Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 8-Ace Ace Baby (Race 4)
Race #1: 1-Andiamo Ragazza was a sharp 3 ½-length Maiden winner on grass at Golden Gate on her May 18 debut for Team Miller. The daughter of multiple grade 1 winner Smiling Tiger should handle dirt as well. 4-Prancingtheruparis lost all chance as the heavy favorite when stumbling badly at the start when last seen back in March. She’s eligible to improve on the class drop and mini-freshening. 3-Wishtheyallcouldbe sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (73) off a recent runner-up finish at this level on May 25. The 5-time winning 6-year-old mare adds blinkers and makes the third start of the form cycle this afternoon for trainer Hector Palma.
Selections: 1-4-3
Race #2: 6-Ila Veiw Too takes a sizable class drop off back-to-back OK tries going a 1,000 yards over the shorter evening program layout. Tepid vote in wide open race. 3-Warren’s Show Biz hasn’t been out in seven months but has had decent success picking up checks over this course (4-0-3-0). Recent five-length Maiden winner on the evening program 1-Plum Creek has speed and the rail but appears susceptible stretching out another two furlongs.
Selections: 6-3-1
Race #3: 6-I Have a Dream (by grade 1 winner Idiot Proof) is nicely drawn outside for conditioner Luis Mendez. This sire is a strong 7 for 35 (20%) with his 2-year-old debuting prodigy, and this barn can certainly fire with a firster. 3-Coralgableskaylin is wheeled back on a short rest after an encouraging second-place finish last Saturday at Santa Anita. Team O’Neill has solid stats with horses returning quickly, and jockey Edwin Maldonado has the return mount. The improving 1-Swift Harmony has flashed speed in both career starts thus for conditioner Jorge Periban and owns the experience edge over several of these. The best last-out Beyer (58) adds to the appeal.
Selections: 6-3-1
Race #4: 8-Ace Ace Baby, with speed and a favorable outside draw off a solid second-place finish at this level on June 8, is a 3-year-old filly going first off the claim for trainer Jorge Periban, who (despite the small sample) is 2 for 3 (67%) with a lofty $16.67 ROI with new barn acquisitions at Los Al. 1-Bruins Mastery, despite not being out in 10 months, has trained well for today’s return to action while meeting softer and this barn has had good success bringing horses back off extended breaks. 2-Dixie Blaze, exiting a strong runner-up try under the lights on June 2 for Knapp, fits well here.
Selections: 8-1-2
Race #5: 6-Worth Looking drops in class, making his second start off the three-month freshening, and figures to be forwardly placed again this afternoon. The gelding has run well over this course in the past. 7-Stormy Samurai owns the field’s best last-out Beyer (71) off a recent runner-up finish against slightly better on June 8. A logical fit if he can run back to that figure. 1-Whoa Buddy exits a win over the evening program on June 1 and posted a 23-1 upset when last seen over the bigger Los Al layout last December. The veteran 10-year-old gelding would be the beneficiary of a contested early-pace meltdown.
Selections: 6-7-1
Race #6: A beaten favorite in the last pair, the lightly-raced 2-Crypto Craze goes first off the claim for trainer Sergio Morfin and figures to be on or close to the lead this afternoon. 3-Pop d’Oro slices his claiming tag in half off the mini-freshening and shows a sharp five-furlong drill in :59.4 on June 14 in preparation for this. The 4-year-old gelding would simply crush these if able to run back to that (83) Beyer earned two-back. 6-Petesoldfashioned is unproven over this course but goes second off the claim for Knapp who is a strong 6 for 24 (25%) with $2.69 ROI the past five years at Los Al.
Selections: 2-3-6
Race #7: 3-Dothraki (by Into Mischief) is a $600K Keeneland purchase for Team Baffert, who comes in here off a spirited work tab. The 3-year-old colt should be ultra-tough if he runs to his morning drills. His stablemate 5-Marsh Creek goes turf to dirt in career start number two off a troubled trip fifth in his May 5 unveiling. The Arrogate sophomore removes the blinkers today and fired a “best of 43” five-furlong bullet since that last debut try. 2-Schwarzmeier hasn’t been out in seven months for Sadler but has worked well for a good layoff barn and figures to come out running off the break.
Selections: 3-5-2
Race #8: 6-Indy’s Star goes turf to dirt on the cutback for trainer Leonard Powell, exiting two recent sharp grass efforts and has a solid record over this course (5-1-2-0). Her stablemate, 1-Court Snort, is also moving back to dirt off a third-place grass finish over at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where she came up just a neck short. That May 22 event has produced a pair of next-out winners. 5-Woodbine Way has speed, adds blinkers this afternoon, and will be making her second start off the claim for conditioner Lorenzo Campuzano.
Selections: 6-1-5
Race #9: 3-Cowboy Mike was a neck shy of winning three straight for Baffert when finishing second on May 4 when posting the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (94). The 4-year-old gelding is proven over this course and has continued to train exceptionally well in his a.m. drills. 6-Lovesick Blues finished a good second in this event last year and ran well in his most recent turf sprint start on June 7. The 6-year-old gelding has never been off the board over this course. 1-Don’t Fight the Fed moves back to the main track where he was a 3 ¼-length winner two-back. He defeated the top choice when breaking his Maiden at Del Mar back in July of last year.
Selections: 3-6-1
