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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 8-Liberation (Race 10)

Race #1: Selections: 5-7-8

Blinkers off 5-Keithing Thunder is a logical fit off three consecutive runner-up finishes for conditioner Brendan Galvin and shortens back up to a sprint, making his second try off the bench. 7-Rich Reward flashed good early speed at 28-1 in his Aug. 7 DMR debut before tiring late and finishing second. A solid unveiling for this gelded son of Richard’s Kid gives him a strong look with any normal second-out progression. 8-Non Domicile finished a much-improved third against similar on Aug. 3 behind Keithing Thunder and is another cutting back in distance to today’s 6 ½-furlong trip.

Race #2: Selections: 6-2-3

The 2024 BC Dirt Mile (G1) winner, 6-Full Serrano, makes his first start since that victory last November for trainer John Sadler and is the standout class of this field. The 6 for 17 6-year-old has run well in all three starts over this racetrack and has trained smartly for this afternoon’s return to action. He appears to be a strong gate-to-wire threat at a short price. 2-Il Bellator has run poorly in his last three starts, but finally returns to his preferred one-mile trip on dirt today and is a solid rebound candidate for his low-profile connections. The 6-year-old gelded son of Shackleford is offered for today’s $100k claiming tag. 3-Two Rivers Over (2-for-2 at Del Mar) moves back to the main track off since September of last year for Team O’Neill and has proven he’s capable of firing fresh. He’s trained steadily since the end of July for today’s return try.

Race #3: Selections: 8-1-2

8-Chasing Kat scampered away to a 2 ¼-length victory against similar on Aug. 17 and looms a solid repeat candidate if she can replicate that field’s best last-out (70) dirt Beyer. 1-She’s Splendid goes turf to dirt on the turnback and drops in for a career-low claiming tag today for trainer Doug O’Neill. The 4-year-old filly should get a spirited pace to close into this afternoon and is projected to be rallying strongly in deep stretch.  The speedy 2-Shes Just Fluffy goes second off the claim for conditioner Wayne Baker, dropping back down to the original $ 10,000 purchase price from two back.

Race #4: Selections: 2-10-4

2-Eye of the Smiley (by Smiling Tiger) is working well for conditioner Brian Koriner, who is a solid 4 for 19 (21%) with a $2.64 ROI with turf sprint debut runners the past five years. 10-Balaza is by Sir Prancealot, who gets 10% with his juvenile firsters and 17% with grass sprint starters. The 2-year-old filly has trained sharply for today’s unveiling for Mullins and gets a favorable outside draw for this grass sprint dash. The Carla Gaines-trained 4-Celtic Rythem is by Uptown Rythem, who is a strong (6-2-1-1) (33%) with his juvenile first-time starters. This colt has shown some ability in his a.m. drills.

Race #5: Selections: 3-6-2

Florida shipper 3-Austonian exits a runner-up finish at Gulfstream on July 27 with a competitive (69) dirt Beyer and makes his first start for the lucrative veteran Desormeaux/Hess jockey-trainer combo. The 5-year-old gelding worked twice over the local venue. 6-Upstart Yankee rallied for the place spot on July 25, going today’s one-mile trip, over a trio of today’s returning rivals. 2-Zimba Warrior drops again off a dull fourth (beaten by double digits) for trainer Steve Miyadi, but should get a live race flow to close into this afternoon.

Race #6: Selections: 9-2-3

Blinkers on 9-Chief Renegade is slowly improving for trainer Bob Hess and the gelding makes his third start of the form cycle today, dropping another notch in class. The Mitole 3-year-old fired a much-improved three-furlong bullet drill in :35.1 on Aug. 22. Dirt to turf 2-Irish Whiskey, beaten by double digits in each and every start for trainer Kelly Balnum, drops in for a career-low $12,500 claiming tag. The 3-year-old gelding has back-to-back bullet a.m. drills over the local footing and should improve off that recent subpar performance. 3-Honor the Cat was no match for runaway winner Robarando in last, but drops back down into the maiden claiming ranks off some decent sprint tries.

