Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 5-Rassler (Race 5)
Race #1: Selections: 7-2-6
7-Keepmesane holds the experience edge over most of these colts with a non-threatening fifth-place finish on debut on May 24. The Grazen juvenile moves from the rail to the far outside today and is likely to move forward in start number two. The colt drops from MDSW to $50k maiden claimers, and the O’Neill barn is a solid 4-for-8 (50%) with a $3.15 ROI on this class drop/second-start maneuver at Los Al over the past five years. 2-Swift Appeal (by Om) debuts for trainer Peter Miller off a steady work tab over at San Luis Rey and lures Rosario at first asking. This barn has solid stats with maiden claiming firsters at Los Al—4-for-13 (31%) with a $2.58 ROI. 6-Romanticon is by Grade 1 winner Bodexpress, who gets a strong 18% with his juvenile-debuting prodigy.
Race #2: Selections: 6-5-1
6-Big Refelections rallied belatedly to round out the superfecta when breaking a step slow from the rail on debut May 29. The 4-year-old gelding drops from $50k maiden claimers to today’s $20k level and should appreciate the class relief and move to the far outside in this six-horse lineup. Improvement likely with Rosario taking over the riding assignment. 5-Whynotanotherone makes career try number eight today but exits a solid runner-up at this level and distance on May 24, where he posted a field’s best (73) Beyer. The gelding figures for another favorable upfront-pressing trip. 1-Che (Ire) goes turf to dirt with a pedigree that’s definitely geared towards the sod, but drops in for a first-time tag this afternoon for the top barn and is dangerous if he takes to dirt.
Race #3: Selections: 4-3-2
4-Split’s best finish to date is a well-beaten third, but she drops in class as she makes her dirt debut for conditioner Tim Yakteen. The 3-year-old filly is by Silver State (a Grade 1 winner over the main track), makes her third start of the current form cycle, and switches to the red-hot Rosario. 3-Melba Montgomery goes turf to dirt on the turnback and class plunge, and has trained well enough over the Santa Anita main track to suggest she’ll take to the surface switch. 2-Song and Dance finished an even fifth on the class drop and the move to dirt in last, and is eligible to move forward on a second try at this reduced level, with Payeras getting the return mount.
Race #4: Selections: 6-7-1
The Doug O’Neill-trained 6-Rollinwithpolan scampered to a solid 2 ¾-length gate-to-wire win on the class drop May 29 and looks well-placed for a potential repeat at the same 5 ½-furlong trip. 7-Smokem Ez returned off an extensive layoff to win going away in a well-backed return under the Los Al lights May 30, and has run well over the bigger afternoon layout as well. The lightly raced 1-Crucible rallied nicely between horses late to grab the place spot behind Smokem Ez in last after a sluggish start while returning off a seven-month hiatus. The 3-year-old colt galloped out sharply past the wire and is likely to move forward off that encouraging effort returning to the afternoon layout.
Race #5: Selections: 5-1-2
5-Rassler has enough early zip to clear this field from the start in what appears (at least on paper) to be a pace-less affair. The 5-time winner exits back-to-back seconds going 4 ½ furlongs on the evening program and ran third in his lone try over the bigger afternoon layout. 1-Carol’s Comic exits a subpar seventh in last but now goes first off the claim for trainer Genaro Vallejo with this oval likely in mind with that recent acquisition. The 7-year-old gelding has finished second twice from five tries over this strip and switches to Payeras, who has had good success at this venue. 2-Mischief’s King was a game 11-1 upset winner at this trip over the evening program on May 9, co-topping the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer. This gelding has hit the board in 18 of 28 lifetime tries and looks to parlay his recent success back to the bigger Los Al layout.
Race #6: Selections: 4-6-8
4-Comanche Gal lost all realistic chance when getting badly pinched while trying to split runners during a strong middle move, losing several lengths to last after the mishap. The 6-year-old mare returns to the afternoon layout where she finished a solid second on debut back in the summer of 2024. A recent bullet four furlongs in :47 flat on June 14 indicates she remains razor-sharp for the third try in the form cycle. The 1-for-24 6-Selsae drops off a wide, non-threatening fifth and shortens back up to a sprint today after a series of route tries. Her recent main-track speed figures make her somewhat of a threat here. 8-Duchess Cat steps up to face winners off the recent June 6 4 ½-furlong maiden win under the lights, and that score just might have been the confidence builder needed to improve again against a suspect group.
Race #7: Selections: 6-5-4
6-Senora Gobernadora (by Governor Charlie) gets a cozy outside draw and need not be much to be a threat at first-asking. This barn has done exceptionally well on the evening program. 5-Island Splash hinted at potential solid early zip with post-race bullet four-furlong gate drill on June 13 but barn 0-for-11 with firsters over this racetrack. 4-Glorys Morning was no threat when dismissed at 61-1 on debut, finishing eighth and last, but now drops in for a tag in start number two and can improve.
Race #8: Selections: 4-1-3
The Peter Miller-trained 4-Perfect Smile returns off a 10-month layoff, having finished second or third in three of four lifetime tries. The 4-year-old daughter of Mitole lures Rosario off the bench for an excellent layoff barn. Her stablemate 1-Blame It On Abby goes turf to dirt on the class drop, second off the bench, and has already proven she can handle the bigger afternoon layout with a runner-up try last August. 3-Beauty Jenny makes career try number 11 this afternoon but has three seconds and a third in her last five starts under the Los Al lights. She steps up in class for the return to the afternoon layout, but is in sharp form and may only need the right setup to finally break through.
Race #9: Selections: 5-1-6
5-Coach Cronin is in serious top form, having won three straight and four of his last five starts for conditioner Bob Hess. He steps up in class for his initial stakes try but seems to hold a distinct early-pace advantage over the rest of the field and may prove difficult to run down on a course he’s proven to like. 1-Speedy Wilson has posted a 100 Beyer on two occasions for trainer Phil D’Amato and exits a solid runner-up finish to repeat winner Big City Lights. The 4-year-old colt stretches out to a mile today but gets a cozy inside draw and should be able to work out a ground-saving trip. The hard-knocking 8-year-old gelding 6-None Above the Law goes turf to dirt for trainer Peter Miller, exiting a game nose win on June 13, and has proven he likes this main track, having won multiple times there.
