Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Rehearsal (Ire) (Race 9)
Race #1: Selections: 3-4-5
3-Later Than Planned is a fresh import going out for the D’Amato barn, who traditionally does well with their new foreign arrivals. This juvenile colt finished second in a bulky field on debut at Curragh back on May 23 and lures Rispoli off the mini-freshening. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 6 for 20 (30%) with $2.56 ROI with overseas turf shippers the past four years. His stablemate 4-Sterling Sea finished a troubled trip fourth in a well-backed debut on July 27 and now switches to leading rider Juan Hernandez in career try number two. 5-Conducted (by Mendelssohn) goes dirt to turf in start number two off a well-beaten fifth but earned a solid main track Beyer figure in defeat and has grass breeding to suggest an improved effort is forthcoming this afternoon.
Race #2: Selections: 3-1-4
3-Explora by multiple G1 winner Blame debuts for Baffert off a spirited a.m. work pattern, which includes back-to-back bullet drills over the local footing. Hernandez lands here while jockey Drayden Van Dyke picks up the mount on second-time starter stablemate 1-Cherry Cider, who flashed good early zip in her July 19 debut before losing a tight photo to the Glatt-trained La Wally. Blinkers off today, and she looks like the main threat to the swift-working barnmate with any normal second-out progression. 4-Cosmo Friday is one of two fillies entered for the O’Neill barn and one of two with prior racing experience. This gal ships west off a fourth-place effort at Ellis on July 20 and can improve with the addition of blinkers in career try number two.
Race #3: Selections: 5-1-6
The Doug O’Neill-trained 5-Ah Jeez ships west off a fifth and last place finish when returning off an eight-month layoff at Ellis on July 13, but is eligible to move forward off that subpar performance returning to the Del Mar sod where he’s a two-time winner. The 5-year-old drops in for a career-low $50k claiming tag and has worked three times since that return effort. 1-The Rabbi stretches back out off an encouraging five-furlong prep on July 18 when finishing up with plenty of run off the year layoff for conditioner Ron Ellis. The hard-trying 1-for-12 6-Spycatcher consistently hits the board, but rarely finds the winner’s circle as evidenced by his 12-1-6-3 career mark. The 6-year-old gelding is one to use in the vertical exotics, however.
Race #4: Selections: 2-1-3
A beaten favorite in both career starts, 2-Wave With Envy drops from $50k maiden claimers to today’s $20,000 level and should prove tough to reel in for trainer Jorge Periban if he can outbreak 1-Jalisco. The Summer Front juvenile drops in for a first-time tag today, exiting a series of classier heats and figures to be hustled along from the fence for early position. 3-Rumpus in Paradise finished sixth behind Wave With Envy on debut July 27, when attracting decent tote support for conditioner Luis Mendez, and removes the blinkers today for career try number two. Improvement likely.
Race #5: Selections: 11-6-4
11-Hot Box has won three straight on both the afternoon and evening courses at Los Al for trainer Sergio Morfin and switches back to the Del Mar green this afternoon, where he’s a multiple winner. The speedy 7-year-old gelding is nicely drawn outside and looks quickest off the blocks. 6-Betterdaysrcoming (Ire) finished a flat sixth on July 18 for Sadler but is likely to bounce back off that subpar effort with today’s class relief and second try off the mini-freshening. Berrios sticks and was aboard for the sharp win two-back at Santa Anita, when he posted a flashy (94) winning grass Beyer. Blinkers off 4-Zoffarelli (Ire) backed up poorly in his first start in 10 months for trainer Peter Miller on July 20, but switches to Hernandez today and is likely to show vast improvement. The 7-year-old gelding drops in for a career-low $22,500 tag. 1-Yogi Boy has consistently run par or better for this class level, exiting a series of sharp turf sprint efforts at Santa Anita. Still, he is 0 for 4 on the Del Mar sod and loses Berrios to Betterdaysrcoming today.
Race #6: Selections: 8-7-2
The 1 for 16 8-Petite Ange goes first off the claim for Sweezey after finishing a solid runner-up at this level on July 27 behind next-out winner Tennesseehoneybee, where she posted the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (64). She gets the tepid vote in a suspect field. Recent maiden winner 7-Disposition looks well-placed for her first crack against winners after being plucked for $20k by trainer Peter Miller on June 12 at Santa Anita. This barn is a strong 7 for 20 (35%) with a $2.48 ROI with first off the claim dirt sprint starters at Del Mar the past five years. 2-Matina has been trounced in the last pair with speed and fades, but returns off a near three-month freshening for trainer Ryan Hanson, and this filly did break her maiden over this main track last November. The class drop and shortening to 5 ½ furlongs is a positive thing.
Race #7: Selections: 7-3-10
The multiple stakes winning 7-Grand Slam Smile has never been off the board in 13 career tries and will be making her third start of the form cycle today for trainer Sean McCarthy, who took over the conditioning duties for this top filly two-back. Her versatile running style gives her plenty of tactical options. Last year’s winner, 3-Moment’s Pleasure, returns off the five-month freshening for trainer Craig Lewis off a steady work tab and looks plenty fit and ready to defend her title. She’s finished first or second in four of five Del Mar grass tries and lures Hernandez off the bench. 10-Wink and a Grin is a deep closer for conditioner Carl Gaines with the best late pace figure in the field. This daughter of Smiling Tiger should benefit from a projected swift early pace and gets top turf pilot Umberto Rispoli for her first stakes try.
Race #8: Selections 6-7-3
The hard-hitting 12-time winning gelding 6-Doo Wop Don hasn’t been out in nine months since being claimed back in November by trainer Blaine Wright, but has run Beyers that are certainly quick enough to win here if he’s ready off the bench. The 7-year-old gelding has the preferred off-the-pace running style in a race that’s projected to be contested early on. 7-El Diablo Rojo returns to Southern California off a win at Lone Star on July 6 and gets the meet’s leading pilot, Juan Hernandez. Like the top choice, he has strong late pace figures in an event that’s likely to flatter the veteran gelding’s late kick. 3-Man Child ran well in his most recent try off the claim, considering he had some equipment reign issues on July 18. The 5-year-old gelding makes his second start off the Papaprodromou barn, which is a solid 5 for 15 (33%) with a $2.43 ROI, with second off the claim runners at Del Mar the past four years. The slumping 1 for 44 (at the time of this writing) Edwin Maldonado is a concern, however.
Race #9: Selections 1-5-7
1-Rehearsal (Ire) hasn’t been an easy horse to ride in all three Stateside starts for D’Amato, hampered by gate issues, slow starts, and other antics, but drops in for a first-time tag today, draws the advantageous rail, and switches to Rispoli. The 4-year-old filly makes her third start of the form cycle today. 5-Caitlin Fever is one of two MDSW to Maiden claiming class droppers entered in the Sunday nightcap for trainer Peter Miller. This 3-year-old daughter of Caracaro makes her second start off the 10-month layoff today, exiting an even fourth against better on Aug. 8. A well-beaten eighth in the last pair, 7-Storm Lady (GB) goes two sprints to a route today on the class drop for conditioner Carla Gaines and retains Berrios.
