Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 8-Rank (Race 6)
Race #1: Selections: 1-7-2
1-With Love (GB) hasn’t been seen since being claimed for $50,000 by trainer John Sadler back in January but has trained steadily for today’s return to action for an excellent layoff barn. She’s never tried this short of distance but should be motoring home late on a closer-friendly grass course. 7-Activated is the unknown, making her first stateside start for conditioner Bob Hess off a long layoff. She adds Lasix and attracts top turf pilot Umberto Rispoli. 2-Avoir makes her second start off the bench for Miller and has run well over this turf course in the past. Improvement is likely.
Race #2: Selections: 2-4-5
The lightly raced 2-Splendora (by G1 winner Audible) was an impressive 5 ¾-length Maiden winner in start number two for Team Baffert going this 6 ½-furlong trip and looks like a solid repeat candidate on the class rise. The obvious knock is the short price. The ultra-consistent 4-Nokie has run second in five consecutive races for conditioner Vladimir Cerin and has a good chance of being a bridesmaid again this afternoon. 5-Uffda returned to her winning ways on the turnback and surface change on Oct. 25 and projects to get another favorable stalking trip.
Race #3: Selections 1-3-2
1-Escape Artist shortens back to a mile this afternoon after grinding away a nose victory on Oct. 12 while earning the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (91). The 4-year-old gelding drew the inside again and fired a “best of 68” bullet drill over the main track in :46.3 on Nov. 9, indicating he remains razor sharp for trainer Michael McCarthy. 3-Sarwar (Fr) is a multiple winner over this track and distance. He drops out of the Lure Stakes into this softer spot this afternoon and was an 8-1 upset winner at this level two-back. 2-Castle Leoch goes second off the claim for Glatt on the stretch-out and finished a good third over this course two-back behind next-out winning gelding Big Hat Willie.
Race #4: Selections: 7-2-10
This $50k Maiden Claiming sprint for juvenile fillies might be a good spot to try a new shooter. 7-My Lovely Lydia is by G1 winner Mendelssohn, who gets an average of 13% with his juvenile debuting prodigy. The 2-year-old filly has trained well enough for conditioner Tim Yakteen, and this jockey-trainer combo is 3 for 9 with a $5.91 ROI with dirt sprint first-time starters the past year. They scored with 10-1 longshot Practical Dream back on Sept. 8. Blinkers on 2-Cloudy Rose goes turf to dirt and drops in for a first-time tag today for conditioner Victor Garcia. Her first pair of main track starts make her competitive in this softer spot, and jockey Juan Hernandez takes over the saddle. Class dropping 10-Grazen Gator shortens up today and switches to the main track for Team Miller. Her sire Grazen gets a solid 21% with his dirt sprint starters, so she could appreciate landing on that surface this afternoon. This filly should be motoring home late.
Race #5: Selections: 5-7-6
5-Going Viral is a $400K OBS spring purchase by top sire Into Mischief, debuting for the Mandella barn off a solid work tab. He attracts red-hot pilot Kimura and appears well-meant at first-asking. 7-Dettori (by Munnings) debuts for trainer Bob Baffert on grass. It’s no secret that this barn sends out several well-meant and well-bred juveniles. However, Baffert is only been 1 for 24 in the past five years with turf debut runners. Ninetheless, this colt brings solid main track drills into today’s five-furlong turf sprint dash and lures Hernandez. The Ryan Hanson-trained 6-Fomo Joe is by G1 winner Instilled Regard and has some strong a.m. drills at Santa Anita. He’ll likely fall through the wagering cracks and offer good value in this big field.
Race #6: Selections: 8-7-3
8-Rank rallied sharply for the place spot on Oct. 14 despite a wide trip for Team O’Neill and is the pick right back today off the four-week turnaround. The son of Honor A. P. has fired back-to-back bullet drills since that last encouraging effort. He’ll be Sunday’s Best Bet of the day. 7-Mellencamp is a pricey $775K son of multiple G1 winner Constitution, making career start number two for trainer Bob Baffert. He flashed good early zip in his debut and gamely held on for the place spot. He’s another colt successfully bred for the dirt route and will surely attract solid tote support. The $825K son of Curlin 3-Journalism finished third in a short field in his Oct. 27 unveiling behind Mellencamp and should appreciate today’s stretch-out to two turns as well.
Race #7: Selections: 4-5-1
An abundance of early speed in this N2X $100k optional claiming turf route should set things up nicely for stone-closer 4-Old Pal. He shortens up to a mile today off an improving Beyer pattern and just missed on Oct. 12. 5-Packs a Wahlop drops out of the G2 City of Hope Mile, where he finished last and was overmatched. This 4-year-old gelding ran well at this level over this course two and three-back and can bounce back today for trainer Jeff Mullins. 1-El Potente has good speed from the rail and exits a close-up third-place finish in the Oct. 19 Lure Stakes at Santa Anita. The 5-year-old is 4 for 11 lifetime and sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer.
Race #8: Selections: 4-3-5
The Bob Baffert-trained Maiden 4-Madaket Road debuts in the Grade 3 Bob Hope Stakes off an impressive morning work tab. The $650k purchase by multiple G1 winner Quality Road is ambitiously placed but appears to have a ton of talent. His stablemate is 3-Kalea Bay. He’s a $700k Keeneland purchase by Authentic, who has improved with each subsequent start and blasted Maidens by 8 ½ lengths on Sept. 28 over at Santa Anita. 5-Bullard comes off a sharp score on Sept. 1 over this main track. He’s a $675k son of Gun Runner and has trained exceptionally well since his winning debut for conditioner Michael McCarthy.
Race #9: Selections: 8-7-1
8-Rashmi shipped in for trainer Jonathan Thomas and easily disposed of his Southern California rivals with a sharp 4 ¼-length win over softer 9 days ago. He’s wheeled back quickly but looked visually impressive in that last win and can easily take two straight. Blinkers off 7-Katerini returns off a nine-month layoff for new trainer Peter Miller, and she likes this one-mile distance and grass course. Her turf Beyer numbers match up well here, and she should get a favorable stalking trip. 1-Beauty N the Bolt steps up substantially off a runaway win against $14k claimers on Oct. 18 for trainer John Sadler. The 3-year-old filly switches to turf but has the pedigree to suggest she’ll successfully handle it.
