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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 6-Tiger of the Sea (Race 3)

Race #1: Selections: 2-6-3

2-Invincible goes turf to dirt on the turnback and substantial class drop, and was a winner in his lone try over this course. The Ryan Hanson-trained gelding is the class of this field and should win the Saturday opener at short odds. 6-Infamous Angel has run well on both the afternoon and evening Los Al programs, hitting the board in seven straight. 3-Unbreakable Trust was beaten by double digits in the last pair, but drops in for a career-low claiming tag and was a winner at this 5 ½-furlong trip against better over this strip three back.

Race #2: Selections: 2-4-6

2-Rousing Jewel kicked away to a 3 ¾-length win against $6,250 claimers at Santa Anita going six panels on Oct. 25, posting the field’s best last-out Beyer (62). The six-time winning 5-year-old mare returned to drill four furlongs in :47 flat on Nov. 28, and appears well-spotted for the potential repeat. A winner over this track back in June, 4-Rythem Girl slashes her claiming tag in half and figures to fall into a favorable stalking trip. 6-Sensational Z Z has good speed from an outside draw but has proven more effective going shorter on the evening layout.

Race #3: Selections: 6-5-2

Blinkers on 6-Tiger of the Sea has shown ability in all three turf sprint tries for trainer Brian Koriner and should have little trouble transitioning to dirt. The sophomore filly is by Smiling Tiger, who gets 16% with dirt sprint starters, and she’s trained well over the Santa Anita main track. 5-Joyful Mischief makes career try number 14 this afternoon, but has hit the board in six of those tries, including a good second two back over this racetrack. She continues to work well over the local footing, firing three straight bullets. 2-Grainne O’Malley hasn’t been out in nearly 16 months, but the daughter of Sir Prancealot broke her maiden over this course and has trained steadily over this strip for her return to action.

Race #4: Selections: 5-6-4

5-Boundless Optimist has not been out in eight months but showed one good and one subpar try over the evening program for Hollendorfer, and has trained steadily over local footing in recent weeks. 6-Money Mitch has yet to hit the board in three starts for conditioner Jeff Bonde, but removes the blinkers on the class drop, shortens back up to a sprint, and lands in a weak lineup. Blinkers off 4-Unbridleddaviddoro makes his second start off the 13-month layoff and first try over the afternoon layout after finishing an even fourth on Nov. 16. The former Belterra and Horseshoe Indianapolis runner looks to find the right competitive level.

Race #5: Selections: 1-10-4

1-Desert Kat did little running at Del Mar in his most recent start back in August, but rallied for the runner-up spot on debut over the evening program in a short field July 20. The newly gelded juvenile from the Papaprodromou barn has had a few months to regroup for his new connections and could come out running. 10-Kiki Ride has yet to hit the board in four starts, but shortens back up to a sprint on the class drop and has run some of the fastest Beyers in this field. 4-Matts Advisor flashed speed and tired when facing a similar $20k maiden claiming group in his first Southern California start just 8 days ago, and is eligible to improve off that effort for trainer Tim McCanna.

Race #6: Selections: 6-7-1

6-Track Tiger goes turf to dirt and drops out of the G3 Cecil B. Demille into this softer spot for team O’Neill and has already proven he can handle dirt and this racetrack. The Sharp Azteca juvenile continues to train well in the a.m. The Peter Miller-trained 7-Very Quiet was a wide trip, non-threatening sixth in his most recent try at Del Mar back on Oct. 18, but returns to the Los Al afternoon course, where he kicked away by 3 ½-lengths for the maiden win two back. 1-Italio has not run well in his last two grass tries, but gets back to the main track today and broke his maiden on debut over the Los Al afternoon course at 23-1 back in June.

Race #7: Selections: 4-8-2

The Bob Baffert-firster 4-Greenwich Village is a $350K September Keeneland purchase by multiple G1 winner Quality Road. The juvenile colt has trained well over the local footing, and this lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 5 for 11 (45%) and 10-for-11 ITM with debut runners at Los Al the past four years. His stablemate, 8-Falcon Jet, is a pricey $750k son of Justify who has hit the board in all four tries and returns to sprinting on dirt, where he has run his best two races. 2-Sterling Sea returns as a first-time gelding off the four-month freshening for D’Amato while making his initial dirt try. The Union Rags juvenile is likely to show more speed this afternoon on the surface change and turnback, and picks up Kimura.

Race #8: Selections: 6-1-3

Trainer Bob Baffert has won the G2 Starlet a record 11 times and looks primed to take another with three fillies entered here. The edge of the trio goes to recent maiden winner 6-Nimah, who kicked away to an impressive score on debut at Del Mar on Nov. 30 and is bred (by Gun Runner) to relish two turns. Hernandez landed here while seemingly having his choice. Her stablemate, 1-Himika, disappointed in her lone route try despite her two-turn breeding, but owns the most experience of this group, and that should serve her well in this spot. Baffert’s third filly, 3-Consequent (by Into Mischief), did not earn a lofty Beyer figure (56) when winning her Nov. 14 one-mile debut, but rallied nicely while wide for the score from far back and should have little difficulty negotiating an additional sixteenth of a mile.

Race #9: Selections: 9-3-2

Second off, the claim 9-Jaguar Jon returns to the main track this afternoon, where he’s done his best work for trainer Andy Mathis. This barn is a sharp 12 for 33 (36%) with this claiming angle the past four years, and this gelding’s ability to sit and pounce should serve him well in this spot. 3-The Big Cheeseola is a 5-year-old gelding, but is in arguably the best form of his career, exiting back-to-back wins at Santa Anita with two of his best lifetime Beyers. 2-Mr. Machupicchu is only 1-for-21 lifetime but has had several ITM finishes and figures for another favorable upfront pressing trip. He finished second to top choice Jaguar Jon three back at Del Mar.