Race #7: Selections: 7-1-3

7-Eiffel is one of three fillies entered back this afternoon, exiting with a last-out strong (80) turf Beyer for conditioner Mike Puype. The daughter of City of Light has run well in both turf starts to begin her career and should appreciate the extra real estate to work with. The Sadler-trained 1-Cat The Confidante (Ire) moves all the way inside this afternoon after making a decent rally from far back despite a sluggish pace on July 20. This lightly raced filly sophomore makes her second try off the bench today and should trip out nicely with a ground-saving journey. 3-Ribbons ran a solid race when stepping up to face winners on Aug. 9, leading all the way until the final jump, when beaten a neck. The Leonard Powell-trained 3-year-old makes her third start of the form cycle today, and figures to take them as far as she can, stretching out an additional sixteenth of a mile.

Race #8: Selections 1-3-8

The multiple graded stakes-placed 1-Splendora stretches back out today for Team Baffert, exiting a strong allowance sprint win over the local footing on July 24. Today’s one-mile journey looks like a solid fit for the daughter of Audible, and she looms a strong repeat candidate. The second of three Baffert fillies entered here is the Argentinian-bred 3-Ooty (Arg), who finished a good second to top pick Splendora in her first U.S. start. She’s trained swiftly since that encouraging American unveiling. 8-Sugar Fish is a multiple Grade 2 winner for Mullins but hasn’t been out in nine months. This filly is 4-for-10 lifetime, a perfect 1-for-1 going this one-mile trip, and has proven she can fire fresh.

Race #9: Selections 2-3-4

The 2 for 22 2-Smooth Salute is winless over the Del Mar turf course but has run well (with several close finishes), including a recent third when beaten only a neck on Aug. 7 when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals. The gelded son of Midnight Lute is expected to benefit from a favorable race flow, which will set up his late kick. The tough to handle 3-Mr. Leasure ran a better-than-looks fourth behind the top choice in the aforementioned Aug. 7 grass route, and likely benefits by shortening up to a mile this afternoon for trainer Tim Yakteen. The gelding was a game winner at this distance two back. 4-Russells Hustle (another gelding returning from that same turf route) just missed by a nose in a fast-closing runner-up try off the nine-month layoff for Miller, making his first effort off the November fall claim. It did take him 18 tries to break through the maiden ranks, however. Hernandez sticks.

Race #10: Selections 8-2-3

The heavily favored 8-Liberation lost all chance in career start number two when squeezed and clipping heels at the start when facing several of these in the CTBS S. on Aug. 3 for trainer John Sadler. A solid debut winner, this talented daughter of Omaha Beach still showed good interest late despite the horrendous journey and has an excellent chance to rebound today with clear sailing. Recent maiden winner and stablemate 2-Mohaven skipped away to a good-looking 2 ¼-length score on Aug. 10 in career try number two and may be the quickest of this group off the blocks and this afternoon’s probable pacesetter. Graduation S. runner-up 3-What’s a Good Name defeated Mohaven two-back when breaking her maiden going five furlongs and exits a career-best Beyer for conditioner Peter Miller behind the undefeated Sadler-trained Sammy Davis.

Race #11: Selections 7-4-1

A wide-open Labor Day nightcap wraps up the five-day race week. 7-Brother Brother makes his second turf try for Team O’Neill off a recent fourth-place effort on Aug. 8, when dropped in for a first-time tag, and facing four of today’s returning rivals. The 3-year-old gelding makes the all-important third career try, retains Hernandez, and can progress forward to the winner’s circle with an improved effort. 4-Makutu has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent start for conditioner Carla Gaines and exits a solid runner-up effort at 30-1 in the aforementioned Aug. 8 event. 1-Sweet Odyssey has not raced in roughly 11 months for D’Amato but was an improved third routing on grass before hitting the sidelines in the fall. The gelded son of Twirling Candy has worked swiftly in the a.m. and is likely to come out running for an excellent layoff barn.