Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 9-My Man Bags (Race 5)
Race #1: 6-Sayers gets blinkers back on today and returns to the site of Maiden breaking score from this past September. A strong wire-to-wire threat today on the class drop. 1-Equipo A has speed; the rail and is reunited with winning rider this afternoon. The 5-year-old gelding stretches back out today after breaking through the gate prior to last evening start on November 13 when finishing a close-up 3rd. 3-Fun Coupons gets some class relief today and has had prior success on the daytime cards for winning connections.
Selections: 6-1-3
Race #2: 6-Busy Paynter has not been seen since being claimed nearly 10 weeks ago but is a multiple winner over the track and distance and projects to be forwardly placed this afternoon for trainer Milton Pineda. 1-Irish Wahine is a winner of 2 of her last 3 starts including a sharp score over this strip back in September where she earned above Beyer par for this class level. This filly gets 10 lb. weight break with apprentice Armando Aguilar climbing aboard. Paynter’s stablemate 3-Flatterwithjewels came up a nose short of top pick when last seen negotiating the daytime oval three-back and fits well here.
Selections: 6-1-3
Race #3: 6-Golden Halo was a beaten favorite in last at DMR but comes into this event with an improving Beyer pattern and ran well in lone start over this racetrack last December. 8-La Chiquis comes off a career best finish and Beyer and makes second start off the layoff. 1-Worthiness is making start number 9 today but has had some success over this oval with Pereira in the saddle. Class dropping 7-Love Gone Wild has shown little in both career efforts but makes second start off the long layoff today; adds Lasix and makes first attempt over the main track off solid a.m. drills.
Selections: 6-8-1
Race #4: First time gelding 5-Crypto Ride makes the all-important 3rd career start today and returns to sprinting over the main track where he was an encouraging 3rd in September 16 debut try. Vazquez seems to be loaded with live mounts for the opening day afternoon Thoroughbred card and I’d be surprised if he didn’t have a multiple win afternoon. 1-Vince’s Corner when last seen back in September he finished and improved 2nd behind repeat next-out winning gelding Nauvoo. The juvenile colt adds blinkers back on this afternoon for new barn and cuts back to 6 furlongs. The most experienced runner in this weak Maiden event is 2-Stay in the Game who owns the field’s best last-out Beyer (50) but habitually finds trouble at the start.
Selections: 5-1-2
Race #5: 9-My Man Bags seeks third straight win while making first start off the Mark Glatt claim today. The gelding is a perfect 2 for 2 over this strip and Rispoli sticks. A sharp 4-furlong drill for this on December 2 adds to the appeal. The obvious knock is the likely short price. 1-Oil Can Knight is an 8-time winner and goes first off the claim today for Pineda off a wide closing 3rd at Del Mar. The 6-year-old gelding looks primed for a top try today making 3rd start off the extended layoff. 5-Perfect D is ultra-consistent and comes in off a game win on the evening card November 13. The gelding was a sharp runner-up in lone afternoon attempt three-back at 13/1.
Selections: 9-1-5
Race #6: Turf to dirt 7-Frazzled only has one prior main track attempt but makes 3rd start off the bench today for trainer Leonard Powell and takes a significant class plunge from $32K to $16,000 claimers. This barn is a strong 6 for 21 (29%) with similar dropdowns on dirt. The filly is drawn outside with good positional speed and should get a favorable journey. 2-Whiskey Blue has been freshened since encouraging runner-up finish in last where she earned the field’s best last out main track Beyer (61) at SA. A series of decent a.m. drills in preparation of today’s return. 5-Awesome Pamela is proven at this mile trip and should be passing horses late and at the very least be part of the underneath exotics.
Selections: 7-2-5
Race #7: Recent Maiden winner 2-Golden Again defeated next-out winning filly Night Party in last who returned with a (59) Beyer at DMR. This gal has improved with each subsequent start for trainer Steve Knapp and fits well here with another move forward. Her runner-up finish two-back proves she handles this racetrack and she’s worked well since for her first start against winners. 6-Hialeah Hottie is another coming off a recent Maiden score and has run two solid races since arriving in southern California. This filly by G1 winner Sharp Azteca and has speed on the outside with Maldonado taking over. 5-The Reign Song is the stablemate to top choice and broke her Maiden over this course two-back. She projects to fall into a good stalking trip today.
Selections: 2-6-5
Race #8: 8-Sugar Sugar is the obvious one to beat in the nightcap coming of a runner-up finish and field’s best (59) Beyer November 11 at Del Mar. The filly has run well here (9/23) and should break through in career start number 9 after several close finishes. This looks like a now or never scenario for the 3-year-old filly. It’s hard to endorse a 1 for 63 sire with debut runners but 7-Jazzy Boo has trained OK for today’s unveiling and lands in a weak spot. In multiple G1 winning Shaman Ghost’s defense, he does have 9 runner-up finishes with debut prodigy. 4-Yadiama adds blinkers on the class drop and has been freshened for good layoff barn. Trainer Martin Jones is 3 for 7 (33%) with horses returning off 61-180 days’ rest. 2-The Big Cake has been beaten a combined 45 lengths in 3 career starts but moves back to dirt and starts for this bottom-level $20k claiming tag for the first time.
Selections: 8-7-4
