Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 10-Morning Addiction (Race 3)
Race #1: The stakes-placed 2-Pink Ace ships in from Oaklawn under the new care and management of trainer Phil D’Amato off a pair of encouraging efforts to start her career. The 3-year-old filly has been freshened for this and shows three sharp drills over the local footing. 3-Camp Bashors Candy was a driving debut winner from off the pace on July 23 debut for Baffert over a bulky field. She takes the next logical step up the class ladder. 6-House of Magic returned from an 11-month layoff to wire a four-horse field at Los Al. She puts blinkers back on today for Miller and Maldonado.
Selections: 2-3-6
Race #2: 6-Des Doigts ships in from Ellis off wide 5th place debut effort for trainer Wesley Ward. This barn traditionally does well here early in the meet and scored with second-time starter Dark Vintage last Thursday. 5-Pleaseusetheportal was trounced on June 23 debut at Santa Anita and now drops in for a tag for Team O’Neill. The blinkers are added to this Mendelssohn colt this afternoon hoping for an immediate form reversal. 1-Southern Slang is by Kantharos who gets 15% with his 2-year-old debuting prodigy and this barn is no stranger to winning with a first-time starter.
Selections: 6-5-1
Race #3: 10-Morning Addiction returned off a 10-month layoff to score a sharp-looking gate-to-wire win at Pleasanton June 25. The race prior was another victory last August over this strip in a similar fashion–when a voided claim for $8k. The 5-time winning 6-year-old mare shows two strong works since that last winning effort and should wire this field. 1-Beachgrass ships in from Pleasanton off a come-from-behind score going longer when dropped to a career-low $10k tag. A logical fit again at this reduced level. 2-Pens Street is wheeled back on 12 days rest after rallying to finish 3rd and now drops her claiming price tag in half to a career low.
Selections: 10-1-2
Race #4: 8-Donny the Chiro attracted decent tote support on his July 22 debut when finishing an even 4th and can improve here for Miller switching to turf. This barn has solid numbers with their second-time starters. 1-Gantry must negotiate the rail draw but shows some encouraging morning drills for conditioner Ryan Hanson and sire Sire Prancealot is 12 for 49 (24%) with turf sprinters. Trainer Ed Freeman sends out a pair of juveniles with 2-Stolen Treasure and 6-Cussin N Fussin. Either of the pair can land a part of this coming off encouraging work tabs.
Selections: 8-1-2
Race #5: The speedy 4-Nauvoo was a 9-length runaway winner three-back at Santa Anita with an (80) Beyer against softer when last seen on dirt. The gelding has been freshened for trainer Kristen Mulhall, likes this mile trip (5 for 9), and is reunited with his winning rider. The beaten favorite in the last start 5-Star Prospect makes the third start of the form cycle for trainer Carla Gaines and matches up well with this group. He exits a second-place finish in a three-horse field at Los Al. 2-Dos Vicios slices his claiming tag in half exiting a third-place finish June 17 at Pleasanton in his initial dirt try. This gelding is a 3-time winner going a mile.
Selections: 4-5-2
Race #6: This is a tricky $50k claiming 5-furlong turf sprint for colts and geldings with a ton of early speed signed on. 2-Acquired Class can potentially sit a good trip behind a wall of speedsters and work out a favorable ground-saving journey for trainer Peter Miller. The gelding drops in class on the turnback. Florida invader 4-Rolling On moves back to turf off a second-place finish against cheaper at Gulfstream. He’s trained exceptionally well over the main track since arriving in southern California. 5-Please Focus sports some of the top turf figures for Team O’Neill but must avoid a pace tussle with several others.
Selections: 2-4-5
Race #7: The lightly raced 7-Danzing Cat adds blinkers for Miller after a slow start June 10 and is a solid gate-to-wire threat at this level on the turnback. 3–Stay and Scam has shown equal solid ability on grass and dirt in both career starts for Reddam Racing and trainer Doug O’Neill and should be forwardly placed once again. Miller’s other filly 1-She’s Bulletproof hasn’t been out in 8 months, but this savvy barn is 4 for 14 (29%) with a $3.11 ROI the past three years with horses returning off >180 days while sprinting on dirt.
Selections: 7-3-1
Race #8: 8-Cane Creek Road will take these as far as he can on the front end for trainer Doug O’Neill. 6-Our Silver Oak goes first off the claim for trainer Mike Puype who is 3 for 8 (38%) with a $3.70 ROI the past 5 years with recent acquisitions at DMR on grass. Blinkers off 5-Chasin Munny makes third start off the bench for conditioner Mark Glatt and first start around two turns. The 6-year-old gelding could trip out favorably this afternoon tucked in behind the pacesetters.
Selections: 8-6-5
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