Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 9-Mohaven (Race 1)
Race #1: Selections: 9-1-3
The Sadler-trained 9-Mohaven is by G1 winner Yaupon, who is an impressive (5-3-1) from 15 juvenile debut starters. The 2-year-old filly has worked well in the a.m. and is nicely drawn outside for this afternoon’s unveiling. 1-What’s a Good Name (by Grazen) makes her second start for new connections off an even fifth-place finish at Churchill on June 6, when originally under the care of conditioner Steve Asmussen. The juvenile filly adds blinkers today, lures Hernandez, and is eligible to improve significantly in start number two. 3-Let It Begin has trained well for a jockey-trainer combo that has done well with debut runners over this strip in the past.
Race #2: Selections: 1-4-5
1-Unwritten Code has done most of her running on grass the past two years, but moves back to the main track today on the class drop and figures to be hustled along from the fence. This mare is a 9-time winner and returns off a 10-week freshening. Class dropping 4-Ivory Moon has never tried dirt but is bred to handle the surface switch and has trained swiftly over the main track in her morning drills. She’s by Ransom the Moon (15% dirt sprinters) and returns off the freshening for an excellent layoff barn. 5-Isabel Ludlow was a winner over this track last November and arrives here in sharp form for trainer Jesus Mendoza. The 5-year-old mare has two runner-up tries and a blowout 7-length victory two back at Santa Anita (when snagged for $20k) in her last three tries. She starts for half that price today, and is an obvious fit at this reduced level.
Race #3: Selections: 2-9-6
2-Arrakis ran extremely well when returning off an eight-month layoff back on May 26 and trying turf for the first time. The gelded son of Bernardini ran a sharp (82) grass Beyer for that third-place finish and looks tough to overhaul with any normal second-out progression. A pair of runners have since returned to win out of that short field. His stablemate 9-Artic Power (Ire) is a first-time gelding, adding Lasix, returning off a seven-month layoff, and making his first stateside start. He ran well in his debut at Dundalk in his December 2024 debut, and lands in a barn that excels with imports. 6-Reno had a very wide debut when he essentially walked off the course in a disappointing June 14 unveiling, but returns quickly for a barn that has had good success overall with grass sprinters. The 5-year-old maiden trained well up to that unveiling and is likely to have more ability than he showed in his first start.
Race #4: Selections: 2-9-7
2-Arkadelohia flashed improved speed when moved to the main track in career try number two, when making his first start in Southern California. The Mendez-trained gelding hinted at ability when aggressively placed in his debut in the Royal Plum Juvenile S. at Gulfstream, finishing third. That race has produced a pair of next-out winners. 9-American Tiger is by Smiling Tiger, who gets an ordinary 10% with his juvenile debut prodigy. However, this 2-year-old colt is perfectly drawn outside today for the Tim Yakteen barn and has shown some life in his am. drills. He’s likely to come out running. 7-Jalisco is the most experienced runner in the field with three career tries and is a logical fit if he can repeat that top effort (71 Beyer) from two-back at Santa Anita. 3-Sammy Davis (by Sir Prancealot) debuts for trainer John Sadler off a steady work tab and looks live at first asking.
Race #5: Selections: 6-2-7
6-Transcending (Ire) makes his first stateside start for D’Amato off a 13-month layoff but has trained sharply for his American debut and was a smashing 5 ½-length winner when last seen at Leopardstown. The filly adds Lasix today and lures Hernandez off the bench. 2-Tight Squeeze sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (82) off an inspiring-looking victory on June 13 for the Sadler barn. The daughter of Sir Prancealot is the filly to beat with a similar effort. D’Amato also sends out recent maiden winner 7-Madonna of Loreto, who improved substantially with the addition of Lasix off the layoff. She’s lightly raced, well-rested off the maiden score, and her Beyers have improved with each subsequent start.
