Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Heroic Dose (Race 8)
Race #1: Selections: 4-5-3
4-Bit’s Tiger Magic was a gate-to-wire five-furlong winner with a field’s best (94) Beyer on Aug. 13, and this 5-year-old mare is a perfect 5-for-5 with jockey Juan Hernandez on board. She should be quick enough to clear this field early on for Miller. 5-Certitude (Fr) shortens up in distance and drops out of the Osunitas S. into the softer spot for Sadler. A speed and fade beaten favorite in the Daisycutter S., 3-Saratoga Special makes her second try over the Del Mar strip for conditioner Richard Baltas and is eligible to improve off that effort this afternoon.
Race #2: Selections: 2-5-7
2-Good Golly Dolly goes second off the Knapp claim, exiting a wide trip third when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on Aug. 6. The sophomore filly should be able to work out a better trip moving inside with Rosario back for the return mount. Two sprints to a route 5-Dats Ms. Blame drops a notch for Team O’Neill off a better-than-looks fifth in last when facing winners for the first time, and this gal was a 9-length runaway maiden winner two-back. 7-Busy Making Munny finished a much-improved second on the stretch-out and class plunge when finishing in front of the top choice in last and figures for a favorable stalking journey with today’s outside draw.
Race #3: Selections: 10-4-9
10-Dazzle Comm sat a 4-wide journey for most of the trip in last when facing several of these on Aug. 13 when landing part of the superfecta. The lightly raced 3-year-old gelding makes his second try at today’s reduced level and can improve if he can work out a better trip despite the outside draw again. 4-Farmer Tom adds blinkers today and has hit the board in both tries at this level, including the aforementioned Aug. 13 event. 9-Wasting Aces makes start number 13 this afternoon but finished second in front of the top pair in last, co-topping the field’s best last-out Beyer, and is a logical win threat again in this weak lineup.
Race #4: Selections: 4-1-5
4-Not A Sinner (GB) is an obvious win threat today off his back-to-back runner-up finishes, and 85 and 83 grass sprint Beyer speed figures. The 5-year-old mare’s form was flattered when Liam Smith, who she defeated in last, came back to win by 12 widening lengths on Aug. 27. The Glatt-trained 1-Unbinding (GB) was ultra-impressive with a 4-length win off a nine-month layoff on July 23, and figures to be hustled along for position from the rail. This filly came back to work well Aug. 21 and will likely give the top choice all she can handle. 5-Hey Lil Lady rallied for the place spot off the six-month hiatus on Aug. 8 and is eligible to move forward off that try for conditioner Bob Hess.
Race #5: Selections: 8-5-4
8-Roast, a pricey $725k Keeneland purchase by Practical Joke, stretches out in career try number two off the two-month mini-freshening for trainer Michael McCarthy. The sophomore colt is likely to show speed again today from his outside post, potentially clear this field with Rispoli, and prove tough to reel in late. A much-improved five-furlong gate drill in :58.3 on Aug. 27 indicates improvement is likely. 5-Plagarist is the most experienced 3-year-old in the field, making career start number nine. The gelding moves back to the main track off a speed and fade grass try from a tough post on July 18. His dirt Beyer numbers, earned earlier in his 2026 campaign, certainly match up well, and he also worked well on the 27th. Off the Baffert pair, we’ll lean on 4-Truth Or Dare, who adds blinkers today off a subpar, beaten favorite debut try Aug. 2. By multiple G1 winner Quality Road (16% dirt routes), he should improve with that race under his belt and the additional real estate.
Race #6: Selections: 1-7-4
1-Corporate Violette (Ire) moves inside this afternoon with solid early zip and figures to take these a long way on the lead, dropping from $50k claimers to today’s $32,000 level. The 7-year-old mare defeated a trio of today’s returning rivals at 8-1 three-back at Santa Anita. A beaten favorite in the last two starts, 7-The White Lady (Fr) drops in for a career-low claiming tag today for D’Amato while making her third start of the form cycle. The 5-year-old gray mare is reunited with winning pilot Umberto Rispoli. 4-Dea Matrona (Fr) has never been better, having won two straight, and now makes her first start for trainer Peter Miller off the Aug. 2 claim. The 6-time winning mare defeated several of these with that last game score, and a threepeat is certainly within reach.
Race #7: Selections: 6-2-7
If the TimeformUS pace projection proves correct, things should set up nicely for the late-closing 6-Suntory Time, who exits a recent runner-up turf try. The 4-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride goes first off the Isidro Tamayo Aug. 20 claim, a barn that has above-average stats with newly acquired purchases. The surface switch should prove fine. 2-Christel Clean finished a solid second when battling on the lead with the return to dirt on Aug. 6, off the mini-freshening, and is a logical threat right back. A multiple winner over the track and distance, 7-Theresaliverlinin steps up in class off a sharp 3 ¼-length score on Aug. 7 at today’s one-mile trip. The 8-time winner might fall into another favorable stalking journey for Knapp.
Race #8: Selections: 1-3-5
1-Heroic Dose rallied from far back to snag the runner-up spot when getting to the winner late, breaking a step slow from the same rail draw in last. The Mullins-trained 3-year-old has seen his Beyer improve with each subsequent try, and he could be ready to unleash another progressive move this afternoon. 3-Roxiiesbadboy makes his initial try around two turns this afternoon as the likely pacesetter off the seven-month layoff. The 5-year-old maiden returns for a $50k tag today off an OK worktab. 5-High King finally drops in for a tag after 16 straight defeats at the Maiden Special Weight level for trainer Gary Stute and has run turf Beyers that certainly fit well here.
