Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Epione (Race 8)
Race #1: Selections: 7-1-4
7-Money Makes Money has hit the board in all three turf sprint tries to date for trainer Mark Glatt and should be much tighter this afternoon, making his second start off the nine-month break. 1-Final Edition (Ire) was a troubled trip beaten favorite behind the top choice in last when making his first start in Southern California and is eligible to run much better today with a cleaner trip. 4-Just Before Dawn was a significant disappointment in his Oct. 13 debut when backing up badly as the 4-5 chalk for Baffert and now switches to turf in career start number two. This isn’t a productive move for this top barn, so this colt might be worth swinging against at a likely underlay.
Race #2: Selections: 1-6-4
1-Dr. Ray D. goes first off the claim for conditioner Steve Knapp, exiting a solid runner-up finish on Sept. 27. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 6 for 21 (29%) with a $4.17 ROI the past four years with main track new acquisitions. This 3-year-old filly should be rallying strongly through the lane. Class-dropping 6-Dial A Friend has good early speed and moves back to the dirt, where he won his first two starts by a combined 12 ¾ lengths for Miller. She’ll be tough on the lead if left unpressured. 4-Filthy Fast is quick and exits a pair of sharp tries at 1,000 yards. She’ll likely keep Dial A Friend company on the front end.
Race #3: Selections 9-4-6
9-Ragtime Rose is the upset selection in a wide-open optional $40k 1X Claiming five-furlong dash. She makes the third start of the form cycle this afternoon for Berrios and Mullins and didn’t have the best of trips in her last pair. 4-Party On Girl (Ire) is a logical contender exiting back-to-back sharp turf sprint tries for D’Amato and just missed over this course and today’s five-furlong trip two-back. 6-Queen Maxima sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (84), off her runner-up finish in the Unzip Me Stakes at Santa Anita on Sept. 28. This filly broke her Maiden at DMR in her debut from off-the-pace in impressive fashion this past August.
Race #4: Selections: 2-6-4
2-Got’m Cot’m looks tough to overhaul at short odds with the addition of blinkers this afternoon for trainer Val Brinkerhoff. The juvenile colt drops back down to face Maiden Special Weight types today after breaking slowly from the rail in the Golden State Juvenile Stakes on Nov. 1. He just missed two-back when second to that stake’s winner Speedy Wilson. 6-Letmein finished a solid second in his Nov. 3 unveiling for Glatt and should move forward in career start number two. This barn is 5 for 21 (24%) with a $3.53 ROI the past four years with second-time dirt sprint starters at Del Mar. 4-The Gypsy Cowboy is back with Maidens after three consecutive stake tries.
Race #5: Selections: 2-6-9
The veteran 9-year-old gelding 2-Exultation continues to try hard despite his ripe age for trainer Peter Eurton and has won six of his last nine starts. He’s 2 for 2 over the Del Mar grass course and is reunited with winning Pilot Juan Hernandez this afternoon. He was too far back when closing to finish a close-up fourth at this level in his most recent start, but he figures to get a better stalking journey today just off the front-runners. 6-Great King (Fr) drops a notch in class and makes his second start off the bench for conditioner Simon Callaghan. He’s run above Beyer par for this level on multiple occasions. 9-Low Expectations looked home free at 12-1 when nailed late on Oct. 20 when flashing good speed and finishing in front of several of these. A similar effort gives this gelding a strong chance despite another outside draw.
Race #6: Selections: 2-5-1
Blinkers on 2-No Bad Beats is a logical threat in start number two for Team O’Neill off her strong runner-up debut finish on Nov. 8 when well-backed by bettors. The daughter of American Pharoah, 5-American Blessing, was no match for her runaway Maiden-winning stablemate Cipriani on Oct. 27 when finishing a well-beaten second but looks tough in start number two. She switches to Hernandez this afternoon, and this jockey-trainer duo is 8 for 19 (42%) with second-time DMR sprint starters. 1-Surf Song is by Maclean’s Music, who was retired after a fractured split bone injury after only one winning debut start and a (114) Beyer. This filly has looked promising in her morning drills but the barn is only 1 for 53 the past four years with firsters.
Race #7: Selections: 2-6-5
Grade 1 placed 2-Forever After All ships west for trainer Brendan Walsh off a recent close-up near-miss second in the G3 Dowager at Keeneland on Oct. 20. This 5-year-old mare likes to finish second as evidenced by her overall record (19-2-8-2). Still, she looks simply faster than this marathon turf fillies and mares group. 6-Marksman Queen (GB) has good positional speed and ships in for Motion off a sharp N2X allowance try at Keeneland. 5-Mrs. Astor finished behind Forever After All in the aforementioned Dowager, but makes her third start of the form cycle today off an improving Beyer pattern for conditioner Jonathan Thomas. Her local bullet 4-furlong grass drill with the dogs up on Nov. 17 was very sharp.
Race #8: Selections: 6-3-1
6-Epione goes two sprints to a mile today for trainer Tim Yakteen. This 3-year-old filly is by Mr. Big, who gets a solid 16% with his main track route prodigy, and this gal was a 5-length Maiden winner over this strip two-back. 3-Stop Digging exits back-to-back seconds at this level with competitive Beyers. 1-Love Our Family has good speed from the rail and finished third behind Stop Digging at this same level on Oct. 20.
Race #9: Selections: 4-2-9
4-McGregor Lake hasn’t run awful the last several starts and now goes first off the claim for Team O’Neill. Jockey Edwin Maldonado climbs aboard and is 4 for 9 (44%) with a $4.20 ROI for the past two years with this barn’s new acquisitions. The gelding has the right off-the-pace running style that’s had good success this fall meet. The 1 for 14 2-Baldoro moves inside this afternoon and exits back-to-back runner-up finishes routing on turf with solid Beyer figures. 9-Rastaman Vibe finished a game close-up third behind Baldoro in his most recent try but has been stuck at this level since breaking his Maiden over this course last December.
