Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 5-Sendit Mo (GB) (Race 1)
Race #1: Selections: 5-3-1
A troubled start when veering in and throwing his head at the break in last, 5-Sendit Mo drops in for a career-low claiming tag today for trainer Doug O’Neill. This barn is a solid 6-for-19 (32%) with a $2.52 ROI with second-off-the-claim dirt runners at Del Mar the past five years, and this gelding looks quickest off the blocks. Turf to dirt, 3-Uecker ran well in his lone main track attempt in March at Santa Anita, when a strong second, and now takes a substantial class plunge from $50k claimers down to today’s $16,000 level. The other O’Neill gelding, 1-Joker Went Wild, drops a notch after dueling for the front end before tiring on July 3 and figures to sit a ground-saving stalking trip behind his stablemate this afternoon.
Race #2: Selections: 8-5-6
8-Captain Shreve has good speed to coincide with this afternoon’s outside draw and has just enough grass pedigree to suggest he’ll take to today’s surface change successfully. The 3-year-old gelding is reunited with Rispoli, who rode him to a solid runner-up finish on debut. 5-Bogarts Bucchero rallied for the place spot and earned a lofty (79) grass Beyer when second at 45-1 on June 14 on the turnback, and should prove tough against this group with a similar effort. 6-Flaubert has been plagued by layoff lines and returns to sprinting on grass after a seven-month hiatus for trainer Neil Drysdale. The City of Light gelding lures Rosario off the bench off a steady worktab.
Race #3: Selections: 9-5-3
A multitude of fuzzy trainer debut stats makes this $50k maiden claiming sprint for juvenile fillies a toss-up, and perhaps the board will offer more clues. A tricky leg to start the $2 traditional Pick Six, which has a $63,928 carryover. The Steve Miyadi-trained 9-Shemakesmemad gets the tepid vote, dropping in for a first-time tag off a pair of even maiden Special Weight main track sprint tries. The daughter of Liam’s Map gets a cozy outside draw today and has shown enough positional speed to work out a decent trip. 5-Harkette (by Stay Thirsty) launches from the Mike Puype barn off an even work tab. This jockey-trainer combo teamed up for the barn’s lone maiden claiming debut winner in the past five years when Miss Hellfire scored back on May 30. 3-Please Behave is the other juvenile filly with prior racing experience, having hit the board against cheaper over at Los Alamitos on June 20 and July 3. Both of her main track Beyers (32,27) are nothing to get excited about, however.
Race #4: Selections: 7-4-2-9
7-Unbinding returns off a nine-month layoff for trainer Mark Glatt off a solid and spirited work tab over at San Luis Rey and looks ready to fire fresh. The 4-year-old filly was a turf five-furlong maiden winner over this course last July. Blinkers on 4-Famous Forza exits a sharp runner-up try in a short field back on May 24 and gets a key rider upgrade to jockey Juan Hernandez this afternoon. Recent maiden winner 2-Butterfly Beach scored a gate-to-wire win on June 13 for trainer Neil Drysdale and looks well-placed for her first crack against winners. Rosario sticks. 9-Miss Hellfire needs to draw in from the AEs, but if she does, she’s a serious win candidate switching to turf off a 13 3/4-length maiden romp on debut May 30 where she posted a lofty (86) Beyer. By Sir Prancealot (15% turf sprints), the surface switch should be fine while stepping up to face winners.
Race #5: Selections: 10-5-4
10-Island Splash broke slowly and raced very wide on debut when well-backed at Los Alamitos on June 20 at this level, and that racing experience should serve her well in start number two. The juvenile filly moves outside today and gets in light. 5-Don’t Short Ur Self (by Clubhouse Ride) debuts for the Sadler barn with Rosario off a series of a.m. drills, and this jockey-trainer combo had a successful spring at Santa Anita. They’re 5-for-12 (33%) overall with dirt sprint starters. 4-Quick Up is a daughter of Stay Thirsty debuting for conditioner Jorge Periban, and her four-furlong July 16 gate drill in :47.2 over the track hints at speed and ability. A $2k California Thoroughbred Breeders Association (CTBA) purchase may prove to be a bargain.
Race #6: Selections: 8-2-1
The $3 low-takeout (15%) Late Pick 3 starts here. 8-Canto Della Terra (Ire) is 2-for-2 Stateside for conditioner Phil D’Amato after successfully maneuvering the recent five-month layoff and winning again on June 14, posting the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (85). First or second in four of five lifetime tries, the 4-year-old filly will look to successfully stretch out today and is the one to beat with potentially another progressive move forthcoming. 2-Bojaca Blessing is an interesting Gulfstream shipper for trainer Jose D’Angelo, who has won two of her last three starts (both on synthetic) but has run equally well on turf. She draws a cozy inside post and picks up an excellent turf rider, Hector Berrios. 1-Grecian Goddess returns off an eight-month freshening, routing on turf for Cerin, and should get a conducive live race flow to close into from the advantageous rail draw.
Race #7: Selections: 2-5-8
Oaklawn shipper 2-Pokernightatvees rarely misfires and was a 3 ¼-length solid winner over this racetrack when last here this past fall while also securing a victory over the course last July. The Sean Williams-trained 4-year-old sports the best speed figures in the field and figures for another upfront pressing trip. Two sprints to a route 5-The G M defeated a pair of next-out winners, putting it all together for the victory when last seen on May 25. He’s bred to like routing (Harbor the Gold; 20% dirt routes). 8-John Metcalfe goes turf to dirt, dropping out of the May 23 Snow Chief S. into this softer spot this afternoon and is reunited with winning pilot, Juan Hernandez.
Race #8: Selections: 9-6-1
If the DRF TimeformUS pace projection proves correct, things should set up nicely for 9-Suntory Time, who figures to be rallying strongly from off the pace for Hernandez. A dominating 4-length maiden grass route winner two back, the 4-year-old filly did little running in her most recent try when facing winners, trailing the field behind a slow pace. She’s a solid rebound candidate this afternoon for conditioner Richard Baltas with a better race flow. Class dropping 6-Elite Heat (GB) is likely to move forward today, making her second start off the nine-month break for trainer Dan Blacker after flashing speed and tiring in her comeback try on June 14. The 4-year-old filly stretches back out this afternoon. The 1-for-24 1-Motet goes first off the claim for the Glatt barn, which has solid stats with new barn acquisitions. She got shuffled before rallying belatedly to finish third in a short field when last seen on May 31.
