Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Dea Matrona (Race 10)
Race #1: Selections: 5-4-3
The 5-year-old 5-Collmus, a $2.2 million son of Gun Runner, makes his long-awaited unveiling this afternoon for Zedan Racing and trainer Bob Baffert. He gets a cozy outside draw off some solid a.m. drills and gets the barn’s go-to pilot, Juan Hernandez. 4-On the Burner ships in from Churchill, exiting a strong runner-up on June 25 over the sloppy going, where he posted an 80 Beyer speed figure. The Practical Joke sophomore figures to move forward off that effort, making start number two off the six-month freshening. Newly gelded 3-Essos is the most experienced runner in the lineup, exiting a career-best effort and figure when moved back to the main track for his first start this campaign. He’s another that’s eligible to move forward for Glatt and Rosario and take full advantage if the top choice misfires.
Race #2: Selections: 5-6-3
The Michael McCarthy-trained 5-Thebeachisback is by multiple Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach and has trained smartly for today’s unveiling, including a “best of 83” four furlongs in :47 flat on July 26. 6-Liberty N Justice is by Maclean’s Music, who gets a respectable 14% with juvenile debut firsters. However, the George Papaprodromou barn is only 3-for-41 (7%) with dirt debut runners at Del Mar the past five years. Nonetheless, a sharp blowout three furlongs in :34.3 on July 26 certainly catches the eye. 3-Mystic Aurora goes turf to dirt in start number two after not getting the cleanest of journeys in a well-backed grass sprint fourth-place debut on June 14. Improvement is likely for the son of Early Voting, who is a strong (17-6-6-1) with dirt-sprint runners, according to DRF Formulator.
Race #3: Selections: 2-4-6
The 1-for-13 2-Sweet Gal of Mine finished a game second in the June 14 6 ½-furlong downhill event at Santa Anita where she posted a field’s best last-out (84) grass Beyer. She makes her third start of the current form cycle this afternoon, and is likely to fall into an optimum trip with all the speed signed on. Hall of Famer Mike Smith hops aboard. 4-O K Rose finished fourth behind a pair of today’s returning rivals (including the top pick) in the aforementioned June 14 event but makes her second start off the bench today, moves back to the Del Mar turf course where she had modest success, and switches to Hernandez. The 5-year-old mare figures to make good headway late. The 1-for-13 6-Comeback Girl hasn’t raced in 10 months but posted a strong (90) grass sprint Beyer over this course last July, which would likely be good enough to win this for trainer Leonard Powell, who was still looking for his first win of this meet (0-for-16) as of this writing.
Race #4: Selections: 2-6-8
Trainer Bob Baffert sends out a pair of well-bred 3-year-old colts which are hard to separate. 2-Truth Or Dare is by multiple Grade 1 winner Quality Road and arrives here with the barn’s typical a.m. flashy work tab. Hernandez lands here, which is usually a tall-tale sign of which colt may be best this afternoon. His stablemate 6-Black Tie Optional (by Not This Time) gets Lasix and Rosario for today’s unveiling. The colt has worked well since arriving over from Santa Anita and should also come out running. 8-Cheever is the lone 4-year-old facing sophomores for trainer Mark Glatt. The $700k gelded son of Into Mischief is the most experienced runner in the field and returns off an eight-month freshening and spirited work tab. A trio of lofty main track Beyers earned last spring and summer over the main track give him a look today for an excellent layoff barn.
Race #5: Selections: 1-8-7
The $2 Pick Six kicks off with a challenging $10k claiming sprint. Claimed out of his last two starts, 1-Dirty Words has a win over this main track and goes out for the Hector Palmer barn that has above-average stats with new acquisitions. The 4-year-old gelding could trip out nicely with a ground-saving trip behind the pacesetters and tip out late for a clear run with Ayuso. A runner-up in the last pair, 8-Des Doigts loves the Del Mar strip, evidenced by his (6-3-1-1) mark, the 5 ½ furlongs (8-4-2-0), and sports the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (77). He figures to get a favorable upfront pressing trip. 7-The Big Cheeseola goes second of the Jesus Uranga claim this afternoon after flashing speed and tiring to third over at Los Al on June 21. The 6-time winner will likely try to bottom out this field with Kimura, who knows him well.
