Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 7-Fair Question (Race 5)
Race #1: Selections: 8-3-6
8-Tiger Luck (by Smiling Tiger) rallied for third over next-out winner First Time Listing on debut Aug. 13 for trainer Tim Yakteen when well-backed, and now stretches out in start number two. The barn’s 2-for-47 record overall with second-time grass starters is a reason for some pause, however, but top billing nonetheless with Hernandez taking over. 3-Pavular finished up ok to round out the superfecta on debut Aug. 30 and now tries turf on the stretch out. This juvenile filly is by Pavel (15% turf routes) and picks up top turf pilot in Berrios. Improvement likely. 6-Rosa’s Miracle exits a much-improved runner-up try after flashing improved early zip on the stretch-out and switching to grass for Sadler in start number two when well clear of the third-place finisher. Her turf Beyer did come up considerably light.
Race #2: Selections: 9-7-1
The Sadler-trained 9-Stylishly Big flashed solid early foot on debut Aug. 16 when bet down to favoritism and had to settle for second. The daughter of Mr. Big figures to be tough with any normal second-out improvement. This top barn is 9-for-29 (31%) with second-time dirt sprint starters at Del Mar the past five years. Hernandez sticks. 7-Cherry Candy goes turf-to-dirt and drops in for a tag in start number two after breaking slowly and never factoring on debut. This filly drilled a sharp three furlongs over the main track on Sept. 1 and could show more life with an alert break on the surface switch and class plunge. 1-Forgotten Memories has rallied for the runner-up spot in both sprint main track tries for conditioner Craig Lewis and figures to be running late once again.
Race #3: Selections: 9-11-1
9-Miss Hellfire was a dominant 13 ¾-length maiden winner on debut May 30 (with a lofty 86 Beyer) and now switches to turf off that runaway score. The 4-year-old filly is by Sir Prancealot and should relish the surface switch for trainer Mike Puype. 11-Jennys Wine Girl has a tough outside draw but exits a solid runner-up at this level at this five-furlong distance when last seen back in late July and fits well here for Baltas. 1-Penny the Jet is a maiden debuting against winners but has been training smartly down at San Luis Rey for conditioner Peter Miller and blew out three furlongs in a bullet :34.3 over the Del Mar course Sept. 2. The daughter of McKinzie figures to come out running from the fence.
Race #4: Selections: 3-4-6
3-Cotta Ride exits back-to-back wins off an improving Beyer pattern for Glatt, and a threepeat is well within reach. The daughter of Clubhouse Ride loves the Del Mar strip. The lightly raced 4-Dottie Hinson has hit the board in all three tries for Andy Mathis and exits a better-than-looks wide third on Aug. 21. 6-Stay in Line goes first off the Steve Knapp claim after flashing good speed and settling for third. This barn has struggled all meet but still has above-average stats with newly acquired dirt sprint acquisitions.
Race #5: Selections: 7-3-12
A beaten favorite in last 7-Fair Question was floated out very wide, losing all realistic chance, when a rival blew the turn in his most recent try on Aug. 15 and deserves another chance with a cleaner trip today based on his effort two back when third behind a pair of next-out winners. 3-Going Nowhere makes career start number 10 today but has managed to hit the board in five of nine starts for trainer Ryan Hanson and is set for another favorable upfront pressing journey this afternoon. The Carla Gaines-trained 12-Royal Rumor was rank while making a premature wide middle move in last, tiring from that taxing effort, but finished a solid second two back when allowed to run along near the front. The 4-year-old gelding may employ similar tactics today with the outside draw.
Race #6: Selections: 7-6-5
7-Early Encore looks to rebound today after a disappointing try at 2-5 in the Graduation S. on Aug. 7 when upended by Net Par, whom he meets again this afternoon. Perhaps the son of top win-early sire Early Voting bounced off his 6 ¾-length maiden romp and an (80) Beyer at Santa Anita and is a classic rebound candidate for Sadler. The aforementioned 6-Net Par won by a nose to take his second straight for trainer Antonio Garcia and will look to remain unbeaten at Del Mar. The maiden 5-Empire of Ash broke a step slow on debut but rallied nicely late to grab the tail end of the superfecta when finishing behind a pair of returning rivals this afternoon and should get a very live race flow to close into again today if the TimformUS pace projector proves accurate.
