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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 2-Arisaka (Race 2)

Race #1: Selections: 5-2-3

It took 17 starts for 5-Petite Ange to break through the maiden ranks, and she’s followed up that winning effort with back-to-back runner-up tries at today’s $10k claiming level. Claimed out of the last pair, the 4-year-old filly makes her first start for conditioner Edwin Alvarez today, sporting the field’s best last-out main track Beyer. Route to sprint 2-Blue Fashion showed good early zip before tiring to third (beaten six lengths) against similar on Aug. 14 and is a logical threat right back for Mendez off the claim and turnback. Beaten favorite 3-Eltonsinganother continues to plummet in class after surrendering the lead in his last several tries. The 5-year-old mare has never been offered this cheaply.

Race #2: Selections: 2-10-8

2-Arisaka broke a step slow in his well-backed Aug. 16 debut but ran on willingly while wide in what can be considered a solid unveiling. The Peter Eurton barn has solid stats with their second-time starters, and this son of Jimmy Creed has come back to fire some blistering drills, including a three-furlong blowout bullet in an eye-catching :33.2 on Aug. 31. It’s hard to recall a faster published work. 10-Ocean Bear rallied for the place spot on debut behind the top pick in the aforementioned Aug. 16 event. The Bolt d’Oro juvenile is a threat with any normal second-out progression. His stablemate, 8-Tamarando Beach, is by Tamarando, who gets an ordinary 10% with his juvenile firsters. However, the 2-year-old gelding has worked strongly in his a.m. drills, including a “best of 58” four-furlong bullet in :47.1 on Aug. 25. This barn is also a solid 7 for 32 (22%) with dirt sprint firsters.

Race #3: Selections: 3-4-1

3-Rastaman Vibe parlayed a perfect ground-saving journey into a solid score on July 20 (with a competitive 88 Beyer) for trainer Peter Eurton, and looms a potential repeat candidate with Hernandez staying aboard. 4-Dicey Mo Chara (GB) rarely wins but is a Grade 2 victor for trainer Leonard Powell. He comes off a decent third (beaten less than a length) when finishing in a dead heat for the show spot on Aug. 2 at today’s 1 3/8-mile trip. The veteran 7-year-old gelding drops in for the $50k tag today and must be heavily respected at this reduced level. 1-Reiquist wasn’t very competitive in his last pair but takes a sizable class drop today, makes his third start off the form cycle, and is a multiple winner over this turf course.

Race #4: Selections: 2-5-3

Trainer Bob Baffert has won today’s Del Mar Futurity (G1) a record 18 times and has a quartet of talented, well-bred juveniles represented again for the 2025 edition. 2-Brant (a pricey $3 million purchase by Gun Runner) ran to his lofty price tag in a dominating 5 ¼-length maiden romp on July 26, earning an eye-catching (101) Beyer. The talented colt has worked four times since that explosive victory and looms a likely short-priced repeat winner stretching out to seven furlongs. His stablemate, 5-Desert Gate, is where jockey Juan Hernandez lands when having his choice of several of the barn’s top juveniles. This Omaha Beach colt won both starts by a combined 11 lengths, including taking the Grade 3 Best Pal on Aug. 9. 3-Balboa (by Not This Time), put it all together in career try number two, blasting away by 7 ¾ lengths. Like most of these 2-year-olds, he has the potential to keep improving.

Race #5: Selections: 7-9-5

7-Ventry Strand (by Bolt d’Oro-16% with his debut starters) has trained steadily for the Sadler barn, and this jockey-trainer combo is 3 for 7 (43%) with a $3.89 ROI the past two years when teamed up on turf debut runners. The colt draws a good post for today’s unveiling. 9-Mo Holland Drive lost all realistic chance with a bad start when stretching out for the first time on Aug. 3, but has since returned with a solid five-furlong gate drill in :59 flat on Aug. 23. 5-Violets Song debuts for Team Miller off a steady and solid work tab and lures Hernandez. The 2-year-old filly is by Violence, who gets a strong 19% with his debut runners and 13% with grass sprinters. However, this barn has a disappointing 2 for 62 (3%) record with grass firsters the past five years.

Race #6: Selections: 3-1-8

The Baffert-trained 3-Cherokee Nation is a $1.15 million Keeneland purchase by Not This Time, who gets a strong 18% with his first-time starters. This colt has been training lights-out over at Los Al, lures Hernandez, and figures to come out running. His stablemate is 1-Boyd, another $1 million purchase by top sire Violence (19% with debut prodigy), who has also trained smartly and gets jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the stirrups. The pricey well-bred colt must negotiate today’s tricky rail draw, however. The third and final Baffert juvenile is 8-Rhodes, a son of Uncle Mo who has also shown solid run in his spirited a.m. drills.

