Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 4-Wishtheyallcouldbe (Race 3)
Race #1: Selections: 1-4-3
1-Dangerous Affair goes turf to dirt and makes the third start of the form cycle this afternoon for conditioner Mark Glatt. This 3-year-old filly is by Violence, who gets a solid 17% with his sprint dirt prodigy, and this gal projects to trip out nicely from the rail. The Peter Miller-trained 4-Hot Day is by St. Patrick’s Day, who is (13-2-1-0) with 3-year-old & up first-time starters. This barn is a strong 6 for 24 (25%) at Los Al the past four years with debut runners and this gal’s work tab is solid. 3-Guitar Girl has consistently picked up checks at this level without breaking through but did finish second over this racetrack three-back at today’s same 5 ½-furlong trip.
Race #2: Selections: 5-2-1
5-Crypto Craze was a sharp winner going 1,000 yards on the evening program on Nov. 23, and is a multiple victor over the bigger afternoon layout as well. The lightly raced 4-year-old gelding has good positional speed to work out another favorable trip. 2-Excessive Cat flashed good speed to finish second behind the top choice in the aforementioned Nov. 23 event and now makes his second start off the extended layoff. It would be no surprise if the 7 for 16 gelding reverses that decision. 1-Good Vibes Only got squeezed and bumped at the start in his most recent try over the track on Dec. 8 and now slashes his claiming tag in half off of that effort. The gelding ran par (74) for this level two-back.
Race #3: Selections 4-1-2
The ultra-consistent 4-Wishtheyallcouldbe has shown the ability to sit and pounce, which should serve her well in this spot based on the amount of early zip signed on. The Hector Palma re-claim co-tops the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (75) and is projected to get an advantageous stalking journey. 1-Unwritten Code steps up in class off a sharp turf sprint win at Del Mar on Nov. 15 and has run exceptionally well over this main track in his two prior attempts. The 5-year-old mare has good speed from the rail. 2-Dial a Friend was a decisive 2 ¾ length winner in his most recent start on Nov. 24 at Del Mar and now makes his first start off the Jesus Mendoza claim. This barn has solid numbers with their new barn acquisitions, and this filly was a blowout debut Maiden winner over this course.
Race #4: Selections: 3-5-6
3-King Apollo exits a pair of subpar grass route efforts but gets back on the Los Al main track this afternoon and is eligible to bounce back for the Papaprodromou barn. This 5-year-old gelding just missed by a nose over this course at a mile with a lofty (90) Beyer speed figure three-back. The Mark Glatt re-claim 5-Clampett has a win and two runner-up finishes in his last three starts and is a logical contender again at this level. 6-Man Child is the stablemate to King Apollo and exits a sharp win at Del Mar versus softer on Nov. 30. His two efforts over this course were solid.
Race #5: Selections: 5-4-3
5-Beau Soleil defeated several of these off his recent runner-up try when returning off a three-month freshening for conditioner Bob Hess and figures to be much tighter today, making his second start off the layoff. This 3-year-old filly notched a solid off-the-pace win over this racetrack in her lone try at Los Al and is likely to fall into a similar trip this afternoon. 4-Isabel Ludlow returned to her winning ways when back sprinting on dirt on Nov. 10, and Hernandez sticks here looking for the repeat. 3-Chevy Girl finished fifth in her only other try over the bigger Los Al layout but arrives here in super form with a series of sharp ITM finishes under the lights going 1,000 yards.
Race #6: Selections: 6-3-2
Turf to dirt 6-The Scent drops to the bottom $20k Maiden Claiming level after a series of starts against better competition at Del Mar and Santa Anita. He’s bred to relish dirt and may have found a soft field he can handle. 3-They’renotlikeus is the new face in a weak lineup for trainer Peter Miller. His sire, Governor Charlie, is only 1 for 19 with a 3-year-old & up debuting prodigy, but this barn is a strong 5 for 11 (45%) with a $3.95 ROI with Maiden Claiming debut runners at Los Al the past four years. 2-Kissmeyoufool ran his best effort over this course back in July when finishing second with a (57) Beyer. A similar effort makes him a strong contender versus this suspect group.
Race #7: Selections: 5-4-1
5-See Through It takes a substantial class plunge (offered for today’s $100k claiming tag) after facing graded-stakes caliber rivals in his last three tries, including BC Sprint victor Straight No Chaser on Sept. 29. The 10 for 37 gelding has never been off the board over this racetrack (8-4-1-3), and should have the class to run past these late. Horse-for-course 4–Red Cross Knight is (4-1-0) from five starts at Los Al and makes his second start off the bench today for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Returning to dirt at his favorite venue will likely get him back on track. He was a nose game-winner here, two-back with a (90) Beyer. The graded-stakes placed 1-Positivity returns off a 13-month hiatus for a new barn today but has fired well off the bench in the past.
Race #8: Selections: 3-7-4
3-Southern Slang was a beaten favorite here on Dec. 6 when making his first try off the Peter Miller claim after throwing his head at the start and breaking slowly. He raced very wide after that early mishap and tired late. The lightly-raced 3-year-old gelding is wheeled back on short rest and is eligible to bounce back. 7-Midnight Love co-tops the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (70), off a recent second-place finish behind repeat next-out winner Des Doigts. He’ll need some pace to run into late. A beaten favorite in the last 4-Lettheliquortalk returns to Los Al where he was a sharp 2 ½-length winner three-back.
Race #9: Selections: 5-9-2
5-R Heisman was gelded after his most recent runner-up wide closing finish in the Golden State Juvenile Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 1 when finishing in front of several of today’s return rivals. A projected swift early pace by TimeformUS also enhances his chances as this juvenile will likely run by them late for trainer Peter Miller. 9-Call Me Sir is another first-time gelding that’s been freshened since his Oct. 18 Maiden turf win at Santa Anita over a pair of next-out winners. This juvenile’s breeding suggests he’ll handle the main track just fine for trainer Mark Glatt. He poses an upset chance this afternoon at a generous price. 2-Shea Brennan finished third behind the top choice in the aforementioned GSJ Stakes on Nov. 1 but has never been off the board in four career tries for D’Amato and should appreciate today’s stretch-out to a mile.
