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BEST BET: 3-Smiling Rapper (Race 3)

Race #1: Selections: 5-6-4

The Peter Miller-trained 5-Brother Tony returns to dirt today on the class drop and has run some of the fastest main track Beyer figures in the field. This 3-year-old gelding broke his maiden two back at Los Al going this afternoon’s one-mile trip. 6-Big Juanito scampered away to an impressive six-length win, defeating similar on Aug. 3, earning the field’s best last-out Beyer (75). The 5-year-old gelded son of Collected will be tough to overhaul with a similar effort for the Papaprodromou barn. 4-Standard of Proof has not been competitive in four starts this 2025 campaign but goes turf to dirt this afternoon for Sweezey and drops in for a career-low claiming tag.

Race #2: Selections: 8-4-1

8-Time to Shine just missed in a tight photo when finishing in front of Upcharge in a short field on Aug. 1 for Glatt and is a logical threat right back with a repeat of that (70) grass Beyer. 4-Upcharge reached the front in the upper stretch but relinquished the lead late. The Upstart filly makes her second try off the mini-freshening for D’Amato this afternoon and could very easily find herself back in the winner’s circle with the right trip. 1-Lady Rider steps to face winners and tries grass off her July 31 $20k maiden claiming victory. The Vladimir Cerin filly has speed from the rail in a race that’s come up light on front-runners.

Race #3: Selections: 3-2-6

Two sprints to a route, 3-Smiling Rapper drops back into the maiden claiming ranks off an improving Beyer pattern and closing third on Aug. 14. She’s by Smiling Tiger (18% dirt routes) and may be ready for a career-best effort in her third start of the form cycle. 2-Severe Clear was claimed for $20k on July 31 by conditioner Peter Miller off a wide trip fifth, and now returns nearly a month later for $12,500. The Vronsky filly co-tops the field’s best last-out main track Beyer. 6-Expressive Love attracted decent tote support when returning off a five-month layoff on Aug. 3, finishing a disappointing ninth, but takes a substantial class drop today and came back to fire a sharp blowout three-furlong bullet drill in :34.2 on Aug. 14.

Race #4: Selections: 5-8-1

5-Jack Fish figures to be a short-priced winner this afternoon for trainer Peter Miller, exiting back-to-back sharp runner-up efforts to start his 3-year-old career. The gelded son of Bodexpress fired a race-best (81) turf Beyer in his second start, and retains Hernandez. 8-Tom Mix is a 3-year-old debuting colt by Grazen, who gets 13% with 3-year-old & up debuting prodigy and 16% with turf sprinters. He debuts with Lasix, having trained well, but this top barn has only a 2 for 38 (5%) record over the past five years with grass firsters at Del Mar. 1-Nap finished far behind Jack Fish in his most recent try, when a well-beaten third, but can move forward today, making his second start off the eight-month layoff.

Race #5: Selections: 4-5-3

Blinkers on 4-Bear’s Board was runner-up in her Colonial July 26 debut try and now heads west for her initial start for new conditioner Doug O’Neill. The 2-year-old daughter of Mastery has shown some good early speed in all four of her local drills at this venue. 5-Dragon Kat is one of several that return from the Aug. 7 5 ½-furlong dirt sprint. This juvenile filly flashed strong early speed before surrendering late to finish a well-beaten fifth, but is eligible to move forward today with any normal second-out progression. Her 15 Beyer, however, sheds some light on the quality of that field. Turf to dirt 3-Mashie Niblick (by Knicks Go) ships in from Horseshoe Indianapolis, making her first start in the Steve Miyadi barn, who has had a solid 2025 meet. This filly drops in for a tag today and can improve against a suspect group.

Race #6: Selections: 3-7-6

Peruvian import 3-Princesa Moche (Per) is a 9-time winner and makes her first stateside start for Team O’Neill with Lasix off three consecutive five-furlong turf victories. Although it’s hard to gauge how she matches up against her American counterparts, the 5-year-old mare showed good life in her one main track drill on Aug. 21. 7-Can’t Sleep has hit the board in all five career tries for trainer Carla Gaines (with a pair of turf sprint wins) and co-tops the field’s best last-out grass Beyer off a recent close-up third when facing several of these. The 4-year-old filly by Om came back to work a “best of 124” four-furlong bullet in :46.3 on Aug. 17 and makes her third start of the form cycle today. 6-Miss Mandalay (GB) rallied for the place spot in front of Can’t Sleep in last for conditioner Bob Hess and is an obvious threat with a similar effort. The filly is reunited with jockey Tyler Baze.

Race #7: Selections: 7-10-12

A full and tricky field of bottom $8k claimers sprinting 5 ½ furlongs on dirt makes for a competitive betting race as part of the first half of the $5 late daily double. 7-Leyas Candy didn’t have the cleanest of trips when breaking a step slow and racing wide on July 25, and now slashes his claiming tag in half for conditioner Steve Knapp. This two-time winner over this racetrack has never run at this bottom $8k claiming tag in 28 career tries, and needs only to be within striking distance at the head of the stretch to have a solid chance today. 10-Instinct D’ Oro has good early zip to coincide with today’s outside draw and has run well in his previous three starts for conditioner Sergio Morfin. The 4-year-old colt is dangerous if he can clear this field and gets in light this afternoon. 12-Where’s the Loot drops in for a career-low claiming tag today, exiting a fourth-place finish going 1.000 yards under the Los Al lights on Aug. 10. The gelded son of Dad’s Caps is reunited with winning rider, Diego Herrera.

Race #8: Selections 10-1-4

10-Coyote Cafe tries grass and two turns after a decent third-place main track sprint effort at 25-1 on debut July 19, when finishing behind next-out winner, Mohaven. Glatt doesn’t have the strongest stats with second-time starter turf-to-dirt runners, but this daughter of Grazen hinted that she has some ability in that unveiling and has worked three times since that initial try. 1-Blame It On Abby goes two sprints to a route today while making her first turf try for trainer Peter Miller. She’s by Blame (13% turf routes) and figures to get a favorable upfront tracking trip with Hernandez getting the return ride. 4-Druliner, who finished behind Blame It On Abby on July 18, is also trying turf and her initial crack at two turns. Her sire, Clubhouse Ride, also gets 13% with grass routers.