Del Mar (Sunday-8/4/24) By Dean Keppler

Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 5-Hope Road (Race 8)

 Race #1: Selections: 2-8-4

Turf to dirt 2-Antibes drops from $50k to $20,000 Maiden Claimers off the recent May 24 purchase and adds blinkers this afternoon for his initial main track start. The 4-year-old gelding by Smiling Tiger has shown enough talent on the grass to merit strong consideration at this reduced bottom-level dirt opener. Gulfstream invader and class dropping 8-Jona’s Dream has plenty of speed to clear this field early and will be tough to reel in if able to carve out reasonable fractions. She won a Maiden Special Weight event three back but was DQ’d. A 6-5 beaten favorite in last at this level, 4-Luther Pass shortens up to seven furlongs today and figures to get another favorable up-front pressing trip. His Beyer figures are going in the wrong direction, however.

Race #2: Selections 5-3-6

Baffert’s pricey $1.25 million Into Mischief filly 5-Miss Rockette has been freshened since her Maiden score on May 18 and has already proven she can successfully handle today’s one-mile trip. She may not have beaten much in the last, but her recent a.m. drills have been fast. 3-Wine On Tap (a lightly raced $600K purchase by Tapit) hasn’t been out in nine months for trainer Richard Mandella but is stakes-placed and has trained very well for today’s return to action. She adds Lasix this afternoon. 6-Bolt d’Vine was a smashing 7 ½-length Maiden winner on May 18 with a strong (85) Beyer. She steps up in class today and makes her initial try around two turns.

Race #3: Selections: 5-2-6

5-Lady Monclaire adds blinkers while returning off a six-month freshening for conditioner Richard Baltas and has been competitive in her last two turf starts at this MDSW level. This barn has solid stats with their layoff runners, and her sire, Sir Prancealot (Ire), gets 22% overall with grass sprint prodigy. 2-Perkins moves back to turf in her second start off the extended break for trainer Andy Mathis. This filly was a runner-up going this five-furlong trip over this course last August. 6-Jane Kendeigh has hit the board in all five career grass efforts to date for D’Amato and will be closing late.

Race #4: Selections: 6-2-1

6-Sunrise Journey exits a sharp July 7 win at Los Al, where he co-topped the field’s best last-out Beyer (79). This veteran 9-year-old gelding is a 17-time winner and has hit the board in all three career tries at Del Mar. 2-Rivoli ships in with some competitive figures at Belterra and should match up well here for his Southern California unveiling. 1-C’Mon Man drops to a career-low off the $16K May 27 claim for trainer Steve Knapp, which is somewhat of a concern. Nonetheless, he’s proven over this course, and his best races put him right in the hunt with this suspect and inconsistent group.

Race #5: Selections: 6-1-4

6-Stay Hot returns off the mini-freshening for trainer Peter Eurton and won the Grade 3 Cecil B. Demille over this course last December. He’s worked well for today’s engagement, and Fresu sticks here. 1-Final Boss has won two straight in gate-to-wire fashion since moving to two turns for conditioner John Sadler. The son of American Pharoah draws the cozy rail today and should get another favorable up-close pressing trip. 4-King of Gosford (GB) had a horrendous trip in the Oceanside Stakes on opening day when stuck behind heavy traffic in multiple spots. The 3-year-old colt won three straight prior to that last effort for D’Amato and is likely to bounce back here. One concern, however, is that he’s unproven around two turns and has a top-heavy sprint pedigree. He might get overbet.

Race #6: Selections: 4-11-5

4-Jarama returns off an 8-month layoff for conditioner Tim Yakteen while dropping in for a first-time tag. This 3-year-old gelding by Danzing Candy adds Lasix off a spirited work tab and should come back running for an excellent layoff barn. 11-Golden River was a beaten favorite third at this level on July 5 and now shortens up to five furlongs. 5-Keep It Coming has run back-to-back subpar efforts after an encouraging runner-up MDSW turf debut. This gelding should appreciate today’s class plunge.

Race #7: Selections: 9-3-2

9-Double Jab broke his Maiden off a similar layoff over this grass course last August for trainer Andy Mathis. The gelding is reunited with the winning pilot and has trained steadily for today’s return. 3-Lemon Sushi was runner-up at this level on June 15 and sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (82). He projects to get another favorable up-close pressing journey. Class dropping 2-Irish Royalty returns as a first-time gelding for trainer Mark Glatt and makes his second start off the year layoff. This son of Grazen exits a career-best turf Beyer and is eligible to move forward in his second start off the bench.

Race #8: Selections: 5-1-9

5-Hope Road returned off a nine-month layoff for Team Baffert with a smashing 5 ½-length Maiden win on June 15 over a bulky field, including recent Friday Maiden winner Normandy Queen and Saturday victor One Magic Philly. This daughter of Quality Road earned the field’s best last-out Beyer (84) and looks extremely tough on the class rise. The lightly raced 4-year-old daughter of Empire Maker 1-Report returns off a nine-month freshening for trainer Richard Mandella and has shown talent in both starts at Santa Anita. The filly adds Lasix today, has trained well for today’s return to action, and is likely to be hustled along from the rail. The multiple stakes-placed 9-Scary Fast Ride should get a live race flow to close into and will likely be the beneficiary of a pace meltdown.

Race #9: Selections: 9-3-1

A winner of two of his last three starts, 9-Logon to Win is reunited with winning pilot Hector Berrios this afternoon and registered a game score two-back against similar. 3-Irish Corn has never tried grass but has a ton of early zip and is proven over the synthetic footing at Golden Gate. The 4-year-old gelding has trained well since his last runner-up finish back on June 1, and that race has since produced a pair of next-out winners. 1-Moon Ice exits a troubled trip beaten favorite third on June 15, and now shortens up to five furlongs today for conditioner Richard Baltas. Berrios lands on our top choice, which may be a telling sign.

Race #10: Selections: 5-3-6

The $100K CTBA Stakes for juvenile filly Cal-breds is a mad scramble and tough to handicap. Any of the eight entrants is capable of stepping up this afternoon with a huge effort and improve substantially. 5-Broadway Venus was a sharp debut winner back on May 3 and has trained steadily since that Maiden score. This daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Dads Caps should have little trouble stretching out an additional furlong. 3-Lil’ Bit Bossy finished behind Broadway Venus in her debut and then came back to win her Maiden in start number two. A logical threat right back as she continues to improve. 6-Thirsty in Vegas improved her Beyer number by 15 points with a sharp five-length Maiden win in start number two for trainer Steve Knapp who also sends out debut winner 8-In the Air Tonight. Two horses have come out of that June 15 race to win back.

Race #11: Selections:  2-3-8

2-Margot’s Boy has not been seen since the impressive $25k claiming turf route win six months ago for conditioner Mark Glatt, who has excellent stats with the barn’s layoff runners. The 7-year-old gelding loves this one-mile trip and the (90) grass Beyer earned Jan. 1 is above par for this class level. He’ll be tough to beat if able to run back to that solid figure. 3-Spirit Maker had a nice prep for this with his fifth-place finish at Horseshoe Indianapolis back on June 13 and now returns to Southern California for a lucrative veteran jockey-trainer combo. That last race at Indy produced a pair of next-out winners, and this gelding has run well over this turf course. 8-Lil Richards Bello returns from a four-month freshening on the stretch-out for trainer Peter Eurton and slashes his claiming tag in half. The 7-year-old gelding finished a non-threatening fourth when last seen back on March 24 but should fit well here. This jockey-trainer combo is 5 for 15 (33%) with a $4.63 ROI overall with turf route runners at Del Mar.