Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 4-Rose of Jericho (Race 2)
Race #1: Selections: 2-1-6
2-Kid Dynasty goes two sprints to a route today for the red-hot Tim Yakteen barn and looks quick enough to clear this field on the stretch-out. The lightly raced 3-year-old is by Constitution, who has an 18% record with his dirt route prodigy. 1-Uncle Evco is a 10-start maiden returning off a sharp runner-up finish, when coming up just a nose short after a wide trip just 13 days ago over this course. 6-Nassau Circle was trounced in his most recent seven-furlong start at Santa Anita, but drops in for a first-time tag today for Mandella and has good positional speed, making his second try off a brief freshening.
Race #2: Selections: 4-3-7
4-Rose of Jericho finished a decent third over this racetrack on June 22 and now drops from $20k claimers to today’s $12,500 level. Jockey Tiago Pereira is having a fabulous mini-meet, clicking at 36% as of this writing. 3-Honorable Gal is yet to try the bigger daytime Los Al layout but exits a sharp second on the evening program last Sunday. 7-Gypsy Lynn is 0 for 5 over the bigger afternoon layout, but has hit the board in four consecutive tries for conditioner Antonio Garcia, with three of those efforts coming under the lights.
Race #3: Selections: 2-5-4
2-Fire Ile adds blinkers and drops in for a tag in career start number two for trainer Ryan Hanson after flashing good speed and tiring to a well-beaten fourth in her May 16 SA unveiling. The daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner City of Light is eligible to move forward off that effort this afternoon. 5-Tina’s Princess battled determinedly on the lead in her June 22 debut over this course when finishing a game second and dismissed at 30-1, and is a logical fit here with any normal second-out progression. The Peter Miller-trained 4-Omemgee is by Om (11% with his juvenile debuting prodigy), and this barn is a solid 5 for 25 (20%) the past four years with their Los Al firsters.
Race #4: Selections: 1-2-6
A $14,547 Pick 6 carryover begins here. 1-Stellar Cap sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (65), exiting a solid runner-up finish at Santa Anita on June 13. The 4-year-old filly has run well in all three tries over this afternoon’s layout and figures to be hustled along for position with today’s rail draw. 2-Misty Dancer is confidently stepped up in class after a 6 ½-length gate-to-wire romp against softer on June 6, going this 5 ½-furlong trip. 6-Shes Just Fluffy slices her claiming tag in half, making the third start of the form cycle today for conditioner Steve Miyadi. This barn has solid stats with a quick turnaround.
Race #5: Selections: 9-3-8
The lightly raced 9-Distant Fleet has good early zip and is nicely drawn outside this afternoon for trainer Jorge Periban. The Stay Thirsty 3-year-old returned to fire a “best of 78” four-furlong bullet in :46 flat on June 28, indicating he may be ready for a top effort for his first try over the local footing. Placed first via DQ two back, 3-Unbreakable Trust goes turf to dirt for Sadler and has run Beyer figures that make him competitive against this $20k claiming group. 8-James J. Braddock goes first off the claim for trainer Sergio Morfin off an even fourth-place effort back on May 30. The 3-year-old removes the blinkers this afternoon and returns as a first-time gelding.
Race #6: Selections: 5-9-1
Blinkers off 5-Tapatia Leah was beaten by double digits in her most recent try on May 26 at Santa Anita, but drops down into a career-low maiden claiming tag this afternoon for conditioner Steve Miyadi and looks to have found a field of fillies she should handle. 9-Smoove Over exits a career-best runner-up effort in a short field over this racetrack 12 days ago. A similar try by this 4-year-old makes her a logical threat again versus this same class level. 1-Lucky C never got involved in her well-beaten MDSW turf route debut try back in March, but has trained steadily in recent weeks for Ryan Hanson and is a candidate to improve today on the class drop, surface switch, and turn back in distance.
Race #7: Selections: 3-1-4
3-Spearfish goes turf to dirt with some class relief this afternoon for trainer Bob Hess and should get a live race flow to help utilize his late kick. The 4-year-old gelding owns the field’s best top late pace figure in the field and makes his second try off the bench. A winner of three of eight career tries on turf, 1-Carver makes his first start on dirt today with an attractive inside post to coincide with his solid early speed. The 5-year-old gelding is by Pioneer of the Nile, who gets an above-average 18% with his dirt route runners. 4-Jimmy Blue Jeans has run 27 times on turf and synthetic but never on dirt. The six-time winning gelding steps up in class today off the claim after just missing by a nose back on May 31, and will prove dangerous if able to transfer that solid, consistent grass form and figures to the Los Al course.
Race #8: Selections 1-10-5
The lightly raced 1-Rumble King makes his second start off the 13-month layoff for trainer Steve Knapp, who is striking on all cylinders this mini-Thoroughbred meet at Los Al. This colt should improve second off the bench after breaking a tad slowly off the long break, and this lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 4-1-1 from six starts at the current stand. 10-Yo Time hasn’t been out in eight months for an excellent layoff barn and used a similar break last year to score off the bench over this racetrack. 5-Shortman shortens back up to a sprint today after three consecutive route tries, exiting a solid runner-up effort on June 21 over this course. The 6-year-old is winless since July 2023, but looms dangerous if able to replicate the field’s best last-out (87) Beyer going 6 ½ furlongs.
Race #9: Selections 8-7-4
8-Lena Lindgard showed good speed in her June 21 debut over this course while settling for the runner-up spot and now adds Lasix on the class drop for career start number two. She’s by the win-early sire Tough Sunday, who is a strong 9-3-1-1 with his overall first-time starters. Blinkers on 7-Devine Marina ran on well for third in her June 20 unveiling over this course for trainer Craig Lewis, who has strong stats with second-time starters. Kimura sticks. 4-Bottom Dollar was third behind Lena Lindgard in the aforementioned June 21 sprint and now switches to the hot hand of jockey Tiago Pereira.
