Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 5-Molto Vivace (Race #10)
Race #1: Trainer Bob Baffert has a pair of juvenile colts in today’s opener and they’re both training lights out in the a.m. for their unveiling. 3-Jackstown by Grade 1 winner Speightstwon has been working steadily since mid-June and shows a “best of 82” 5-furlong bullet in :58.2 from the gate on July 22. Jockey Juan Hernandez gets the call. His other colt 6-Massimo also has a flashy worktab and is by multiple Grade 1 winner Uncle Mo. A pair of back-to-back “best of 46” and “best of 82”5-furlong drills in July indicate he’s ready to roll at first asking. 1-Omnipresent is by Triple Crown winner Justify who is off to a fast start as a sire going (9-3-4-0) with his 2-year-old prodigy according to DRF Formulator sire stats. The colt debuts for winning connections but must negotiate the rail draw. Beaten favorite 8-Abeliefinthislivin was second on July 3 debut at Los Al and has something most of these don’t which is valuable racing experience. The colt is favorably drawn outside.
Selections: 3-6-1
Race #2: 3-Laurel River has not been seen since runaway N1X score last September where he earned a field’s best last out (96) Beyer speed figure. The 4-year-old Juddmonte-owned colt has trained extremely well for his return effort and attracts Hernandez for Team Baffert. 4-Elector through in a clunker when moved up into the Grade 2 Triple Bend back in May but was extremely sharp two and three-back when breaking his Maiden and following-up that effort with a sharp wire-to-wire victory. The gelding gets Lasix back this afternoon and could rebound for Sadler. 5-Affable has good tactical early zip and should move forward making his 2nd start off the bench today.
Selections: 3-4-5
Race #3: 10-Excess English is by multiple Grade 1 winning turf champion English Channel and debuts for top grass barn that just came off a meet record performance. This lucrative jockey/trainer combo are 6 for 18 (33%) with a positive ROI overall with grass starters. 1-Telos has some grass pedigree on the dam side and comes in here with a spirited worktab for trainer Adam Kitchingman who had a winner here opening day. 7-Castleknock has little turf pedigree but stretches out today and barn has above average numbers with the dirt to grass surface switch.
Selections: 10-1-7
Race #4: Trainer Isidro Tamayo has a pair of recent claims in here shipping in from Canterbury and Pleasanton. The barn has above average numbers with newly acquired purchases. Of the pair, we’ll lean on 1-Lady in a Hurry who is lightly raced and comes in off a decent runner-up finish. The 4-year-old filly attracts hot pilot Umberto Rispoli and moves inside. 9-V Bucks has not been out in 9 months for trainer Peter Miller and was a back-to-back beaten favorite when last seen at Santa Anita in the fall. This filly has trained decent enough for return effort. 6-Bonita Leona has shown little as of late but goes turf to dirt this afternoon and has never been offered this cheaply for conditioner Bob Hess. She could easily come to life at this drastically reduced level.
Selections: 1-9-6
Race #5: 10-Dear Beau (Ire) drops in for a tag this afternoon for new conditioner Mike Puype who has done well with new barn acquisitions. This filly retains Bravo again who is off to a fast start at the current meet and today’s cut back to a mile trip should suit her well. 7-In Your Face ran on well to grab the place spot when able to shake free late when making initial grass attempt after invading from the synthetic footing at Turfway Park. The 4-year-old filly is eligible to move forward making second start off the layoff. 6-Super Renee has speed; comes off the mini-freshening and goes 2nd off the claim for trainer Bob Hess.