Race #7: Selections: 9-2-6

The fast-closing 9-Uncle Dude rallied strongly to just miss going this five-furlong trip on Aug. 9 when returning off a nine-month layoff for D’Amato. The sophomore colt by Volatile should get another fast pace to help utilize his giant late kick. Prat takes over for Fresu this afternoon. His stablemate is the recent maiden winner 2-Arrakis, who scampered away to a solid 2 ¼-length victory on July 19 and now makes his third start off the bench. The gelding has come back to work sharply since that last maiden score. The speedy 6-Golden Ale exits back-to-back sharp five-furlong tries, where he earned top grass Beyers of 91 and 94. The six-time winner is likely to have other speed-types to deal with this afternoon, however.

Race #8: Selections 10-5-6

Blinkers on and first-time gelding 10-Cheever through in a clunker in start number three when trying two turns for the first time, but now shortens back up to a sprint today for trainer Mark Glatt and is an excellent rebound candidate. The gelding’s two main track sprint starts produced solid Beyer figures for this level. 5-Modus Bestia is the most experienced runner in the field with five career tries and exits a solid third on July 18 when flashing good early zip through some taxing splits. The Baltas colt switches to Prat for his second start off the mini-freshening. Of the Sadler-trained pair, 6-Kokosan has prior racing experience, returning off a seven-month freshening and a spirited work tab. The Unified colt ran well enough in his main track debut unveiling and gets back to that surface today for an excellent layoff barn. Jockey Hector Berrios takes over the riding assignment.

Race #9: Selections 4-13-5

The Maiden 4-Plutarch rallied sharply to grab the runner-up spot in an encouraging Aug. 23 main track debut try for Baffert, and has enough turf pedigree to suggest that he’ll successfully handle today’s surface switch. The son of Into Mischief removes the shades today, has trained well since that solid unveiling, and should get a live race flow to close into. French import 13-Caro Buono makes his first U.S. start for conditioner Leonard Powell off a limited local work tab but lures Prat off the three-month mini-freshening and likely has more ability than he showed overseas. This juvenile is by G1 winner Zelzal. The Sadler-trained 5-Hey Nay Nay (Ire) won both turf sprint starts by a combined 8 ½ lengths but must now negotiate two turns for the first time.

Race #10: Selections 12-2-10

12-Christel Clean is a recent maiden winner on debut for Sadler, and posted a solid (76) Beyer for that sharp 3 ½-length victory on Aug. 9, which is par for this next class level. The daughter of win-early sire Violence draws the far outside today but showed enough positional speed in her debut to likely get a decent stalking position from the get-go. A repeat is not out of the question. 2-Lady of Sky was a well-beaten 11^th of 12 in a disappointing effort on July 31 when flashing early speed and folding badly. Prior to this last subpar attempt, however, the daughter of Vronsky strung together back-to-back wins at Los Al. She goes first off the claim today for trainer Librado Barocio, who has solid stats with new dirt sprint acquisitions (27%/$7.04 ROI) and finishes up a solid overall meet. A winner of two of her last three starts, 10-Danzingwith Maxine exits a strong runner-up at this level on Aug. 7 and co-tops the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer.

Race #11: Selections 9-2-3

9-Irish Prophet is 0 for 9 over the Del Mar lawn, but takes a sizable class drop today for conditioner Neil Drysdale and should get an adequate pace to help enhance this gelding’s solid late stretch run. He was a winner the last time he ran at this reduced level and has an upset chance in the summer 2025 nightcap, making his third start of the form cycle. The lightly raced 2-Friendly Confines hasn’t been seen since his runner-up finish in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita back in March, but has trained steadily for an excellent layoff barn and lures Prat off the bench. 3-Cuban Confusion (GB) sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (87), exiting a solid third (beaten less than a length) on July 26 when moved up in class to face winners.

That’s a wrap on the 2025 Del Mar summer season! A special thanks to all the dedicated followers who supported the handicapping section this meet and continue to do so throughout the year in Southern California. You’re greatly appreciated.

Opening day for the six-day Los Al Thoroughbred afternoon meet begins next Friday, Sept. 12, and runs through Sunday, Sept. 21. Be sure to stop back for those daily selections and analysis. The autumn meet at Santa Anita starts Friday, Sept. 26.