Race #6: Selections: 4-5-2
4-Snappy Comeback ships in for conditioner Jose D’Angelo, who has brought over all live runners thus far this summer meet at Del Mar, and this filly looks well-meant. The 3-year-old daughter of top sire Yaupon exits a runner-up effort at Colonial on July 10, where she earned a competitive field’s best last-out (80) grass Beyer. Her numbers have improved with each subsequent start this current campaign. The multiple Grade 3-placed 5-Yours Sincerely (Ire) may prefer longer but finished in front of several of these when closing for third at 13-1 back on May 9 with a wide trip for D’Amato and was a maiden winner over this course last August. The 3-year-old filly has looked good galloping over the Del Mar turf course in her last two maintenance drills. The Desi Arnaz S. winner 2-Revera finished fourth (beaten only 2 ¼ lengths) in her lone grass try in the G3 Senorita two-back behind Yours Sincerely for trainer John Sadler and now adds Lasix today for the third start of the current form cycle.
Race #7: Selections: 7-10-8
The speedy 7-Mystic Moses drops in for a first-time tag for career try number eight while making his second start off a nine-month freshening. He flashed his typical early zip before tiring on July 5 and figures to last a lot longer on the front end with the class plunge and that race under his belt. He may prove difficult to reel in late. The gelding goes second-time Lasix. The Papaprodromou-trained 10-Low Tox shortens back up to a sprint this afternoon and drops in for a first-time tag off an improving Beyer pattern. The 3-year-old colt by Vekoma makes his second start off the six-month freshening and is eligible to move forward this afternoon. 8-Charmz Away makes career start number 18 today and is impossible to pick on top with much confidence, but has finished second and third in 10 of those starts with competitive Beyers for this level and is a vertical exotics threat again this afternoon.
Race #8: Selections: 1-2-8
1-News At Ten (GB) stretches back out today and was a gate-to-wire winner two-back going one mile to close out his 2025 campaign for conditioner Peter Eurton. The 6-year-old gelding lands in a paceless affair for his second start off the bench, and figures to use this afternoon’s rail draw to dictate things on the front end. 2-Joejoe Go is an interesting shipper for trainer Christopher Davis from Kentucky. The gelding is proven going this 1 1/16-mile trip, drops in class for his first try in Southern California, and lures Hernandez. His grass route Beyers are nearly on par for this class level, and he’s proven he can show good tactical early foot when necessary, and that fact should serve him well this afternoon. 8-Factor Analysis drops out of the San Juan Capistrano (G3) into this softer spot this afternoon when fourth behind recent Eddie Read (G2) winner Golden Phoenix.
Race #9: Selections: 5-1-2
An evenly matched group of seven juvenile fillies line up here for the CTBAB S. Reddam Racing’s 5-Free Closer was ultra-impressive on debut when getting up at the wire for the win after a slow break. The daughter of Pavel was taken up after being steadied (spotting the field five lengths) and then closed five wide for a furious late rally to get up in a monster effort. She shipped to Churchill for the Debutante S., finishing a well-beaten sixth with a wide trip, but can rebound today for the Michael McCarthy barn and switch to Hernandez. 1-Sentient Soon sped away quickly for the safe gate-to-wire score on debut despite getting a little tired late in an encouraging well-bet debut back on May 8 for trainer Jeff Bonde. The Dads Caps 2-year-old figures to be hustled along from the fence by jockey Kyle Frey. 2-Jolene Fury (by Stay Thirsty) kicked clear for the 9 ½-length runaway romp at Santa Anita back on May 31 but disappeared off the work tab for five weeks after the debut score before returning to the local course on July 8.
Race #10: Selections: 1-10-9
1-Dea Matrona (Fr) looked visually impressive running down her rivals from off the pace with her most recent score on June 5, and now goes first off the claim for trainer Doug O’Neill. A similar race shape gives the 5-year-old mare the likely repeat in the Sunday afternoon nightcap. 10-Sakura Flavor (Ire) is stuck outside this afternoon but could have easily won her last three races, finishing a close-up second twice and third against many of these same rivals. She’s 0-for-6 over the Del Mar lawn, however, and yet to hit the board, with most of her better races coming over the Santa Anita course. 9-Little Hidden Port (Arg) drops in class again, still looking for her first Stateside score for Sadler while returning to grass this afternoon. She finished fourth against considerably better over this turf course last fall and should get plenty of pace to run into with Rosario, who is the fifth different rider for this mare in six U.S. starts.