Race #6: Selections: 6-2-3
A field of nine well-bred fillies line up for this competitive five-furlong Maiden Special Weight dirt dash. Baffert sends out 6-Cherry Cider, a daughter of Tiz the Law, who gets a solid 17% with his debuting juvenile prodigy. She’s worked swiftly over the Santa Anita main track, including a “best of 100” four-furlong bullet drill in :46.3 on July 12. The barn’s go-to pilot, Juan Hernandez, takes the call. 2-Super Corredora is a $400k purchase by Gun Runner (19% with 2-year-old FTS), debuting for the red-hot Sadler barn. This Woodford Thoroughbreds-bred filly has shown some solid run in her morning drills. 3-Counterbalance is by multiple G1 winner Caravaggio, who gets an impressive 20% with his juvenile prodigy. The Michael McCarthy barn is more than capable of firing with a firster over this racetrack
Race #7: Selections: 4-9-3
This year’s edition of the Wickerr Stakes came up ultra-tough with several different directions one could potentially go. 4-Final Boss has won three of his last five grass starts for Sadler, and exits a sharp gate-to-wire victory going longer on June 8. The 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah has shown the ability to lead or rate, which makes him the horse to beat today, with Hernandez retaining the mount. The multiple grade-2 placed 9-Almendares (GB) gets some strong class relief today, dropping out of stiffer heats, and is proven over this grass course. The D’Amato-trained 5-year-old returns off a 4 ½-month freshening and is training sharply for today’s return to action. Grade 1-winning 3-Beyond Brilliant hasn’t been out since November 2022 but is the class of this field and has posted some of the fastest turf speed figures in the field. The question mark is how much remains in the tank, now that he’s a 7-year-old.
Race #8: Selections 3-4-2
3-Max Ciao was off a step slow when sent off at 5-1 in his May 25 debut for conditioner Steve Knapp and finished an even third. The juvenile colt by multiple G1 winner Maxfield adds blinkers for career start number two and figures to be tough with any normal second-out progression. 4-Forever Ben makes career try number two for trainer Carla Gaines, who sports a strong 6 for 23 (26%) overall record with second-time starters at Del Mar the past five years. The Stanford gelding gets a key jockey switch to Juan Hernandez today and should improve substantially with that race under his belt. 2-No Joke Antares just missed the place spot in an encouraging unveiling on June 15 and is another juvenile likely to move forward, having gained solid experience from their initial start.
Race #9: Selections 5-1-8
5-Thought Process skipped away to an odds-on impressive 5 ¾-length gate-to-wire allowance win on June 14 for D’Amato off of a seven-month layoff and has proven he can run just as well without Lasix. The Grade 3 winner is 4-for-6 lifetime and has proven she can sit and finish, which enhances her chances of repeating this afternoon. She’s reunited with jockey Hector Berrios, who is undefeated when riding this gal. 1-Will Then is proven to be a road warrior despite only having five lifetime starts and is 2-for-2 in Southern California for trainer Jonathan Thomas. The 3-year-old filly figures to get a favorable ground-saving trip today, has trained well off the mini-freshening, and gets the services of Hall of Famer Mike Smith. The late-closing 8-Firenze Flavor owns the field’s best top late pace rating and is the most likely beneficiary of a potential contested early duel. A winner of the G3 Honeymoon in her last, she’s already proven to have the quality to do just that. The three-time winner from five starts has trained well since that last stakes-debut score.
Race #10: Selections 1-8-3
First-time gelding 1-Tiz Secure hasn’t been seen since finishing third in an allowance event on the Kentucky Derby sloppy undercard. The Maximum Security sophomore has trained sharply since that effort and should appreciate getting back to a fast Del Mar main track. That Churchill May 3 route has produced three next-out winners. 8-Indispensable has never been off the board in four career main track tries over this racetrack and should be much tighter making his second start off the seven-month layoff. He finished third in the Oklahoma Derby (G3) and second in the Zia Park Derby to close out 2024. 3-Concord Bridge has rattled off two straight with top Beyers (92,91) for trainer John Sadler. 10-Brazenly consistently clunks up to fill out the underneath vertical exotics and should get a lively pace to close into this afternoon.
Race #11: Selections 3-7-11
3-Hannah Buckle (Ire) hasn’t been out in nine months for trainer Leonard Powell but broke her maiden over this grass course and has trained well over the Santa Anita synthetic track for today’s return to action. This barn has done well for the Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners ownership. The lightly raced 7-Quick Brown Fox looks like today’s frontrunner on the stretch-out was a sharp third when last seen at the end of May. The daughter of Justify has trained well since that game try. 11-Roselee May is stuck outside, but sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (84), has good positional speed, and is 2-for-2 going today’s one-mile trip. 4-She’s a Joker makes her third start of the form cycle this afternoon off a bang-up runner-up try on June 12. Trainer Peter Miller had a pair of winners on opening day.
