Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 5-Worth Looking (Race 2)
Race #1: 3-Eltonsingsanother is by multiple grade 1 winner I’ll Have Another and comes in here with an encouraging work tab for Glatt and Pratt who have had good success with debut runners from limited opportunities. 1-Scary Fast Ride hasn’t been out in nearly a year for trainer Michael McCarthy but has trained sharply for today’s return try, and there’s no panicky class plunge off this long layoff. The filly goes turf to dirt, adds blinkers and gets in light. Turf to dirt 7-Bold Choice makes career start number 17 but has run some competitive races for this level and can land a part of this again with one of her better efforts.
Selections: 3-1-7
Race #2: 5-Worth Looking goes first off the claim for trainer Mark Glatt coming off a solid second-place finish at Los Al June 25. This lucrative jockey/trainer combo are a strong 3 for 4 (75%) with a $6.65 ROI with new barn acquisitions at Del Mar. 7-President Z just missed by a nose when returning off a 10-month layoff and now makes first start for conditioner Dan Blacker–after the $20k claim July 23. This 3-year-old gelding is nicely drawn outside and owns the field’s best last-out main track Beyer. 3-Stay in the Gane drops in class and has run reasonably well over this racetrack.
Selections: 5-7-3
Race #3: Baffert’s filly 3-Elegant is by multiple grade 1 winner Omaha Beach who is a strong 5 for 18 (27%) thus far with his juvenile debuting prodigy. She comes in this afternoon with snappy a.m. drills and Pratt takes the call. This jockey-trainer combo is 5 for 8 (63%) with FTS’s at DMR. 2-Feisty Mitole owns the experience edge over most of these fillies off encouraging game debut try July 22 when coming up only a half-length short while finishing fourth and earning a (72) Beyer. This filly sheds the blinkers today and this barn has excellent stats with blinkers off second-time starters. 8-Outspoken is a $300k Keeneland purchase firster by Violence who is 20% with his juvenile debuting offspring
Selections: 3-2-8
Race #4: 4-Muth was a smashing 8 3/4-length debut winner at Los Al June 18 when geared down late, earning a field’s best (90) Beyer. This $2 million Baffert-trained purchase takes the next logical step against stake competition, bringing many high hopes and expectations as a potential future superstar. His stablemate 5-Prince of Monaco is a $950k purchase by Speightstown who was just as impressive in his July 9 debut effort when drawing clear late in solid score. It isn’t easy to separate these two talented colts. Stakes-winning 2–Tranche was much the best in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity June 17. The logical next choice if the Baffert pair don’t fire.
Selections: 4-5-2
Race #5: 9-Dr. No No ran a bang-up 3rd on July 22 when attracting solid tote support for trainer Brian Koriner. The colt was off a step slow and raced wide for most of the 5-furlong trip while beaten only a length at the finish. This barn clicks around 25% with their second-time starters. 6-Last Call Paul is a logical threat off runner-up finish July 29 and should appreciate the additional furlong. 2-Chromeflash finished a better-than-looks 5th in a troubled debut try July 22 and can improve here by adding blinkers.
Selections: 9-6-2
Race #6: 2-Lure Him In takes a substantial class drop for winning connections and should get a live race flow to set up his closing kick cutting back to a mile this afternoon. The same scenario should play out favorably for 3-Don’t Swear Dave for Team O’Neill. This gelding drops to a career-low claiming tag and should be running on late. 9-Exultation has won two straight for trainer Peter Eurton with an improving Beyer pattern and ran well in lone start over the DMR grass course when finishing 2nd (placed 1st) via DQ.
Selections: 2-3-9
Race #7: 4-Devil Be Me has won two straight for D’Amato since returning off an extended layoff. The gelding should have no issues stretching out to a mile. 5-Stamp My Passport has won back-to-back efforts on turf and now switches back to grass for trainer Leonard Powell. This gelding should also have little trouble with the surface switch since improving immensely this 4-year-old season. The Maiden 8-Cowboy Mike has good tactical early foot to get a decent position from the outside draw and comes off a sharp second-place effort July 23–when falling just a nose short going this mile trip.
Selections: 4-5-8
Race #8: 5-X J Rascal (Ire) ran very well in his first stateside start off a 9-month layoff for trainer Kristin Mulhall when rallying for the place spot. This gelding cuts back to his preferred mile trip and should be tough to beat with an expected move forward. He’s finished first or second in six of eight career starts. A beaten favorite in the last pair 8-Smart Code makes his third start of the form cycle off two decent efforts and has worked sharply over the local sod since his last third-place finish July 23. Pratt takes over this afternoon and traditionally rides well for this barn. 3-Almost Snow was a game gate-to-wire winner at Pleasanton July 4, defeating next-out winner Slew’s Joy. His sire Frosted only gets 3% turf route runners, but this gelding’s dam side suggests he’ll perhaps take favorably to grass.
Selections: 5-8-3
Race #9: 1-C Her Beauty was a troubled trip 5th June 16, a race that’s since produced three next-out winners. This filly adds blinkers today, drops in for a first-time tag and makes the all-important 3rd career start for trainer Dean Pederson who had a pair of wins last weekend. Upset chance. 4-Hey Barmaid ships in for regular Northern California conditioner Blaine Wright off back-to-back second-place finishes to start her career and this barn clicks at a solid 30% with MDSW to MDCLM dropdowns. Hernadez sees fit to take the riding assignment. 9-I’m a Risque Girl was overmatched in a small stake at Pleasanton July 2 but drops in for a first-time tag today and has worked well over the track the last few weeks.
Selections: 1-4-9
Race #10: A projected swift early pace by TimeformUS in the Sunday nightcap should bode well for 5-National Road who has yet to be seen in 11 months since a runner-up finish over this racetrack last September. This barn does well with these layoff types, however, and the gelding has trained forwardly for today’s return effort with Prat taking the call. Turf to dirt 1-Goldeneye has speed and the rail and can hold on for a piece of this with an aggressive gate pilot. 9-Tallis comes off the mini-freshening for winning veteran connections and should close late.
Selections: 5-1-9
I read your comments daily but I just bet for entertainment mostly win pick 3,s when I see you guys picking favorites i bypass them, what does catch my eye because I cant afford the form your comments on Lure Him In & C Her Beauty I will be betting the both today F Y I I am checking the boxes below if there will be any charge i am not interested thank you
Mel V