Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Last Chance Darcy (Race 7)
Race #1: Selections: 4-7-3
The speedy 4-Zagreus returns off a 9-week mini-freshening today after a speed-and-fade when last seen over this course going this one-mile trip at the end of June. The 4-year-old gelding drops in for a career-low claiming tag, sports the field’s best last-out speed figure, and will look to wire the field at this reduced level. The Jeff Bonde-trained 7-Spiritual Advisor drops into the lowest claiming tag of his career looking for his first win this current campaign. 3-What’s a Gift returns to routing over the afternoon layout where he’d had good success exiting a troubled trip 1,000-yard effort on Sept. 6.
Race #2: Selections: 4-7-6
Beaten double digits in his last three starts, the 5-year-old gelding 4-Kore Kinetic drops from $32k maiden claimers to today’s $12,500 level and will look to take this field gate-to-wire for conditioner Luis Mendez, who popped with 84-1 longshot Marvelousmissmbel closing day at Del Mar. The son of Nyquist blew out a sharp three-furlong bullet in :35 flat Sept. 8. 7-Bucks Action adds blinkers and drops a notch for Hess, exiting a wide trip fifth back on July 25. 6-Battle School has finished third in three of four career tries for Knapp, having posted some of the swifter main track Beyers in this field.
Race #3: Selections: 4-7-2
4-Whynotanotherone crossed the wire first by a dominating 5 ¼ lengths over a trio of today’s returning rivals on Aug. 16 but was disqualified for interference at the start. The Bob Hess-trained gelding will look to make amends this afternoon. 7-Raging Inferno goes turf to dirt on the class drop for trainer Dan Blacker and has plenty of early zip from his outside draw to secure a favorable position into the first turn. This course usually favors grass-geared pedigrees. 2-King of Success rallied for second but was no match for the race winner when sprinting three back over this course against significantly better. The gelding’s last try is excusable after a tough trip eighth at Del Mar. Improvement likely.
Race #4: Selections: 5-1-6
A beaten favorite under the lights in last, 5-Blessed Angel has shown the ability to sit close-up and finish well, which should serve this 6-year-old mare well in this spot today with Payeras, who was aboard for her last win over this course three back. She likes this 5 ½-furlong trip, as evidenced by the 4-for-8 mark. 1-Chasing Kat has run well in both starts this current campaign, including a win off the 11-month break on Aug. 16 followed up by a runner-up effort two weeks later on Aug. 30. She makes her first start off the Gary Stute claim this afternoon 6-Calm Down Kimmie moves to the afternoon layout and stretches out in distance after a long series of evening efforts. The 4-year-old filly ran a decent third in her lone try over the bigger afternoon layout and should improve today, making her second start off the six-month layoff.
Race #5: Selections: 7-2-5
7-King Apollo drops in for a career-low claiming tag today while making his second start off the extended layoff for Hess. The veteran 7-year-old gelding has run well against far better in all four lifetime tries over this afternoon’s layout and should be much tighter today, second off the bench. A 4-time winner over this racetrack, 2-Perfecto Amor returns to the course where he’s had the most success and is an immediate win threat back at his favorite venue. 5-Novinophobia slashes his claiming tag in half this afternoon off a wide, non-threatening ninth and last on Aug. 27. The gelding has drifted off form in recent months, but is eligible to bounce back to life at this reduced level with Payeras, who has dominated the Los Al Thoroughbred meet the last two seasons.
Race #6: Selections: 8-3-2
8-Ima Track Star popped a career-best (83) main track Beyer on the class drop when wearing down runner-up Chapter One on Aug. 8 and will now go out for conditioner Stave Knapp after being snagged for $12,500 that same afternoon. This barn has above-average stats with sprint dirt newly acquired purchases. The aforementioned 3-Chapter One flashed good speed before getting outfinished by the top choice and now goes first off the Bill McLean claim. 2-Opus Uno was trounced in his comeback try Aug. 27 off a seven-month layoff, but drops today from $50k to $20,000 claimers for Team Miller and ran well in his lone try over this course last September.
Race #7: Selections: 1-4-9
The speedy 1-Last Chance Darcy puts blinkers back on today while taking a huge class plunge for conditioner Aggie Ordonez and will likely be hustled along from the rail. The sophomore filly should prove tough to reel in late. 4-We Salute You exits back-to-back runner-up 1,000-yard finishes over the evening program and looks to parlay that current form over the bigger afternoon layout. The Steve Miyadi-trained 9-Mashie Niblick was trounced in her comeback effort, but drops in class today, making the second start off the 11-month hiatus, and figures to move forward, second time Lasix.
Race #8: Selections: 3-4-6
3-Mrsaintpatrick finished a disappointing seventh in a well-backed debut on Aug. 23, which several of these exit from, and the gray Pavel gelding adds blinkers this afternoon for Team O’Neill, who comes off a meet-winning title at Del Mar. Perhaps this juvenile has more to offer in career try number two. 4-Inca has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent try for conditioner Ruben Gomez and is the one to catch again in the opening day nightcap at five panels. He finished in front of the top pick in last but must show more stamina the last 100 yards and finish off his races. 6-Big Time Coach (by Sir Prancealot) rallied well for fifth in the aforementioned Aug. 23 event and need not have to improve much to win here for trainer Ryan Hanson. Any normal second-out progression may be enough.
