Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 9-Dazzle Comm (Race 6)
Race #1: Selections: 5-1-4
5-Mr. A. P. drops out of the opening day Oceanside S. into this softer spot this afternoon for trainer Vladimir Cerin. By Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, the sophomore followed up that last fourth-place effort with a “best of 103” bullet four furlongs in:46.3 on Aug. 1. He adds Lasix, making the second start off the nine-month layoff, and figures to be much tighter this afternoon. The D’Amato-trained 1-Iriseach (Ire) was a troubled-trip fifth behind Mr. A. P. in last in the aforementioned Oceanside and should move forward today with the addition of Lasix and a cleaner trip. The speedy 4-Zeus’s Echo flashed speed and tired to third when facing similar class level on July 19 and now removes the blinkers today while switching to Hernandez.
Race #2: Selections: 1-3-5
1-Ghostwritten holds a double Beyer advantage over the rest of this field and has trained sharply over this main track for his initial attempt at Del Mar. The 3-year-old gelded son of Ghostzapper looks like he’s found a field he can handle on the class drop with an upfront pressing journey. The newly gelded 3-year-old 3-Yautown drops in for a first-time tag on the stretch-out in the all-important third career try for the McCarthy barn. He’s by Yaupon (16% dirt routes), and this conditioner is 5-for-16 (31%) with MDSW to MDCLM class droppers in dirt routes the past four years. 5-Gallatin goes turf to dirt, stretches back out, and drops back down into the maiden claiming ranks off a non-threatening, troubled trip eighth. The Peter Miller-trained gelding (by Authentic) is likely to improve moving back to the main track and has trained well locally on dirt.
Race #3: Selections: 7-8-9
The Ed Freeman-trained 7-Less Please gets top billing off her encouraging opening day debut when flashing good early zip before just coming up a nose short late. The gray daughter of hot sire Pavel switches to turf in start number two and has plenty of grass pedigree on the dam side to suggest she’ll handle the surface switch. 8-Princess Luna goes dirt to turf off a pair of solid sprint efforts to start her 2026 campaign. She’s by Cairo Prince (13% turf sprints) by a Candy Ride mare and is another who figures to be in the early mix. 9-Vonntastic gets a cozy outside draw for Team Miller for her initial start. She’s by G1 winner Bodexpress, who gets an above-average 16% with juvenile debuting prodigy and a lofty 26% with turf sprinters. This filly gets an excellent turf pilot in Emisael Jaramillo.
Race #4: Selections: 4-3-1
4-Pioneer Prince scampered away to an impressive 9 ½-length runaway romp over this main track on July 26 and now steps up aggressively off the Peter Miller claim, sporting the field’s best last-out 91 Beyer speed figure. This barn is 6-for-19 (31%) with dirt route new acquisitions in the past five years. A repeat is well within reach. 3-Mega Moon usually prefers to finish underneath, evidenced by his 24-3-10-4 mark, but the gelding removes the blinkers today on the stretch-out and switches back to Hernandez off a solid runner-up finish on July 3. 1-Lure Him In ships back into Southern California off a three-month freshening for a new barn after being plucked for $50k at Parx back on May 5. He shows up for $32k today, but usually fires off a layoff and lures Rosario off the freshening.
Race #5: Selections: 3-8-11
3-Butterfly Beach did little running after getting bumped and steadied early on when jumping up to face winners on July 23, but drops back down to a more realistic level this afternoon, and her (64) maiden-winning turf Beyer fits snugly here. A maiden winner over this grass course on debut last August, 8-Magical Miss returns off an 11-month hiatus for an above-average layoff barn and has trained sharply over at San Luis Rey for this afternoon’s engagement. 11-Elite Heat (GB) goes first off the Peter Miller claim, exiting a better-than-looks sixth on July 23 and now makes the third start of the form cycle for the new barn. A 1-for-17 (6%) record with grass sprint new acquisitions in the past five years is a cause for pause, however.
Race #6: Selections: 9-2-5
Two sprints to a route, 9-Dazzle Comm flashed improved speed on the class drop and move to the main track on June 19 at Los Al. The 3-year-old gelding figures to be tough to reel in here, dropping again from the $50k maiden claiming level to today’s bottom $12,500 ranks. He should relish the additional real estate- sire Forest Command is 23% with dirt routers. 2-Dane the Great ran a career-best Beyer (55) when stretched out to a mile in the last try, despite finishing a well-beaten third. An improved four-furlong drill on Aug. 1, combined with another class drop, puts this gelding in the mix with a projected upfront-plotting trip. Blinkers off. 5-Farmer Tom rallied for the place spot at 41-1 from far back when last trying this level at Santa Anita, two back.
Race #7: Selections: 4-8-1-5
Trainer Phil D’Amato sends out a pair of fillies to kick off the $5 Late Double. 4-Kuwaitya (Ire) drops out of the Daisycutter H. into this easier spot this afternoon while making her third start of the current form cycle. This 4-year-old filly’s Beyer ratings are on the upward swing, and she should be set for a top try today with Berrios back for the return mount. The lightly raced 8-Bit’s Tiger Magic returns off a seven-month layoff for conditioner Peter Miller and sports a solid 8-4-1-1 career mark with three of those four victories coming sprinting on grass. The Smiling Tiger mare is reunited with winning pilot Juan Hernandez and figures to come out firing off the bench. Outrun in the G2 Great Lady M at Los Al, 1-A. Z. Wildcat (by Munnings) has never tried turf but gets some substantial class relief this afternoon for the potent Rosario/Sadler jockey-trainer combo. She has speed and the rail and figures to be hustled along for position. The other D’Amato filly, 5-Rethink, steps up in class off a sharp 3 3/4-length six-furlong turf score back on May 17 and has trained well locally in the interim.
Race #8: Selections: 5-9-1
The Brinkerhoff-trained 5-Mickey is back sprinting where he rallied for the place spot on debut two-back. Off slowly in his most recent route try, the dark bay gelding by Gem Heist makes start number three this afternoon and should be ready for a career-best effort. Rosario sticks. 9-Gabriel’s Gift is likely on everyone’s horses-to-watch list after breaking slowly on debut, spotting the field two lengths, and then spending the rest of the trip maneuvering through traffic to just get up for the place spot surrounded by a landslide of runners battling for the runner-up position. That visual performance may have been overly flattered by the speedy opening splits. Second choice, nonetheless. 1-Van Gogh Style shortens back up to a sprint after back-to-back speed and fades going one mile for the Sean McCarthy barn, and both of those (66) dirt Beyers match up well here.