Selections: 10-7-6
Race #6: This looks like a definite spread race for those participating in the Rainbow Pick Six and good spot for a potential upset. 4-Duplication is by multiple Grade 2 winner Cairo Prince who broke his Maiden at first asking and this lucrative jockey/trainer combo have had good success in Northern California. They’re a combined 13 for 28 (46%) with a $3.23 ROI in Maiden Claiming races the past 3 years. 3-Stanford Man is by win-early prolific Sire Stanford who is an impressive 10 for 41 (24%) with juvenile debut prodigy thus far. This colt has trained well for Jonathan Wong who clicks at a solid 23% in Maiden Claiming dirt sprints the past 3 years. He is, however, 0 for 5 with first time starters overall at Del Mar. 7-Candy’s Wildcat has not worked especially quickly in the a.m. but is by another win early sire Danzig Candy and trainer Clifford Sise is a strong 5 for 16 (31%) with a lofty $6.33 ROI with Maiden Claiming first time starters.
Selections: 4-3-7
Race #7: 4-Buzz of New York (Ire) returns off the 6-month freshening for trainer Phil D’Amato and this filly has run well over the Del Mar turf including a Maiden breaking score last November. In a race that’s projected to be run swiftly early on, she should be well-positioned to make her late run. The other D’Amato filly 3-Ma France (Ire) is lightly raced and made an immediate impression in the U.S. with sharp Maiden score in career start number two and appears ready to face winners on the stretch-out. 7-Jibber Jabber (Ire) owns the strongest Timeform late pace figure in this field (104) and should get a livelier pace to set-up her late kick this afternoon than she’s seen in recent starts.
Selections: 4-3-7
Race #8: 9-Funkhouser owns the experience edge over several of these and now adds blinkers today for career start number three. This filly shows a much-improved “best of 78” 4-furlong gate drill July 22 presumably with new equipment in place and she’s drawn nicely outside for trainer Doug O’Neill. Hernandez taking over adds to the appeal. Multiple Grade 1 winner Honor Code only gets 7% with his 2-year-old first time starter prodigy but 2-Home Cooking debuts for Team Baffert off some snappy a.m. drills including a “best of 124” 4-furlongs in :46 flat July 24. 3-Tea N Conversation is a $400K Keeneland purchase by Candy Ride that goes out for trainer Michael McCarthy who had debut wining filly Uncontrollable opening day. This filly has two sharp works over the local setting.
Selections: 9-2-3
Race #9: The speedy Grade 1 winning filly 3-Beyond Brilliant is 2 for 2 over the Del Mar turf course and has been nicely managed along by trainer John Shirreffs. She’s worked extremely well since sharp wire-to-wire score in the Grade 2 Whittingham. Trainer Phil D’Amato has 4 runners represented in this Grade 2 event. 11-Cathkin Peak (Ire) has finished behind top choice twice in 2021 but had a sharp winning prep for this June 18 and perhaps has matured further as a 4-year-old to close the gap. The well-traveled 5-Tango Tango Tango ships in here in top form off a career best turf Beyer (99) and rarely runs a poor race for trainer Jack Sisterson.
Selections: 3-11-5
Race #10: 5-Molto Vivace ships in from Oaklawn as a first-time gelding with a versatile running style and has been facing better claimers in recent starts. The jockey/trainer combo of Diodoro and Vazquez are 7 for 19 (53%) with a positive ROI with second off the claim runners sprinting on dirt. 2-Fenestra has good early speed and moves back to the main track where he’s been equally effective including breaking his Maiden here last November. 7-Handsome Cat puts the blinkers back on and makes 2nd start off the bench today for trainer Steve Miyadi. This 5-year-old gelding is 0 for 4 at Del Mar but should get a sharp pace to close into this afternoon.
Selections: 5-2-7
Race #11: 5-Current Mood adds blinkers; stretches out and lands in a pace-less nightcap where she might be able to control things from start to finish. She co-tops the field’s best last out grass Beyer (78). 12-Emerald Lake must negotiate todays outside draw but has shown ability in all four career starts for trainer Peter Miller and certainly has enough bottom under her to be a factor here. If Geroux can get over and save some ground, she’ll be a handful in the stretch drive. Recent Maiden winner 9-Claddagh Cure is lightly raced and on the improve for trainer Paddy Gallagher. The filly switches to hot rider.
Selections: 5-12-9
