Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 10-Kangaroo Court (Race #7)
Race #1: 3-Resultant had little chance from post 12 when making first start over the track July 23 for trainer Phil D’Amato and now drops in class and goes turf to dirt for 2nd start off the mini-freshening. The gelding was a runaway Maiden winner over dirt two-back at Turf Paradise. 5-Breakfast Ride comes off a career best (94) Beyer with sharp wire-to-wire win and would be extremely tough if he could repeat that type of effort for Hernandez and Sadler. 1-Street Ruckus gets key rider change and makes 2nd start off the bench today for Cerin.
Selections: 3-5-1
Race #2: 4-Always At Ease made an Ok mild wide run late to grab 5th when trailing throughout in debut and is eligible to move forward off that try for trainer Keith Desormeaux. This barn scored with 2nd time starter 44/1 longshot Bear Mountain routing on grass August 7. The 400K Ocala Breeders Sale purchase is by Twirling Candy who gets a solid 17% with his turf route runners. 6-Tea N Conversation didn’t show much in debut try but stretches out today; goes dirt to turf and is bred to handle grass. 5-La Paloma Blanca stretches out in start number two and is also bred to handle the additional distance for trainer Peter Miller. This barn has above average overall numbers with their 2nd time starters.
Selections: 4-6-5
Race #3: 3-Tapit Doux has won two of his last three for trainer Lorenzo Ruiz and looks well-positioned to take another this afternoon. The gelding owns the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (73) and has a versatile running style allowing him to quickly adjust to various pace scenarios. 2-Keepmeinthe Moment is one of two Jonathan Wong trained fillies lined up in here and this lightly raced gal makes her first start on dirt and takes a substantial class drop. Beaten favorite 4-Everlys Girl showed speed and faded through some taxing fractions August 4 and now drops again making her 2nd start off the bench. This filly gets sixth different jockey this afternoon while making career start number eight.
Selections: 3-2-4
Race #4: 3-Counterparty Risk (Ire) adds blinkers; has been freshened; and is working very well for trainer Phil D’Amato. This 5-year-old mare has run par or better for this class level on multiple occasions. 2-Quattroelle (Ire) removes the blinkers today making the all-important 3rd start off the layoff. The 4-year-old filly has improving Beyer figures and shows two nice drills over the grass since that last start. Recent claim 4-Malibu Marie doesn’t have much turf pedigree but has rattled off 4 straight wins and ships into Southern California as a fresh horse for new connections. This filly has good positional speed and does show a decent 4-furlong turf drill here August 4.
Selections: 3-2-4
Race #5: The expectations are obviously high for Baffert colt 3-Hejazi who is by Bernardini and cost ($3.55 million). The juvenile colt has trained swiftly for unveiling and this jockey/trainer combo are 5 for 10 (50%) with debut runners at Del Mar. 4-Omnipresent owns the experience edge over this entire field with even 4th place effort July 31. The juvenile colt by Triple Crown winner Justify adds blinkers today and is eligible to move forward for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. 8-Classical Cat is by Grade 1 winner Mendelssohn who gets a strong 21% with his 2-year-old debut prodigy. The colt has been well-prepped for unveiling. The “other” Baffert is 7-Nullarbor who is a $500K Keeneland purchase by Candy Ride. Hernandez lands here.
Selections: 3-4-8
Race #6: 4-Sweet and Cheeky was a strong winner at this class level and trip and looms a likely repeater with similar effort. This 5-year-old mare has improved immensely for her 5-year-old season for trainer Mark Glatt. 9-Gillian Elizabeth has won two of her last three starts for trainer Carla Gaines and sports the field’s best last out turf Beyer (80). 2-Dancing Dana didn’t do much running as the beaten favorite in last but stretches out today and makes 2nd start off the mini-freshening.
Selections: 4-9-2
Race #7: 10-Kangaroo Court ran a sharp second in July 23 debut when flashing good speed before being collared late by stakes winner The Big Wham. The gelding moves outside today; owns the field’s best last-out Beyer (73) and this jockey/trainer combo are 2 for 2 with 2nd time starters at Del Mar. The Day’s Best Bet. 9-Stay in the Game is an obvious threat off back-to-back runner-up efforts. 3-Reign of Speed adds blinkers; makes the all-important 3rd career start and appears to be on the improve for trainer Ryan Hanson who is still looking for his first win of the 2022 meet.
Selections: 10-9-3
Race #8: 2-Bellabel (Ire) is one of four Phil D’Amato trained fillies lined up in this Grade 1 event and looks best of the quartet coming off a sharp win in the Grade 2 San Clemente over several of these. 11-Spendarella is 3 for 3 in the United States and has good tactical early zip for trainer Graham Motion. This talented 3-year-old filly was runner-up in the Grade 1 Coronation at Ascot in most recent start and appears to be the one to beat in this robust and talented field. Motion had a stakes winner Friday afternoon with shipper Sister Otoole ($11). 7-Sixteen Arches rallied for strong second at 36/1 behind Bellabel and should get a swift pace to utilize her big late kick again this afternoon. She owns the field’s best late TimeformUS pace figure.
Selections: 2-11-7
Race #9: If a sharp pace materializes as projected, things could potentially set-up nicely for 10-Of Good Report who makes his second start off the layoff today and drops in class for trainer Bill McLean. He comes off a troubled trip 8th and can improve here. 6-High Heater goes first off the claim for trainer Jonathan Wong who sports solid numbers with all his new acquisitions. The 5-year-old gelding stretches out here and barn has placed its new purchase runners in winning spots all meet. 5-Little Demon was a strong wire-to-wire winner in last but may choose to sit off the pace this afternoon which something he’s done successfully in prior starts. The 4-year-old gelding goes first off the claim today and owns the field’s best last out main track Beyer (80).
Selections: 10-6-5
Race #10: 5-Infinite Empire was a beaten favorite in comeback effort July 22 but now stretches out and moves to turf for trainer Richard Mandella. This 3-year-old filly has plenty of turf pedigree on the dam side and should be primed for a career best effort making start number three this afternoon. She projects to trip out well. 10-Belle Cherie moves back to turf and stretches out today after a slow starting 3rd place effort in most recent effort. This barn has above average numbers on the stretch-out and this gal has the pedigree that’s geared towards routing. 3-Leisurewear (Ire) is 0 for 9 but has 3 runner-up finishes on turf for D’Amato and has run par for this class level. The 4-year-old filly makes her 2nd start off the mini-freshening.
Selections: 5-10-3
