Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Stanford Dropout (Race 8)
Race #1: Selections: 3-2-1
3-Riccelli is an $850k Keeneland purchase by Nyquist, who gets 18% with juvenile firsters. Hernandez and Baffert remain 11-for-23 (48%) with a $2.25 ROI with sprint dirt firsters at Del Mar the past two years. His stablemate 2-Emancipate is one of two in here with prior racing experience. The son of Uncle Mo finished a troubled trip fourth on debut Aug. 15 and is likely to move forward in start number two. Baffert 10-for-25 (40%) with second-time dirt sprint starters over this course the past two seasons. KAS Stables 1-Ala Sawab (by Flightline) debuts for trainer John Sadler off an inspiring worktab but must negotiate the sometimes tricky rail draw.
Race #2: Selections: 2-6-10
2-Carolina Legacy had a troubled trip on debut at Los Al back on June 27, when veering towards the fence at the break, and spotting the field about four lengths. The Munnings gelding made up some ground late to finish a non-threatening fourth. Improvement is likely today in start number two, dropping in for a first-time tag. Rosario on. Beaten by double digits in the last pair, 6-Yautown drops again for trainer Michael McCarthy while turning back to a sprint. 10-Ride the Tiger has speed and drew outside, and should be able to carry that early zip much farther, dropping from $50k maiden claimers down to today’s $20,000 level. Trainer Brian Koriner has quietly had a fabulous 2026 meet.
Race #3: Selections: 1-3-4
The Baffert-trained filly 1-Himari scampered away to a solid gate-to-wire score on debut Aug. 6, earning a solid (81) main track Beyer, and takes the next logical step up the class ladder on the stretch-out to a mile. The daughter of Nyquist came back to fire a sharp six furlongs on Aug. 17. 3-Cozy Curlin Kitten goes turf to dirt and second off the O’Neill claim, shipping in from Ellis Park, and was a dominating 5 ¾-length winner at Churchill two-back going this one-mile distance. This barn is a super 6-for-14 (43%) with a $3.89 ROI with dirt route second off the claim runners the past five years. 4-Harmonique broke through in start number eight for Drysdale on Aug. 15 with a career-best (79) Beyer and looks well-spotted against winners.
Race #4: Selections: 4-3-2
4-Gold Foot rallied for the place spot despite getting shuffled back behind traffic but could not hold off the late surge of 57-1 longshot Grandisimo in the final stages. The 5-year-old gelding is a logical fit again based on those back-to-back (76) turf Beyers. The lightly raced 3-Pacer (by Nyquist) goes dirt to turf off the recent O’Neill claim on July 17. This barn is 2-for-24 (8%) with this claiming surface change maneuver in the past five years, but gets excellent veteran turf pilot Joe Bravo in the saddle. 2-Caisson finished behind Gold Foot and Grandisimo in last.
Race #5: Selections: 9-7-12
A lot of Maiden Special Weight to Maiden Claiming class droppers in this six-furlong main track sprint for 3-year-old colts and geldings make this race wide open to close out the early pick five. 9-Delaneys Dreamer might have the edge simply because he’s flashed good speed against better and is drawn outside for trainer Val Brinkerhoff. The gray gelding moves back to dirt, removes the blinkers, and figures to take these as far as he can on the front end. 7-Hit the Track Jack also figures to get an upfront pressing trip. He flashed good speed switching to dirt at Los Al on July 5 before tiring to third. 12-De Facto is drawn on the far outside for trainer Brian Koriner and gets Rosario. This red-hot barn is 3-for-12 (25%) with a positive ROI with the MDSW to MDCLM dropdowns on dirt at Del Mar the past five years. This gelding is back sprinting after fading badly at a mile.
Race #6: Selections: 10-6-4
10-Seamless Factor is by G1 winner Mendelssohn, who gets 12% with juvenile firsters and 13% with turf sprinters. This juvenile filly debuts for trainer Carla Gaines off a spirited work tab, and this barn has had a solid stand this 2026 meet. 6-Petite Marie rallied for the place spot over a trio of today’s returning rivals on debut Aug. 7 and is dangerous with any normal second-out progression. 4-Savvy Tiger (by Smiling Tiger) debuts for the D’Amato barn. This jockey-trainer combo has teamed up to win with their turf sprint debut runners at Del Mar in the past, so this gal would not be a surprise if she came out running. Perhaps the board will offer more hints at ability and intent at first asking.
Race #7: Selections: 6-9-10
A solid second when moved to dirt in last, 6-Septembersixtyfour has hit the board in four of seven career tries for conditioner Mike Puype, and the 4-year-old gelding should get a live race flow to close into this afternoon, making his second try off the mini-freshening. The field’s best last-out Beyer (93) adds to the appeal with red-hot Kimura. The Glatt-trained 9-Roscoe’s Brother (by Violence) was a game winner on debut Aug. 2 with a competitive (85) main track Beyer and is dangerous if he can build upon that encouraging unveiling facing winners. 10-He’s a Knockout has won three of four career lifetime starts for trainer Carl Gaines and proved he could handle the main track with his recent seven-furlong victory in the July 31 Real Good Deal S. The Smiling Tiger sophomore shortens back up to six panels today and retains Rosario with the outside draw.
Race #8: Selections: 1-11-9
1-Stanford Dropout is a logical fit right back after just missing in a good try at this level on Aug. 14 and now goes first off the Steve Knapp claim. This barn has above-average stats with new acquisitions, and this 3-year-old gelding makes his third try of the current form cycle off an improving Beyer pattern. The speedy, lightly raced 11-Hankering ran well when stepped up to face winners on July 19, when a close-up third in front of five of today’s returning rivals, and now goes first off the Mike Puype purchase. 9-Bazooka Charlie didn’t have the best of trips in the last pair and now drops in for a career-low claiming tag.
Race #9: Selections: 8-5-1
The Richard Mandella-trained 8-Big City Lights has won two straight and loves this seven-furlong distance, evidenced by his 7-3-3-2 mark. The 9-for-17 7-year-old only has one Grade 3 win on his resume, but is in great form right now, lightly raced this current campaign, and has trained exceptionally well in the interim since his win in the Thors Echo S. back on May 23. 5-Bartholdy exits a career-best (103) Beyer with a gate-to-wire blowout win on July 25 when claimed for $100k and now steps back up into graded stakes company off that impressive score for his new connections. 1-Stronghold returns to his preferred seven-furlong trip this afternoon off a disappointing run in the Bing Crosby (G1). The Ghostzapper 5-year-old is dangerous if he can get back to that sharp Triple Bend (G3) win from two back, where he posted an odds-on victory and a (97) Beyer.
Race #10: Selections: 2-4-7
Trainer Graham Motion is 2-for-2 with ship-in stakes wins this summer at Del Mar and shoots for his third with multiple Grade 1 winner 2-Test Score. The 5-time winning colt by Lookin At Lucky has banked over $2.2 million in earnings for Amerman Racing, and has run well in both tries over the Del Mar sod. He’s reunited with winning pilot Juan Hernandez this afternoon and has been battling some tough customers all summer, including Burnham Square in the Arlington Million (G1) and Deterministic in the Manhattan (G1). 4-Gold Phoenix has never been better as an 8-year-old. Having won three graded stakes this current campaign for trainer Phil D’Amato, including a narrow recent score in the Grade 2 Eddie Read on July 26. He’s an undefeated 4-for-4 at today’s 1 3/8-mile trip, which is the last four editions of this race. The multiple Grade 2-winning 7-Atitlan rallied to grab the fourth spot in the Wickerr S. off the 11-month layoff and can move forward today.
