Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Keithing Thunder (Race 3)
Race #1: Selections: 2-1-4
Baffert sends out a pair of pricey, well-bred juvenile colts in the Sunday opener. 2-Buetane is a $1.15 million colt by multiple Grade 1 winner Tiz the Law, who has worked strongly in his last pair of local main track drills. Hernandez takes the call on the juvenile with big expectations. His stablemate 1-Falcon Jet is a $750k Keeneland purchase by Triple Crown winner Justify, who has trained swiftly as well and attracts Hall of Famer Mike Smith. Of the trainer Peter Miller duo, 4-Cactus Charlie (by Independence Hall), has been training swiftly down at San Luis Rey and lures Berrios. This freshman sire is still looking for his first winner, but has five seconds from 12 starters. This barn is having an excellent meet.
Race #2: Selections: 3-2-5
The daughter of Vekoma 3-Formula Rossa has not been out since her smashing debut score back in February at Santa Anita, where she posted an eye-catching (91) Beyer for trainer Mark Glatt. The filly has trained well for today’s return to action and looks to take the next step, facing winners this afternoon. 2-So There She Was returns off an 11-month hiatus for Team O’Neill and was a well-beaten third in the seven-furlong Del Mar Debutante (G1) when last seen over this course. She adds Lasix today, switches to Hernandez, and has likely matured nicely over the past year. 5-Jensco has been plagued by layoff lines for conditioner John Shirreffs, but the 5-year-old mare has shown ability when she does make it to the racetrack, and this gal broke her maiden over this strip.
Race #3: Selections: 6-4-1
6-Keithing Thunder goes two sprints to a route today off back-to-back sharp runner-up finishes at Santa Anita and adds blinkers today for the colt’s first try around two turns. His sire Mesa Thunder, is 11-3-4-2 (27%) with dirt route runners. 4-Fix It Quick finished an even third as the co-betting choice going this one-mile trip at Los Al on June 29 and now returns as a first-time gelding for trainer Mike Puype. 1-Non Domicile also adds blinkers as a first-time gelding for a new barn, and his pedigree suggests routing on dirt should be advantageous. The sophomore makes the all-important third career start and worked a flashy three furlongs in :59.3 on July 27
Race #4: Selections: 8-4-3
The late closing 8-Gentlemen’s Club drops in for a career-low claiming tag today and co-tops the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (65). A projected swift contested early pace enhances his chances. The 1 for 20 4-Silver N Black adds blinkers back on this afternoon on the class drop for conditioner Bob Hess, and would also be a beneficiary of a live race flow, as well. 3-White Mountain exits a tough trip fourth at Los Al on June 22 when racing wide for most of the one-mile journey and then getting pushed out and impeded near the three-sixteenths pole. The gelding kept trying hard despite the incident and drops a notch today for conditioner Ryan Hanson.
Race #5: Selections: 10-5-2
10-Penny Worth showed some late interest for D’Amato when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on debut June 15. This barn typically performs better with their second-time starters, and this filly gets a key jockey change to leading rider Juan Hernandez. The lone 4-year-old 5-Naturally Blonde is the most experienced filly in this turf sprint, with eight career starts, and finished a decent third when splitting horses late in the aforementioned June 15 event. 2-Honey Jo goes dirt to turf with the addition of Lasix in start number two for conditioner Peter Eurton off a non-threatening sixth in her June 12 debut try. This filly is likely to move forward today, for a barn that’s 8 for 24 (33%) with a $4.28 ROI with grass sprint starters at Del Mar the past two years.
Race #6: Selections: 10-6-11
10-Rocksalot showed improved speed in start number two at Los Al on June 28 and now makes the all-important third career try for trainer Jeff Mullins. This 4-year-old gelding by Sir Prancealot draws a cozy outside post this afternoon and may prove tough to reel in late. Recent claim 6-Going Viral finished a game second when moved back to dirt off the mini-freshening on June 20 at Los Al and now makes his first start for trainer Marcia Stortz as a first-time gelding. The 3-year-old sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (53). 11-Fine Tuned ships in for a top claiming outfit off the $10k July 13 acquisition at Lone Star and has hit the board in four of seven career tries.
