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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 2-Lovin On the Run (Race 6)

Race #1: Selections: 3-1-6

3-Moonlit Courage goes two sprints to a route today for trainer Richard Mandella and ran above par for this class level with her third-place finish at Santa Anita three back. The sophomore filly removes the blinkers today and should relish two turns being by Omaha Beach (16% dirt routers). 1-Gemadini has yet to hit the board, but moves back to dirt on the significant class drop for team O’Neill and figures to be aggressively handled with the rail draw by Maldonado. The 0-for-10 6-Makenarita has only one other dirt try for the Papaprodromou barn, but drops from $50k maiden claimers down to today’s $20k level and makes her second try off the mini-freshening. Improvement is likely for a jockey-trainer combo that has had good success from limited starts.

Race #2: Selections: 6-1-5

6-Man Child was overmatched in the last pair but drops to a more fitting level this afternoon and is reunited with his winning pilot, Edwin Maldonado. The 5-time winner has run well on this course and figures to get a favorable stalking trip. 1-Night Time has won three straight and has been freshened since his win over this course Sept. 20, a race that has since produced three next-out winners. The veteran 8-year-old deserves another long look to make it four straight. 5-Zombo Bombo exits a pair of sharp efforts at Del Mar and Santa Anita. The 4-year-old gelding returned with a solid four-furlong drill on Dec. 8 and sports the field’s best last-out Beyer (79)—par for this $16k claiming level.

Race #3: Selections: 2-3-5

The late closing 2-Ashleys Sandcastle has run 17 straight on turf, but picks up the hot hand of Kazushi Kimura for the top barn, and her recent a.m. drills over this course have been strong, clearly proving she likes it here. Upset candidate. 3-Mayacama goes turf to dirt for trainer Jeff Mullins and has proven to be equally effective on both surfaces throughout her 11-race stint. The 4-year-old filly has never routed on dirt but is expected to be on or near the lead this afternoon with Hernandez. 5-Hey Demps also moves back to the main track while racing almost exclusively on grass, but has proven she can handle the main track and enters here today in solid form after changing barns multiple times via claim since the summer.

Race #4: Selections: 4-6-5

The speedy 4-Code Duello has run well on both the afternoon and evening Los Al programs, winning four of his last six tries for conditioner Craig Dollase. The 7-year-old gelding figures to be sent along from the get-go today by Payeras and try to wire this group. 6-Gypsy Tears steps up in class today but is a perfect 2-for-2 over this course and should prove tough despite the class hike if able to replicate that last (81) Beyer at Del Mar going 6 ½ furlongs. 5-So I’m Told was a sharp runner-up over this track Dec. 5, facing softer, and will likely relish the shortening up from a mile to seven furlongs.

Race #5: Selections: 3-6-7

Two sprints to a route 3-Victoria’s Jewel has flashed improved speed and improved since dropping to this level in her last pair, and is bred to handle two turns successfully. Her sire, Win the Space, is 5-2-1-0 (40%) with dirt route runners from a small sample. 6-Big Coin (by Clubhouse Ride) was an odds-on beaten favorite second over this course three-back and may appreciate today’s stretch out. 7-Royally Unstable has done little running for the O’Neil barn, but in her defense, she has been facing better, and should find today’s class relief helpful.

Race #6: Selections: 2-6-5

Turf to dirt 2-Lovin’ On the Run is a perfect 2-for-2 over this racetrack and this afternoon’s 6 ½-furlong trip for conditioner Doug O’Neill. The 5-year-old Runhappy mare kicked away to a decisive 5 ¼-length rally when last seen here two back with a lofty (83) Beyer. 6-Current Affair has only one other prior dirt start but makes her second try off the bench today, and has trained well over the local footing, including a bullet four-furlongs in :47.3 on Dec. 5. 5-Wishtheyallcouldbe has not been seen since Aug. 3, but this hard-hitting mare is an ultra-consistent and reliable runner, having at least hit the superfecta in 13 straight. She’s a must include for both the horizontal and vertical exotics.

Race #7: Selections: 2-3-8

2-P Town Prancer moves back to dirt on the turnback after flashing good early zip in his most recent grass route try at Del Mar and now makes his third start of the form cycle for Hernandez and O’Neill. 3-Road Rules (by multiple G1 winner Street Sense) makes his 3-year-old debut for the Sadler barn off some solid a.m. drills. This gelding may be overbet, however, considering this barn is 0-for-6 with Maiden Claiming firsters at Los Al and Street Sense gets an ordinary 10% with 3-year-old & up debut runners. 8-Soi Ngern hasn’t been out in nearly a year but returns as a first-time gelding for a tag today and has hit the board in six of seven lifetime starts.

Race #8: Selections: 2-5-3

2-Auditory has run well in both the afternoon and evening programs for trainer Antonio Flores, with two wins and a pair of runner-up tries in her last four starts, and looms the filly to beat again off her most-recent field’s best (72) Beyer at Del Mar on Nov. 24. A multiple winner over the track and distance 5-Uffda returns to the bigger layout today as today’s likely frontrunner but has ben beaten by the top choice on multiple occasions the past several months. First off the claim 3-Rousing Jewel just missed in her most recent try over this course, Dec. 6, when coming up a nose shy and now returns protected for conditioner George Lopez. This barn is 3-for-9 (44%) with a lofty $5.53 ROI with new acquisitions the past two years.

Race #9: Selections: 1-2-8

1-Flamingo Star makes her second start for a tag this afternoon, putting blinkers back on off the mini-freshening, and switches to Kimura. The lone filly in the field  has enough tactical early speed to position herself in this race early on, which may prove key. 2-In the Mix drops in for a career-low $30k tag today for Team O’Neill and has posted some of the fastest dirt Beyers in this field. This jockey-trainer combo is 3-for-12 (25%) and 8-for-12 ITM when teamed up over this course. 8-One Step Beyond has hit the board in five of six lifetime starts for trainer Jorge Periban and may have finally found a field he can handle. He will need some pace to run into, however, and it is tough to endorse him on the win end.

Race #10: Selections: 3-2-7

3-Can’t Help Myself has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent start for team O’Neill and exits a field’s best (75) on Halloween with a third in the seven-furlong Golden State Juvenile S over a trio of today’s returning rivals. The Violence juvenile has trained well since that effort and is reunited with winning rider, Hector Berrios. 2-Smoovin Saturday rallied for the one-mile 9-1 upset maiden score on debut and now switches to the barn of Jonathan Thomas off that tally. The son of I’ll Have Another figures to move forward off that encouraging unveiling. The maiden 7-John Metcalfe exits back-to-back runner-up efforts and was second behind Smoovin Saturday in his most recent try, Nov. 16. The juvenile colt makes his third start of the form cycle today and retains Hernandez for his stakes try.