Del Mar (Saturday-11/26/22) By Dean Keppler

Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 5-Aligato (Race #8)

Race #1: 6-Sangre Azul has been sidelined 10 months and returns below $25k purchase price off a win. Not the optimum of scenarios, but barn is 5 for 19 (26%) with a $3.94 ROI with new acquisitions and started this meet a perfect 3 for 3. The lightly raced 7-Hail Columbia moves back to dirt where she was a wire-to-wire winner two-back at Santa Anita way back in the beginning of the year. She returns for a $16k tag today but has speed; is drawn outside and has been coaxed along for good layoff barn. 3-Blame It On Rose finished 2^nd to a next-out winner when last seen at Los Al back in September and has had prior success over this oval registering both career victories.

Selections: 6-7-3

Race #2: Trainer Phil D’Amato has two main contenders in this optional $100K claiming turf sprint and they’re tough to separate. The ultra-consistent 4-Alice Marble is 5 for 11 lifetime; proven off a layoff and trained well for her return. Her stablemate 1-Tony Ann was overmatched in the G2 Buena Vista in most recent start but strung together 3 straight wins prior to that last subpar 7^th place finish. 3-Aqua Seaform Shame is a multiple winner over the track and distance and makes the all-important 3^rd start off the layoff this afternoon. The 5-year-old mare owns the field’s best last-out Beyer (83).

Selections: 4-1-3

Race #3: 3-Wegonahavagoodtime is on the improve; co-tops the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (68); and makes career start number 3 for trainer Dan Blacker which is typically a runner’s best effort. 8-American Cat has run par or better in all 3 career starts and drops in for a first-time tag today. This barn is, however, 0 for 7 with MDSW to MDCLM dropdowns. 5-Dad Bod was trounced in both efforts here to start career but improved nearly 40 Beyer points in most recent try when flashing good speed on the engine through snappy fractions before tiring to third. He gets in light today and a repeat of that sharp effort here makes this gelding a strong contender.

Selections: 3-8-5

Race #4: 5-Awesome Taylor should be much tighter making 2^nd start off the bench today for trainer Peter Miller exiting the same October 23 race as several of these. 1-Secret Fix comes in with strong Beyer figures and back-to-back runner-up finishes since breaking Maiden three-back over this oval. She projects to be forwardly placed again from the rail. Recent Maiden winner 4-Bali Dancer was game on the turnback to break through in career start number 9 and is wheeled back on 2 weeks rest.

Selections: 5-1-4

Race #5: The speedy 8-Maven comes off back-to-back subpar efforts but removes the blinkers today; drops in class and returns to 5 furlongs where he’s a 3-time winner. 6-Real Money ships in from Woodbine and makes first start for the Miller barn. This jockey/trainer combo are 4 for 17 (24%) on grass with horses making their first start on the trainer switch. 10-My Harbors Dream is stuck outside but has run well off the layoff in the past and is training well for his return for assistant Leandro Mora and Team O’Neill.

Selections: 8-6-10

Race #6: 4-Spun Intended earned a field’s best (86) Beyer in most recent effort despite slow start when finishing behind Baffert’s wire-to-wire debut winner Fort Warren. The one to beat off that encouraging unveiling. Speaking of Baffert, he has three juvenile colts represented in here. And as usually the case… none of the trio would be a surprise in here. 9-Harlocap is by Triple Crown winner Justify who is a strong 11 for 44 (25%) with his 2-year-old first time starter prodigy. This colt draws outside with a flashy worktab and this lucrative jockey/trainer combo are 11 for 17 (65%) with a $3.11 ROI with debut runners. His stablemate 2-Barnstorming is by Quality Road (15% with juvenile debut prodigy) and attracts Hernandez off some solid and steady a.m. drills. 5-Johannes finished behind Spun Intended in last and makes second start off the bench.

Selections: 4-9-2

Race #7: 1-Santin exits 4 consecutive Grade 1 affairs and was victorious in half of those events for conditioner Brendan Walsh. The 4-year-old colt did not show his typical tactical speed in recent subpar effort at Keeneland but can rebound here today with favorable inside draw while making his 3^rd start off the bench. He earned a field’s best grass Beyer (106) with sharp G1 win in the Arlington Million at Churchill two-back. Multiple graded stakes winner 8-Set Piece (GB) is 11 for 24 lifetime for trainer Brad Cox and has the best late kick in this field as indicated by his (125) TimeformUS pace figure. If the quick projected pace comes to fruition, he’d be the likely beneficiary. This barn has done very well when shipping to DMR going 4 for 17 (25%) in graded stake events. 3-Hong Kong Harry is one of three D’Amato runners represented in here and has won 4 of his last 5. Another threat from off the pace. 4-Smooth Like Strait has good speed and is the class of this field banking nearly $2 million dollars. He comes in with a stellar record over the DMR turf course (6-2-4-0).

Selections: 1-8-3

Race #8: 1-Finneus puts blinkers back on today; goes turf to dirt and returns to his preferred venue for trainer Peter Miller. This stretch running colt should get a lively race flow to set-up his late kick this afternoon and is reunited with winning pilot. A sharp “best of 32” 4-furlong drill November 18 adds to the appeal. Perhaps he can post the upset with a potential pace meltdown. His stablemate 2-Liberty Forever moves up in class today but has won 3 of his last 4 tries. 7-Hopkins is a recent Maiden winner for Baffert who cuts back to 6 panels and is the obvious one to overhaul making his first start against winners. The 4-year-old colt by Quality Road is a $900K Keenland purchase who defeated a next-out winner in last; owns the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (88) and will attract plenty of wagering support. There’s some other solid speed types signed on, however, and he may have to work hard in the early stages of this race perhaps leaving the door open for an upset.

Selections: 1-2-7

Race #9: 5-Aligato stretches out making second start off the bench today for trainer Mark Glatt after finishing not far behind multiple stakes winner The Chosen Vron. The 5-year-old gelding has only been off the board once in 6 career starts and looks primed for a big effort this afternoon. 3-Agatino (Ire) should move forward off first stateside effort where he didn’t break alertly for D’Amato finishing an even fifth. He goes second time Lasix this afternoon and switches to Prat. 1-Fly the Sky projects to work out a favorable trip from the rail but prefers more real estate.

Selections: 5-3-1