Del Mar (Sunday-11/08/2026) By Dean Keppler

Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 6-Jennys Wine Girl  (Race 5)

Race #1: Selections: 2-6-4

2-Good Golly Dolly has good positional speed in the Sunday opener that’s come up light on early zip, exiting back-to-back runner-up finishes for trainer Steve Knapp. 6-Lady Ruth was a smashing 15 ½-length maiden winner here at Del Mar two-back going this one-mile trip and returns to the main track this afternoon after an even fifth when trying grass in last when facing winners. This filly will be tough to overhaul if she can revert to the form she showed over this racetrack. A maiden winner over this course in start number eight, 4-Remember April goes from two sprints to a route, making her third try in the current form cycle.

Race #2: Selections: 4-6-3

The Steve Knapp-trained 4-Vera Gosdin returns as a reported first-time gelding off a much-improved third at Santa Anita on Oct. 12 and projects to get a favorable upfront pressing trip this afternoon. Trainer Tim Yakteen and jockey Joel Rosario teamed up with a Mr. Big debut-winning firster this summer named Big Twist, and the duo is back here with 6-Big If. This dark bay has trained steadily for today’s unveiling and need to have to be much to compete here. Turf-to-dirt 3-Olympian Thirst removes the blinkers and drops in for a first-time tag.

Race #3: Selections: 5-6-3

5-Tiger of the Sea holds a distinct turf Beyer advantage over the rest of this field and has succeeded in both sprints and going a one-mile route for conditioner Brian Koriner. The 4-year-old Smiling Tiger filly followed up her last runner-up finish with a sharp three-furlong synthetic bullet drill on Nov. 1. 6-Midnight Cowgirl was a vet scratch on Oct. 24 but finished an even fifth when last seen over this grass course back on Sept. 3 and won two straight prior to that. The Tap back filly may sit a favorable stalking trip today. 3-Dorie Miller is 0-for-8 over the Del Mar lawn and usually prefers to finish underneath, but looks to have caught a live race flow this afternoon for trainer Leonard Powell and may sit back and come running late to pick up at the minimum the late pieces of the vertical exotics.

Race #4: Selections: 8-7-3

8-Penny the Jet goes turf to dirt while taking a sizable class drop for trainer Peter Miller after two non-threatening turf sprint efforts against significantly better foes. By McKinzie, she’s bred to handle the main track, and this barn is 6-for-20 (30%) with a $3.15 ROI with MDSW to MDCLM class droppers on dirt at Del Mar in the past five years. 7-Jobarb returned off a year-long hiatus on Oct. 18 on grass and did little leg lifting when finishing a non-threatening eighth of ten for trainer Bob Hess. The sophomore filly moves back to the main track, takes a big class drop, and is eligible to wake up in this spot with Ayuso, who sports a solid 5-for-16 (31%) record in maiden claiming races for this barn. 3-Cherry Candy drops again after showing some improved early speed in her most recent try on Oct. 11 before backing up and fading to fifth. The (53) Beyer looks to fit.

Race #5: Selections: 6-3-8

Blinkers off and two sprints to a route, the speedy 6-Jennys Wine Girl usually prefers to finish underneath than win but should be able to carve out reasonable splits in here with new pilot Juan Hernandez, while going first off the claim for conditioner Tim Yakteen. This barn has solid stats with new acquisitions, going 9-for-26 (35%) with a lofty $4.17 ROI the past five years. The 1-for-16 3-Rehearsal (Ire) is winless from 12 tries over the one-mile distance on grass but has racked up a half-dozen runner-up finishes. The Doug O’Neill-trained 8-Angelica Bay stretches back out this afternoon off a series of turf sprints, and some of her better grass efforts have come over this one-mile distance.

Race #6: Selections: 5-3-1

The lightly raced 5-Himari just missed by a nose for Team Baffert in last as the odds-on betting choice, when turning back in distance and should prove tough again if able to run back to that competitive (83) main track Beyer. 3-Artisma has several runner-up efforts (10-1-6-0) and competitive dirt Beyers to match those finishes and has run well here at Del Mar for trainer Richard Baltas. The 4-year-old filly returns off a seven-month layoff with a sharp worktab and looks ready to fire off the bench for Rosario. 1-Kinzlee’scharisma drops out of a pair of stakes into this softer spot, but will need to find a way with Hall of Famer Mike Smith to work out a reasonable journey from the rail, which won’t be an easy task.

Race #7: Selections: 1-4-3

Four of today’s main rivals exit from the same Oct. 11 turf mile. One is the late-closing 1-Yep (GB), who has made solid runs in all three Stateside tries for D’Amato but has battled traffic issues and been put in tight spots in crucial moments late in races. The gelding draws the rail again and is an obvious choice right back, and only needs the right set-up with clear sailing to finally break through for the overdue maiden win. 4-Go Ralph finished a much-improved second at 13-1 in the aforementioned Oct. 11 event when banged around amongst traffic and is dangerous if he can build upon that try for McCarthy. 3-Peace On Earth has yet to hit the board but adds blinkers today as a first-time gelding after showing improved early zip last time, and may try to wire this field for Smith in a race top-heavy with closers.

Race #8: Selections: 1-6-7

The 13-time winning 1-Grand Slam Smile won this race last year for trainer Sean McCarthy when using the same 6 ½-furlong turf California Distaff H. as a prep and looms as a solid repeat candidate, having recently toppled the $1 million mark in career earnings. This ultra-talented 5-year-old mare seems just as sharp as she was in 2025, and her biggest obstacle may be working out a clean run from the rail over seven furlongs. 6-Big Hug returns to Southern California off back-to-back stakes wins at Century and Century Mile in Canada, and there’s no disputing this sharp mare’s grit and consistency, having won 20 of 37 lifetime tries. She’s been overmatched when stepping up to graded stakes, but has motored through minor stakes throughout her career and would likely be the betting choice if not for the top choice entered here. 7-She’s No Quant’s last fifth-place effort in the Grade 2 Zenyatta was her only off-the-board finish in seven tries for Ed Freeman, and she’s a perfect 1-for-1 at seven panels.

Race #9: Selections: 1-6-3

1-Lanilla has fired off three consecutive seconds from off the pace for trainer Vladimir Cerin and now moves all the way inside to the rail after a series of outside draws over the past couple of months. The 4-year-old daughter of English Channel rarely misfires, as shown by her 8-1-4-2 career mark, and is set to get a favorable, ground-saving journey today with Rosario climbing back aboard. 6-Cat The Confidante (Ire) had traffic issues on multiple occasions when forced to take up and check as the beaten chalk in last, and just missed two-back when a close-up third (beaten only a neck) over this strip against a trio of this afternoon’s returning rivals. The main danger with a cleaner trip. 3-Jasmine returns to grass, where she was a solid gate-to-wire maiden winner two-back and is projected to be in front again today for Peter Eurton.