4-Riverside broke slowly in debut when next to a runner that went to his knees at the start and could improve substantially today for Sadler. This son of Bernardini showed good late interest after that tardy beginning, and switches to Bravo today on the stretch-out. Upset chance. Baffert has a pair of second time starter juveniles that are hard to separate. 10-Hard to Figure showed good speed and tired in sprint debut while breaking from the tricky inside rail. The son of Hard Spun stretches out today and moves all the way outside. The other Baffert runner 2-Carmel Road is a $650K Keeneland purchase by Quality Road who comes off a troubled trip beaten favorite debut and should appreciate stretching out based on his pedigree. It’s interesting to note, however, for a barn that typically excels with second time starters Baffert is 0 for 10 at Del Mar with 2nd time starts routing on dirt.
Selections: 4-10-2
Race #4: 2-Tangledupingrey stretched out and showed good speed before tiring late to finish second. The colt makes the all-important 3rd career start today for Sadler and should be tough to handle with another alert break. 3-Reckless Affair comes out of the same race as top choice and finished a solid 3rd for trainer Brian Koriner who traditionally does well with his 2nd time starts. Improvement likely. 7-Stone Point debuts for trainer Peter Miller off some solid a.m. drills and is by Conquest Farenhelt who won his grass debut going 7 furlongs. Hernandez sees fit to ride.
Selections: 2-3-7
Race #5: If a fast pace materializes as indicated by TimformUS things could potentially set-up nicely for 8-Annie Graham. The 4-year-old filly owns the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (78); drops in class and should also get a favorable race flow to utilize her late kick. 7-Larimar ships in from Churchill where she’s been meeting better claimers. The 5-year-old mare is a 3-time winner at the distance and goes first off the claim for trainer Robertino Diodoro. This barn is only 1 for 13 at Del Mar this summer, however, with new barn purchases. 9-Full of Grace makes 3rd start off the layoff and drops down to a more realistic competitive level. She finished a good second at Los Al two-back.
Selections: 8-7-9
Race #6: 5-A Little Bit Crazy has not been off the board in 3 career starts for trainer Jonathan Wong and comes off a solid troubled trip 3rd place effort when making her first start routing on the grass. Beaten favorite 7-Arkita goes two sprints to a route for D’Amato. 10-Candy On Top had some traffic issues when returning off a 8-month freshening for trainer Carla Gaines finishing an even 5th but is likely to move forward today with that race tightener under her belt. She goes 2nd time Lasix today.
Selections: 5-7-10
Race #7: 8-Let Him Do shipped in from Churchill and scored on the class drop and now goes first off the claim for trainer John Sadler. This 2-year-old colt by multiple Grade 1 winner Good Magic has room for further improvement and is nicely drawn again on the outside. 1-Silver Lightening was a runaway maiden winner at odds of 4/1 two weeks ago and earned the field’s best last out (58) Beyer. This filly looms a serious threat to repeat if she can run two alike or even perhaps move forward off that encouraging effort for trainer Doug O’Neill. 2-Man Oh Man drops out of two minor stakes for Wong and has shown good positional speed in all 3 career starts.
Selections: 8-1-2
Race #8: 1-Dear Beau (Ire) moves back to the rail and makes 2nd start on the Del Mar lawn. This 3-year-old filly drops a notch again and need only workout a favorable trip for Bravo to break through here. 3-Above Suspicion showed little in debut try for Mandella but drops in for a tag in career start number two; moves to turf and attracts Hernandez. This 3-year-old filly is by Honor Code who gets 13% with his turf router prodigy. 4-Lookintogeteven is a 0 for 20 Maiden but has been very competitive routing on turf in last three tries. She drops again today and has run par for this class level.
Selections:1-3-4