Race #7: Selections: 7-12-8
7-Fancy Facts looks fastest off the blocks, and sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (76) for trainer Mike Puype. The 4-year-old The Factor filly finished in front of a trio of returning rivals in last. 12-We the Hobby shortens back up to a sprint off a long series of route efforts for Miller, but exits a career-best grass Beyer (73) with her most recent runner-up effort on Aug. 23. 8-Taking a Joy Ride returns to turf this afternoon off a well-beaten fourth in the July 24 Fleet Treat S. and fits here based on her maiden six-furlong grass score two back.
Race #8: Selections: 8-1-10
Trainer Bob Baffert sends out a pair of well-bred juvenile colts to start the late pick four. 8-Imperial Honor is a $725k son of Honor A. P., who gets an average 12% with juvenile firsters, but this colt has trained with purpose and lures the barn’s go-to pilot, Juan Hernandez, at first asking. His stablemate is 1-Bold Type (by Violence), who must negotiate the tricky rail draw but has also trained like a colt with solid ability for the large MyRacehorse group. Violence is a solid 19% with his juvenile debuting prodigy. 10-Domenici holds the experience edge over the Baffert pair. This Tim Yakteen-trained son of Early Voting finished a wide, better-than-looks-on-paper third on debut and is certainly to improve with that racing experience under his belt in start number two. The 76 Beyer earned for that effort is solid, too.
Race #9: Selections: 4-7-2
The 7-for-10 4-Thought Process has won four of her last five starts for D’Amato, including the Grade 1 Gamely in her most recent start back in late May. This daughter of Collected is the class of this field and should prove tough off the mini-freshening after training exceptionally well in recent weeks. 7-Medoro ships back into Del Mar off a recent third in the Sunkissed S. at Ellis, and this Grade 3 winner should move forward, returning to a turf course where she’s run well, evidenced by her 7-2-2-2 mark. 2-Pura Vida Princesa gets a stiff class test this afternoon with no stakes experience but has good early zip and should clear this field for Team O’Neill. This filly comes off a career-best Beyer and a short-field win on Aug. 21.
Race #10: Selections: 3-8-10
The speedy 3-Hard to Figure has been claimed out of his last three starts and exits a sharp win on Aug. 23 with a lofty (86) dirt Beyer. The 6-year-old gelding makes his first start for conditioner Peter Eurton this afternoon off that most recent score, is reunited with Hernandez, and is a logical threat despite the class hike and cutback in distance. 8-Known Idea goes turf to dirt while turning back to a sprint for the Papaprodromou barn and has run equally well over the main track. Route to sprint 10-Joint Venture goes first off the Steve Sherman Aug. 23 purchase and has enough tactical early zip to come running away from today’s outside slot and get a favorable early position.
Race #11: Selections: 12-6-7
That’s a wrap on the 2026 summer Del Mar season. Thanks to everyone who followed the plays and column throughout the meet. Your consistent support is appreciated! The Los Al Thoroughbred meet kicks off Friday, Sept. 11, through Sunday, Sept. 20, and will have our usual analysis and write-up here on ITM. See you then!
12-Hazaka (Fr) got no favors with the post draw, but is slowly rounding into form for D’Amato and now returns as a first-time gelding for his third Stateside try. Perhaps Hernandez can get over, save some ground, and work out a trip in the Labor Day closing nightcap. 6-Postmodern returns off the mini-freshening after finishing a solid runner-up back in the spring routing on grass at Santa Anita with a competitive figure, and the 61-180-day layoff range is the sweet spot for this outfit. The other D’Amato runner, 7-Yep (GB), makes start number seven this afternoon and ran well in his first U.S. try on July 18, when finishing third. A logical fit for a second try in the States, and the gray gelding gets top veteran turf rider Joe Bravo.
