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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 10-Mirinda (Race 8)

Race #1: Selections: 1-8-7

1-Fireman Dan was sandwiched between a pair of today’s returning rivals when finishing fourth on Aug. 23 at DMR and now goes second off the claim for conditioner Vann Belvoir. The 6-year-old gelding ran well in both local appearances over this afternoon’s strip and should get a favorable ground-saving journey from the fence. Another recent claiming purchase, 8-Joint Venture, goes out for the Ron Ellis barn, exiting a sharp gate-to-wire score on Aug. 16, going today’s one-mile trip. This five-time winning gelding sports the field’s best last-out Beyer (82). Two sprints to a route 7-Doo Wop Don makes his second try off the bench and first for trainer Andy Mathis. The 7-year-old’s best races have come at a mile.

Race #2: Selections: 6-3-7

Race two is a highly competitive 1X $40k optional claimer with several different directions you can potentially go. A proven multiple winner over the evening program, 6-Code Duello ran well in his lone try over today’s afternoon layout and looks like the speed of the speed for trainer Craig Dollase. He is, however, 0-for-3 going 6 ½ panels, and stamina is a concern. 3-Vancougar lost all chance when losing his rider in his most recent grass sprint try on Aug. 16, when making his second start off the extended layoff. This gelding ran well over the course in his lone try and switches to Fresu today, who has run extremely well for these connections. 7-Concorde Bridge goes turf to dirt on the turnback for trainer Ron Ellis while making his Los Al debut. This 4-year-old has run some of the fastest main track Beyers in the field if he can replicate those efforts over this venue.

Race #3: Selections: 8-6-3

8-Bazooka Charlie is a logical win threat off his pair of consecutive (58) dirt Beyers when finishing ahead of both main contenders, Tee N Off and Horizon Wildcat, on Aug. 23. 6-Tee N Off adds blinkers this afternoon and was a well-beaten fourth in his lone start over this course, facing better. 3-Horizon Wildcat is a nine-start maiden who has hit the board in half his lifetime starts and is a cozy fit Beyer-wise. The gelding has lacked the winning stretch punch, however.

Race #4: Selections: 7-9-3

7-Littlebrotherjoey gets blinkers back on today while exiting back-to-back fourth place efforts going a furlong shorter over the evening program. The gelding is 0-for-5 over the afternoon layout but fired a sharp bullet five furlongs on Sept. 4 over this strip and could prove tough to reel in with an alert break. 9-Navy Man hasn’t been out in nearly three months, when last seen racing over this strip back on June 20, but has trained steadily over at Del Mar this summer. The Steve Knapp-trained gelding drops in for a career-low claiming tag today. The late closing 3-Rogue Son makes his second start at today’s reduced $6,250 claiming level for conditioner Craig Lewis and has run well over this course in the past, including crossing the wire first (before being Dq’d to third for interference) back in December of last year.

Race #5: Selections: 8-1-9

Class dropping 8-Shes Just Fluffy appears quick enough to clear this field early on and has run well over this course in the past. A solid gate-to-wire threat with an alert break. 1-Rhythm Girl was overmatched in the last two tries at Del Mar but was a winner over this course three back and gets some class relief this afternoon. 9-Moochie Girl hasn’t shown much in both her Southern California starts at Del Mar since arriving from Kentucky, but takes a significant class drop today for new conditioner Jesus Uranga and is eligible to improve.

Race #6: Selections: 2-1-6

A winner two-back against the $10k claiming level, 2-Western Avenue drops in for a career-low tag today, exiting a recent sixth against allowance foes on Aug. 29 at DMR.  The gelded son of American Pharoah sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (65) and should prove too tough for this overmatched field. 1-Stan From Malibu is a multiple winner over this course and distance and was a winner when last trying this level three back. 6-My Bucket List has shown very little in his last three tries but adds blinkers today, drops in class, and owns the field’s best late pace figure in a race that’s projected to be run fairly swiftly early on. He’s one to use in the underneath vertical exotics at a likely big number.

Race #7: Selections: 4-8-3

The lightly raced 4-Jack Fish has a win and two seconds in three career starts for Miller and returns to dirt today. He opened up a substantial lead on debut over this course before tiring to finish second back on July 6 and figures to be a handful with Fresu taking over this afternoon. 8-Yo Time finished a wide fourth as the tepid favorite when returning off a nine-month layoff at Del Mar on July 4. The D’Amato-trained gelding was a 12-1 upset winner over this course last June and has trained well here in recent weeks. 3-Piper’s Causeway adds blinkers and returns to dirt, where he’s done his best work for trainer Jesus Uranga. The 5-year-old gelding finished a bang-up second in his lone try over this course.

Race #8: Selections 10-7-1

Turf to dirt 10-Mirinda has good early speed to coincide with today’s outside draw and was a solid second over this course three back. The Mitole filly switches to Kimura this afternoon and appears to be a solid gate-to-wire threat. 7-Goodnight Nellie scampered away by 3 ½ lengths the last time she ran over this course three back when claimed for $25k and returns to dirt today after a pair of grass sprints at Del Mar. 1-Hurricane Layla drops out of the competitive Fleet Treat S. (produced three next-out winners) into this softer spot this afternoon and was a 4-5 beaten favorite over this racetrack against a pair of today’s returning rivals.

Race #9: Selections 3-2-6

3-Man O Rose was an impressive 8-length winner of this event a year ago for conditioner Jeff Mullins and looks primed for the potential repeat returning off a 10-month freshening. The 5-year-old gelded son of Stanford has won seven of 14 career tries, has solid early zip, and will look to bottom out this field with regular pilot Edwin Maldonado back aboard. 2-Stamp My Passport was a solid 6-1 winner over the course on July 4 with a (86) Beyer for Powell and has trained steadily since that top effort. 6-Left Hand Man has won two straight and goes first off the claim for trainer Peter Miller, who has done well with recent acquisitions over this racetrack.

Race #10: Selections 6-7-9

Class dropping 6-Distant Fleet holds a double Beyer advantage over the rest of this field and was a good second in his lone try over this tricky layout. The Stay Thirsty sophomore is expected to be hustled along from the get-go, and looms a strong gate-to-wire threat with an alert break at a short price. 7-Standard of Proof drops to a career-low this afternoon on the turnback for a new barn as he struggles to find the right level since shipping west. This could be it. 9-One Big Smile is 1 for 20 but has several underneath finishes to his credit and projects to be forwardly placed in the weak Saturday afternoon nightcap.