Race #7: Selections: 6-3-4
6-The Padre (Ire) was a fast-closing second when sandwiched between two of today’s returning rivals when making his first stateside start for D’Amato. The 3-year-old colt by multiple G1 winner Ghayyath has now shown solid ability in both career tries and should only move forward off that encouraging effort while continuing to train well over the local sod. The multiple stakes winning 3-Freedom’s Not Free has found his best stride since moving to turf to start his 2025 campaign and has not finished off the board since moving to grass for conditioner Mark Glatt. The son of Omaha Beach figures for another favorable upfront pressing trip. 4-Artislas ran on well for fourth (beaten less than a length) in the Oceanside off the two-month freshening for Mullins and worked well over the local grass course since that try on July 27. Hernandez sticks.
Race #8: Selections 7-6-1
Kentucky invader 7-Night Time exits a sharp score at Ellis against $16,000 claimers on July 5, when posting a field’s best last-out (86) Beyer. The veteran 8-year-old should prove tough to overhaul at short odds if able to replicate that performance for trainer Peter Miller. 6-Halo Rando is a consistent, hard-hitting gelding from the Dean Pederson barn that sports a (5-3-6) record from 17 tries. He was a beaten favorite wide trip fifth on July 5 at Los Al but can rebound this afternoon, making his first start over the local footing. 1-In Suspense moves to the Del Mar main track off a series of solid 1,000-yard tries under the Los Al lights. The 4-year-old gelding figures to be hustled along from the fence and looks well-spotted at today’s $10k claiming level.
Race #9: Selections 5-7-1
5-Sexy Blue was a wide trip fifth at Los Al when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on June 29 and was a sharp runner-up against similar two-back. A recent three-furlong blowout bullet drill on July 16 indicates she is razor sharp for conditioner Angel Vega. 7-Trainer Peter Miller’s firster, Dialing Destiny, is by Texas Ryano, who is 3 for 20 (15%) with 3-year-old and up debuting prodigy. This filly debuts with Lasix off a solid work tab and is likely to come out running. 1-Tropical Rain Day is an 11-start maiden that just missed by a nose when facing this $50k maiden claiming level off the three-month layoff. Blinkers on 13-Calm Down Kittie is stuck on the AE’s, but makes a ton of sense off back-to-back sharp ITM dirt sprint finishes if she happens to draw in.
Race #10: Selections 7-6-3
Reddam Racing’s 7-Jasmina was an impressive maiden winner when switching to the main track in start number two for trainer Simon Callaghan on June 28, and worked sharply on July 27 in preparation for this. 6-Liberation was a sharp debut winner for Sadler back on May 24, and this daughter of Omaha Beach has trained steadily since that encouraging bow. 3-Tapatia Mia (by Stay Thirsty) scampered away to a debut win as well for Knapp on May 2, and recent works, including a three-furlong bullet blowout in :35 flat, indicate she’s on her toes and ready for today’s stake engagement.
Race #11: Selections 4-1-8
4-Mo Holland Drive moves back to the turf for trainer Peter Miller and has plenty of grass pedigree to suggest he still has a chance to improve in career try number three. He’s by Mo Forza, who was a multiple graded stakes winner on turf, and Hernandez sticks. The colt shows a snappy “best of 180” bullet main track drill in sub :47 on July 20. 1-Oracle of Paradise is by multiple Grade 1 winner Goldencents and has trained sharply for conditioner Brian Koriner. The 2-year-old colt shows a “best of 112” bullet four-furlong drill in :46.2 on July 26. 8-Love the Pressure goes dirt to turf on the stretch-out off an improving Beyer pattern for conditioner Michael McCarthy and has plenty of turf pedigree on the dam side to indicate she’ll take to the new footing successfully.
