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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 2-Willow Cove (Race 3)

Race #1: Selections: 9-8-1

The start of the Monday early pick five is a tricky field of juvenile colts and geldings sprinting five furlongs on turf. 9-Uecker (by Sir Prancealot) has trained sharply for trainer Ryan Hanson and meets a suspect field at first asking. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo has clicked at 24% the past two years, and this gelding should come out running. 8-Dr. Filkins ran well in defeat when dismissed at 53-1 in his Oct. 26 unveiling for trainer Sean McCarthy and merits strong consideration if able to move forward off that respectable third-place finish. 1-Eye of the Smiley returns to grass in career try number four and finished second in his turf debut back at the beginning of September. The juvenile colt holds the experience edge over most of this field.

Race #2: Selections: 3-2-4

3-Saint Mihiel hopped slightly at the start and broke slowly before engaging the rest of the field and finishing fourth (beaten two lengths). The lightly raced daughter of Army Mule now goes first off the claim for trainer Charlie Treece, who is a respectable 16% with new dirt sprint acquisitions. 2-Petite Treat goes turf to dirt off the mini-freshening and should be on or close to the lead this afternoon. 4-Empress of Grace exits the same race as the top choice when winning at 10-1 on Nov. 2, but will need to negotiate another come-from-behind victory to secure the potential repeat.

Race #3: Selections: 2-3-5

2-Willow Cove undoubtedly needed her most recent start when returning off a 13-month layoff for trainer Mike Puype, flashing speed but tiring to last. The lightly raced 5-year-old mare should be much tighter today, second off the bench, and was a sharp MDSW winner going this trip last August. Hernandez sticks. The speedy 3-Cyprus Moon has surrendered the lead in her previous four grass tries for the Papaprodromou barn but drops in for a career-low tag today, shortening back up to five panels, and should hang on for at least a share of this. 5-Shangrilama is a 4-time winning 5-year-old mare who has run well in all three starts in 2025, exits a sharp second on Oct. 18, and was a winner at this level over this course three back.

Race #4: Selections: 2-3-4

A winner of four of six career tries, the speedy 2-Miracle Ball goes first off the claim for trainer Jesus Mendoza, sports the field’s best last-out Beyer (69), and is a solid gate-to-wire repeat candidate. This consistent 7-year-old mare, 3-Emirates Affair, is (11-13-7) from 53 lifetime starts, and drops below the $25k claiming purchase price from two back for conditioner Bob Hess. The veteran mare loves the 6 ½-furlong trip and looms the main threat to the top choice. The Jerry Hollendorfer-trained 4-Discrepancy has won two straight, by a combined 6 ¼ lengths, and has had two months of recovery time while training steadily in the interim.

Race #5: Selections: 7-4-8

7-Upcharge has run well in her last three one-mile grass tries since returning off the mini-freshening for D’Amato and sports the field’s best last out grass Beyer (80) with her most recent rally for the place spot on Oct. 10. 4-How Lovely goes two sprints to a route this afternoon for team O’Neill, exiting a sharp runner-up (at this level) when sprinting six furlongs on Oct. 17. This No Nay Never filly was outrun in her lone two-turn attempt when making her first stateside start back in July, but should find today’s one-mile journey well within her scope. 8-Willa T got the nose bob with her most recent score going this trip on Oct. 25, posting a career-best grass Beyer (76) for conditioner Tim Yakteen. She steps up in class in sharp form, having won two straight.

Race #6: Selections: 7-3-6

7-Broadway Venus drops in for a career-low claiming tag this afternoon, making her third try of the form cycle for conditioner Ryan Hanson. The 3-year-old filly may not be the quickest out of the gate in here, but should win this race if able to sit just off the early pace and surge past late. The daughter of Dad’s Caps is reunited with Kimura, who was on board for her last score three back. 3-Act of Serendipity is 2-for-20 and has raced on the afternoon and evening Los Al programs all season. The 6-year-old mare can finish, however, and there is plenty of speed signed on here. 6-Lady Monclaire has done most of her racing on grass and has been beaten by double digits in the last three starts, but deserves a look at this $8k claiming level.

Race #7: Selections: 1-2-7

1-Ima Joker stretches back out today off back-to-back sharp tries at a mile for team O’Neill and draws the advantageous rail again. The 4-year-old filly should be able to work out another favorable journey from the fence with Berrios back in the saddle. The D’Amato-trained 2-Angelic Appeal ran decently for sixth off a very long hiatus of two years plus when returning on Oct. 30 and should have shaken off the cobwebs after being on the shelf for that extended timeframe. The 5-year-old mare has proven she can handle marathon turf events overseas and should be much tighter, second off the bench.  Her stablemate 7-Thebestisyettobe (Ire) should be rallying strongly late, and her best races have come going long in these marathon turf events. The consistent 5-year-old mare has hit the board in six of 10 career tries.

Race #8: Selections: 4-2-3

4-Captain Sparrow’s last try back on Aug. 31 was not good when badly outrun, but the gelding has been freshened since then by trainer Mark Glatt. He now returns to a softer level and looms tough to beat if able to replicate that dominating 5 ¼-length win (91 main track Beyer) over this course two back. 2-Hard to Figure returns to his preferred dirt surface this afternoon for conditioner Peter Eurton after a speed and fade over the green in his most recent try. The 5-year-old gelding was a decisive 5 ¼-length winner with a lofty (89) Beyer three back, albeit at a mile distance. 3-Hawker has raced almost exclusively on turf throughout his career, but can handle dirt just fine, as evidenced by his four previous tries over the main track. He fits well on the turnback and is the next logical contender behind the top pair.

Race #9: Selections: 6-3-4

Blinkers on 6-Eternal Reign (Ire) projects to sit a perfect trip behind the frontrunners this afternoon and get first run on the deep closers. The D’Amato-trained filly makes her second start off the bench, retains Hernandez, and prefers today’s shorter one-mile trip. 3-Defiance rallied strongly for the place spot despite breaking a tad slowly on Oct. 5 for the lucrative Demuro/Mandella jockey-trainer combo, and this daughter of Curlin co-tops the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (84). The lightly raced 4-Ambaya has hit the board in all four career tries for trainer Jonathan Thomas and just missed by a nose in her most recent effort, Oct. 30. The 3-year-old filly faces older today, but makes only her third start in 2025 and can move forward.