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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 1-Spycatcher (Race 7)

Race #1: Selections: 4-3-5

4-Kokosan moves back to turf on the stretch-out for Sadler and should find himself on or close to the lead moving back to two turns this afternoon. The colt’s one-mile effort last February resulted in a close-up third (beaten only a neck). 3-Rostovsky returns off a year’s layoff for Glatt, but when last seen posted turf route efforts that were above par for this class level, with 4 ITM finishes from 6 starts. The 4-year-old gelding has trained smartly over the Santa Anita synthetic track for this afternoon’s return to action for a good layoff barn. 5-Final Edition (Ire) is another returnee for conditioner Vladimir Cerin, who has run more than competitive figures on grass for this level, and lures Rispoli off the bench.

Race #2: Selections: 1-4-2

Blinkers off 1-Devil Among Us has speed from the rail and goes second off the Antonio Garcia claim. This gelding posted a sharp (83) Beyer over this racetrack three-back, facing better, and a similar effort would certainly be fast enough to beat this field. 4-Doo Wop Don steps up in class off the Oct. 19 claim for trainer Librado Barocio, who is 6 for 25 (24%) with a lofty $6.19 ROI with dirt sprint new acquisitions the past four years. Class dropping 2-Zoffarelli (Ire) has never tried dirt in 35 career starts, but his sire Zoffany (17% dirt sprinters) suggests he may be able to handle it for conditioner Peter Miller.

Race #3: Selections: 2-3-1

2-Diaghilev ran an even fourth in his Oct. 12 grass sprint unveiling for trainer Richard Mandella but is likely to move forward in start number two, for a jockey/trainer combo that is 3 for 7 (43%) with a positive ROI with grass second-time starters the past four years. 3-Cactus Charlie finished in front of the top choice in his first turf try for Team Miller in last when flashing speed, settling back, and then showing some late run to grab the show spot. Berrios is off, however. 1-Track Tiger goes dirt to turf for Doug O’Neill off a solid runner-up on dirt in start number two. The juvenile colt does not have a ton of grass pedigree to speak of, but is improving and fired a sharp four-furlong bullet drill in :46.4 on Oct. 26.

Race #4: Selections: 7-4-3

There’s a $28,807 Pick 6 carryover that begins here.

7-Ballyhooligan was no match for runaway winner Toppers At Seaside when second on Oct. 3, but has run better than par for this $20k maiden claiming level in two of three career tries. The 3-year-old gelding now goes first off the claim for trainer George Papaprodromou, who has solid overall stats with newly acquired purchases. The McKinzie sophomore gets a “key” rider change. 4-Brother Brother has yet to hit the board in three career starts for team O’Neill, but takes a sizable class plunge this afternoon, moving back to dirt. 3-Naudesnoodle was off slow and raced wide in an excusable debut on Oct. 13 and is likely to move forward off that effort on the stretch-out in start number two. His sire, Graydar, was a Grade 1 winner going two turns.

Race #5: Selections: 5-2-6

Trainer Wesley Ward has a two-prong threat here. 5-Bacio drops out of the Speakeasy S. and should prove tough to reel in, making his second try on grass. The Maclean’s Music colt makes the all-important third career try. His stablemate, 2-Rogue Legend (Ire), drops out of the Indian Summer S. at Keeneland, making his third start of the form cycle, and looks like the main threat to his barn mate from off the pace. The colt finished third to BC hopeful, Schwarzenegger. 6-Won for Lou shortens back up for Team O’Neill, exiting a speed and fade in the Zuma Beach (G3) on Oct. 5.

Race #6: Selections: 7-1-2

7-Thirsty Trickster goes second off the Bob Hess claim and is a logical threat off a win and two seconds in her last three tries, sprinting over the Del Mar main track. This 3-year-old filly’s last pair of Beyers (65,66) are tops in this field. 1-Saint Mihiel has shown the ability to carry her speed sprinting and going long for trainer Ed Freeeman and looks well-placed in this $16k claimer on the turnback. 2-Sensational Z Z was a gate-to-wire winner over this track over the summer in her lone try over this dirt course and is reunited with winning pilot, Kaz Kimura.

Race #7: Selections: 1-5-3

The multiple graded stakes-placed 1-Spycatcher lands in a paceless turf route where he should be able to control things from the rail and skip away to a decisive gate-to-wire score. The Glatt-trained 6-year-old gelding has hit the board in 8 of 9 tries over the Del Mar sod. 5-Balnikhov (Ire) drops in for a $100k tag today with the addition of Lasix for D’Amato after 23 consecutive graded stakes races. The class relief is sure to help, but this gritty gelding has little early zip and may be pace compromised despite the easier spot. 3-Reiquist returns to Southern California after getting trounced in the Sycamore (G2) at Keeneland, but should get first run on the top choice if he happens to come back to this field for conditioner Tim Yakteen.

Race #8: Selections: 5-2-6

Trainer Richard Baltas has a pair of fillies entered here. We land on the experienced 5-Debby’s Gal, who adds blinkers this afternoon after being defeated at 3-5 on Oct. 17. by second choice 2-Mimi’s Memory. This daughter of Army Mule was game in defeat after racing two-wide for most of that 6 ½-furlong trip and retains Hernandez. Mimi improved 18 Beyer points with the class drop in career start number two, when getting the best of a pair of returning rivals. The Charlatan filly steps back up this afternoon off that encouraging runner-up effort and is a logical threat with further progression. 6-Definitely Probable makes career start number three this afternoon for conditioner Michael McCarthy and drops in for a first-time tag. This barn has solid stats with their MDSW-to-Maiden claiming dropdowns, but this filly finished behind the top choice on Sept. 20.

Race #9: Selections 1-6-8

1-Shady Tiger has been hampered by layoff lines for D’Amato, but ran well in both grass sprint tries earlier in his career and has been training steadily for today’s first try off a seven-month freshening. 6-Flyover drops out of the 6 ½-furlong downhill California Flag H. try into this softer spot today for Hernandez and Sadler. The lightly raced Om colt sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (90). A multiple winner over the track and distance, 8-Tigerhon (Fr) seems to fire every start for conditioner Peter Miller, who claimed the gelding three back. The hard-hitting 7-year-old should come with his traditional late run but is winless since August 2024.