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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 4-Cathal (Race 10)

Race #1: Selections: 7-4-8

7-Cash in Toknight, one of two O’Neill-trained fillies entered in the Sunday opener, finished a solid wide third in her Aug. 21 turf sprint debut at DMR and now switches to the Los Al main track for career try number two. This daughter of Pavel is likely to move forward off that encouraging effort for a barn that’s 5 for 21 (24%) the past five years with second-time starters over this circuit. Trainer Peter Miller also sends out a pair of runners. 4-Blame it On Abby goes turf to dirt on the turnback, and both of her first two efforts over the DMR dirt sprinting have produced competitive figures for this field. 8-Whopper Factor (by G1 winner Cistron) has flashed good early zip in her a.m. drills at San Luis Rey, is nicely drawn outside, and this sire is 1-for-1 with debuting offspring according to DRF Formulator.

Race #2: Selections: 5-3-1

5-Feisty Mitole has won back-to-back races over the Los Al evening program and now steps up off the Charlie Treece Sept. 7 claim. This 4-year-old filly exhibits commanding speed and will aim to extend that quickness an additional furlong. 3-Coldasice is an interesting Oaklawn shipper for trainer Kelly Balnum, making her local unveiling. The daughter of Frosted has trained well at San Luis Rey for her Southern California debut off the six-month freshening. 1-Princess Daddy is winless since her August 2024 debut (14 races ago), but drops in for a career-low claiming tag and is wheeled back on short rest for conditioner Hector Palma.

Race #3: Selections: 3-6-5

3-Wild Recruit has speed and goes first off the claim for conditioner Bob Hess on the stretch-out. The 4-year-old gelded son of Nyquist will be making his third start of the form cycle this afternoon and is a solid gate-to-wire threat. Class dropping 6-It’s a Factor is winless in roughly 13 months, but sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (79) and deserves consideration on that factor alone. 5-Mighty Kai is unproven over this course but gets some class relief this afternoon, exiting a recent fourth at DMR behind It’s a Factor going this trip on Aug. 29.

Race #4: Selections: 5-7-2

5-Uffda has been equally effective on both Los Al courses and looks quickest off the blocks in this 5 ½-furlong sprint. The 4-year-old filly may prove tough to reel in with an alert break and some separation. 7-Lady of Sky was beaten by double digits in the last pair of subpar efforts, but returns to Los Al, where she’s a perfect 2-for-2 and goes first off the claim for conditioner Librado Barocio, who is coming off an excellent seaside DMR meet. A bounce-back effort is probable. 2-Auditory exits a beaten favorite third going 1,000 yards over the evening program on Sept. 6, but was a solid rallying runner-up over the bigger layout three back with a (65) Beyer. The filly gets the hot hand of Edgar Payeras.

Race #5: Selections: 2-6-7

2-Carmen Miranda finished a tiring fifth and last in a short field off the 15-month hiatus on Aug. 22 and drops her claiming tag in half after being snagged by the Knapp barn. Not an encouraging sign, but she shortens up in distance today and will likely try to make one big run late. The 6-year-old mare has won twice over this course from three tries. Now a perfect 2-for-2 over the course, 6-Liquid Spirit wheels back quickly off her recent gate-to-wire victory just 9 days ago for Team O’Neill and appears to be a strong repeat candidate. Class dropping 7-Act of Serendipity exits a pair of 1,000-yard tries over the evening program while making her third start of the bench this afternoon for conditioner Genaro Vallejo. A multiple winner over this course, this mare is reunited with her winning pilot today and should get some pace to run into late.

Race #6: Selections: 6-7-1

A recent maiden winner over this course last Sunday, the O’Neill-trained 6-A. P. Again returns quickly to face winners sporting the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (69). Jockey Kyle Frey sticks looking for the repeat. 7-Opus Uno exits a 4 ½-length $50k maiden claiming win at DMR on Sept. 5 when making her first start in Southern California for trainer Peter Miller. The Vino Rosso gelding fits well here and was Gonzalez’s choice of the barn’s pair of runners. Her stablemate, 1-Very Quiet, is also wheeled back on short rest after her maiden score last Saturday afternoon and is a solid repeat candidate if he can negotiate a similar trip from off the pace. The Instagrand gelding must get past today’s tricky rail draw, however.

Race #7: Selections: 7-3-4

7-Tina Turner (by Grazen) has worked swiftly for her 3-year-old unveiling for trainer Steve Knapp, including back-to-back bullets over at DMR consisting of a “best of 57” four furlongs in : 46.4 on Sept. 5. She’s nicely drawn outside. Her stablemate, 3-Timekeeper’s Charm, is an obvious fit following her recent runner-up finish at Del Mar on Aug. 9, where she posted a (68) dirt Beyer. 4-Penny Worth goes turf to dirt for D’Amato on the turnback and should improve with the surface switch. She’s by Tough Sunday, who gets a strong 27% with his dirt sprint runners.

Race #8: Selections 7-6-1

A maiden breaker over this course, 7-Shop Till You Drop returns off a five-month freshening for Baltas off a voided claim back in April and has trained smartly in the interim. Any of her last three dirt sprint efforts and figures would be fast enough to win this for a good layoff barn. 6-Ready Jet Go has done most of her running on turf over her career, but hasn’t exactly been disgraced when she’s run over this course from limited tries and drops in for a career-low claiming tag today. The Dean Pederson-trained 1-Anna’s Wish hasn’t been out in roughly 13 months, but has trained steadily for today’s return to action, and this barn is more than capable of winning off an extended freshening.

Race #9: Selections 9-4-2

9-Only After Midnite has been outrun in most of her starts to date, but takes a sizable class plunge from MDSW to $12,500 maiden claimers this afternoon for conditioner Phil D’Amato and should improve second off the bench. The filly goes second time Lasix today and gets a good outside post. 4-Heartfull of Joy opened up a big lead against this level last week before tiring late and settling for second. The speedy filly makes her third start off the bench today and may prove tough to reel in late. 2-Free Nomination has improved with each subsequent start for conditioner Steve Miyadi and finished a good closing third behind Heartfull of Joy last Saturday afternoon.

Race #10: Selections 4-10-9

The late-closing 4-Cathal makes his initial dirt try in 15 career efforts and goes first off the claim for his new low-profile connections. In a race that’s projected to be run swiftly early on, this 4-year-old gelding should be motoring home late in this long stretch and is a possible upsetter in the closing race of the six-day stand. The Miller-trained 10-Clooney makes his second start off the year layoff when finishing a sharp runner-up on Aug. 23 at DMR and is a logical fit with any normal second off the bench progression.  Fresu sticks. 9-Leading is one of two gelding’s from Team O’Neill. This son of Uncle Mo returns off a 13-month layoff and hasn’t been seen since being claimed for $62,500 from the Repole Stable. He’s trained sharply locally and is likely to come out running with jockey Kyle Frey.