Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Liberation (Race 4)
Race #1: Selections: 1-3-2
1-Howie’s Law has run well in both local starts this current campaign with a dominating maiden win, followed up by a near-miss against winners on Aug, 14. The Doug O’Neill-trained sophomore colt has speed, the rail, and should prove tough to reel in with an alert break. 3-Kid Charlemagne returns to Southern California off the mini-freshening after a brief stint at Oaklawn and was a runaway maiden winner last fall over this course. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 6-for-14 (43%) with a $3.86 ROI overall the past two years. 2-Cruisin for Cali came up empty off the recent purchase on July 19 but can move forward today with the removal of blinkers, second off the claim.
Race #2: Selections: 3-5-7
By win-early sire Stanford, 3-Chisled in Stone flashed good speed and ran on well to finish second on debut Aug. 6 (while no match for the race winner). The juvenile colt figures tough today with any normal second-out progression. Trainer Carla Gaines sends out a pair of colts and has had herself a memorable 2026 stand. 5-Lil Prince Cairo (by Cairo Prince;10% juvenile firsters & 13% grass sprinters) has trained well and gets Kimura in the saddle, who has done well riding for this outfit. His stablemate 7-Bottled in Bond is by Grazen and has also trained steadily for this afternoon’s unveiling. Jockey Hector Berrios gets the riding assignment and has quietly had himself a solid meet, clicking at 21% as of this writing.
Race #3: Selections: 1-8-2
1-Chasing Kat kicked clear for the sharp score off a 11-month layoff on Aug, 16 for the $16k tag and now shows up for $10,500 looking for the repeat. The Papaprodromou-trained mare gets in light again with 7 lb. bugboy, sporting the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (74). She figures to be hustled along from the fence once again. 8-Miz Clubcall has been a popular commodity at the claiming box off five consecutive ITM finishes. She goes out for trainer Ian Kruljac this afternoon, exiting a good runner-up try on Aug. 1 behind 14-1 upsetter Ro Town. 2-Danzing Flyer was snagged for $16k on July 26 by conditioner Paul Aguirre, who is 0-for-5 with claims at Del Mar the past three seasons.
Race #4: Selections: 2-4-6
2-Liberation (by Omaha Beach) has never tried turf for Sadler but has plenty of turf pedigree on the dam side (Ponytail/26% grass routes) to suggest she’ll successfully handle the surface switch. The 3-year-old filly is an established stakes winner, is reunited with winning pilot Juan Hernandez, and makes her second try off the seven-month layoff. Lasix on and nice turf drill over the local grass course on Aug. 9. Of the D’Amato pair, 4-Cortina d’Amprezzo (Ire) drops out of the G2 San Clement into this much softer spot this afternoon after flashing solid early zip before folding to sixth. The bay filly’s maiden win two-back was a sharp 4-length romp. The lightly raced 6-Run With Liberty returns to grass where she’s a perfect 2-for-2 for Mullins, exiting a well-beaten third in the Melair S. back in May.
Race #5: Selections: 6-5-9
A two-Day Pick Six Carryover of $ 192,077 starts here! Blinkers on 6-Take Revenge attracted some decent support on debut when finishing a wide, non-threatening fifth and is eligible to move forward off that effort for conditioner Craig Lewis. This barn has won with their last two second-time sprint starters at this oval (Club Fighter 13-1; 8/23) and (No Limit 5-1 on 8/21). 5-Beautiful Dawn is by Midnight Storm, who is a below-average 6% with debuting juveniles. This gal has some sneaky good works, however, and the Aggie Ordonez barn has solid stats from limited opportunities. Rosario enticed to ride. 9-Sono Veloce (by multiple G1 winner Mitole) debuts for trainer Brendan Galvin off a spirited worktab and lures Hernandez. This barn is 0-for-55 with firsters the past 5 years, however.
Race #6: Selections: 5-11-7
A tricky five-furlong $32k claiming grass sprint dash kicks off the late pick five. 5-Otto the Conqueror goes dirt to turf off the Cerin claim and makes his second try in Southern California. A sharp “best of 35” bullet five-furlong drill in :58.1 over the Del Mar main track on Aug. 14 tips his hand that a much-improved try is likely forthcoming for his new connections. 11-Regal Patriot makes his second start off the eight-month layoff and first off the O’Neill claim. A multiple winner over the track and distance, this 6-year-old gelding has enough positional speed to come out of his outside slot running for the new barn and perhaps put himself in prime stalking attack-mode come crunch time. 7-Gazon (GB) is usually close at this level for Sadler, and his upfront, pressing running style fits well at five panels.
Race #7: Selections: 3-5-2
The $750k pricey daughter of Curlin, 3-Rabeeba, looks to remain unbeaten for Team Baffert as she steps up to face stakes competition. A dominant winner of both career tries, the chestnut filly has trained well since her last win and figures to control things again on the front end this afternoon. The obvious main threat and deserving favorite is the more experienced multiple stakes-winning 5-Mohaven. This talented daughter of top sire Yaupon has run first or second in seven of eight career tries for Sadler and makes her second try off the bench today. She looks to get her first graded stakes win and has been a gem of consistency. 2-She’s No Quant upset Mohaven in last when trying dirt for the first time and has now won three straight for Ed Freeman. This gray filly by Pavel may sit another favorable stalking trip.
Race #8: Selections: 6-7-5
6-Janz Joy finished in front of several of these on July 31 when flashing improved early zip on the stretch-out and now makes the all-important third start for conditioner Mark Glatt with an improving Beyer pattern. Her stablemate 7-Zuzu’s Classic Girl goes two sprints to a route off a pair of solid grass sprint runner-up efforts, and her breeding suggests the additional real estate should help. 5-Platinum Groove (by Mo Town) is likely to move forward in start number two on the stretch out after breaking slowly on debut and finishing a non-threatening fifth. The Mullins barn is 4-for-18 (22%) with a positive ROI with second-time turf starters at Del Mar the past five years.
Race #9: Selections: 7-6-8
Baffert’s stakes-winning 7-Privman is back off a seven-month layoff, and this Justify colt has never finished off the board in seven lifetime tries. He’s trained sharply for today’s return to action and figures to fire off the bench. 6-Lyell’s Song returns for the Glatt barn with a pretty solid record of his own. The 5-year-old gelding has finished first or second in five of six lifetime starts and was a nose winner with a (95) Beyer when last seen nearly a year ago. He’s also trained with purpose for an excellent layoff barn. A multiple winner over the track and distance, 8-Indispensable could be the beneficiary of a contested early race flow. He makes his second start off the seven-month layoff today and figures to improve off that last effort when breaking a step slow.
Race #10: Selections: 6-1-9-10
6-Unpretentious (by Clubhouse Ride) has never tried turf but comes off a sharp main track win on Aug. 7 for trainer Charlie Treece and may offer further upside, making only his third start since November 2024. Kimura sticks here and has an upset chance for the repeat. 1-Midway Lane goes dirt to turf for Sadler, having hit the board in five of six lifetime starts. The gelding was no match for Bartholdy in last, but drops in class today on the surface switch and figures to get an upfront pressing journey from the fence. 9-Call Me Sir just missed the place spot when facing several of these on Aug. 6 with a close-up third and now switches to Rosario, second off the bench. 10-Henry Adams (Ire) rallied well to just miss the show spot in the aforementioned Aug. 2 event and now goes first off the Steve Knapp claim. The 5-year-old gelding sports the best late pace figure in the field and figures to catch a livelier pace flow this afternoon. A definite vertical exotics threat, at the very least, despite the outside draw.
