Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Miss Watermelon (Race 1)
Race #1: Selections: 2-5-4
2-Miss Watermelon finished a much-improved solid second behind Baffert’s G2-placed Nimah when switched to dirt in career start number two and now stretches back out for the all-important third career try. The gray daughter of Cairo Prince adds Lasix today and fired a recent “best of 49” bullet four furlongs in :46.2 on Dec. 28. 5-Sounds Lucky (a $550k OBS purchase by Tiz the Law) was a wide trip fourth behind both Getting Closer and Wolf Hill on Dec. 12 at Los Al, but stretches back out with the addition of Lasix and is eligible to move forward for Team Baffert, second off the mini-freshening. 4-Wolf Hill goes two sprints to a rout today for conditioner Leonard Powell off a pair of decent main track sprint tries. She adds Lasix and is by Upstart (15% dirt route runners).
Race #2: Selections: 2-3-7
The Ron Ellis-trained 5-year-old mare 2-East Boca Kibbutz has not been seen since her May debut when breaking slowly, quickly rushing up to the lead, and then tiring to finish sixth. She drops considerably in career try number two to today’s $20k maiden claiming level, has trained steadily in recent weeks, and looks like a gate-to-wire threat with an alert break. 3-Molly Jensen goes turf to dirt on the sizable class plunge for Glatt and figures for a favorable upfront pressing trip this afternoon. 7-Tom’s Star makes career try number 12 today, but has finished second in five of her last six starts, mostly at Los Al, and has run dirt Beyers that match up well.
Race #3: Selections: 1-4-6
The speedy 1-A Toast to Lanie takes a huge class drop today for trainer Jeff Mullins after flashing her customary early zip and tiring when returning off a year layoff back in October. The 5-year-old mare is back off another 2 ½-month break, but figures to be aggressively sent from the rail today and should prove tough to reel in at this reduced $10k claiming level. Class dropping 4-Headstrong Ways was a beaten favorite in last, but shortens up from seven panels to today’s 5 ½-furlong trip for trainer Richard Baltas and should fall into a favorable stalking journey. Last out maiden winner 6-Tiger Fire returns off the mini-freshening after kicking away to a solid 3 ¾-length tally back on Oct. 18 over this course and looks well-placed for her first crack against winners. A repeat of that (71) Beyer would make this daughter of Smiling Tiger primed for a potential repeat.
Race #4: Selections: 2-8-9
2-Infinitum rallied for the runner-up spot in an encouraging debut try over a pair of today’s returning rivals for conditioner Mark Glatt, earning a field’s best (78) Beyer. The 4-year-old gelding switches to turf in career try number two and should handle the surface change just fine, being by Grazen (16% grass sprint starters). Hernandez is back in the saddle for the return mount. Trainer Phil D’Amato sends out a pair of 4-year-old gelding contenders that ran against each other and today’s top pick on Nov. 30. 8-Otto’s Magic moves to the grass in his third career start off a pair of decent MDSW tries when flashing speed, sprinting over the Del Mar main track. He is also by Grazen and should handle the surface switch successfully. His stablemate, 9-Maury Wills, finished an encouraging third with a solid (76) Beyer in his unveiling and is dangerous with any normal second-out progression.
Race #5: Selections: 1-5-8
1-Dirty Words turned in an eye-catching performance with a six-length romp at Los Al on Dec. 13 with a career-best (88) Beyer for Team O’Neill, making it two straight. Not sure he can match or improve upon that breakout effort, but is making the third start off the bench. 5-Whats the Buzz is quick out of the gate and likely this afternoon’s pacesetter for trainer Jose Valdez. The 5-year-old is 1-for-17 but has run decently over this main track, including a well-clear second in his most recent try on Nov. 29. 8-Spiritist scampered away to a 6 ¾-length score at Los Al on Dec. 5, earning a career-best Beyer in start number 33. The 6-year-old gelding has yet to put back-to-back wins together and has a 0-for-13 skid at Santa Anita. Tread lightly.
Race #6: Selections: 1-3-7-9
A very competitive optional $50k claiming 1X kicks off the $3 late pick three. 1-Simple Song has shown big early zip and two strong efforts to start his career for trainer Mark Glatt and steps up to face winners this afternoon off his recent Nov. 14 maiden-breaking effort. The Munning’s 4-year-old figures to be hustled along from the rail again today by Kimura. 3-Hawker returned to the main track on the turnback and delivered a flashy 5 ¼-length win at Del Mar on Nov. 24 and now goes first off the claim for trainer Andy Mathis. This barn has solid stats with new acquisitions. The 7-time winning 7-Comedy Town should fall into a favorable pressing trip drawn outside this afternoon off the Nov. 29 Papaprodromou claim. This barn is a strong 8 for 21 (38%) the past five years, with dirt sprint newly acquired purchases at Santa Anita. He finished in front of 9-Red Flag on Nov. 1. The veteran 8-year-old gelding goes first off the Mullins claim, exiting a closing wide fourth, and would likely be the beneficiary of a spirited pace duel early on.
Race #7: Selections: 3-6-1
3-Miz Clubcali finished a tiring sixth and last in her Dec. 14 sprint comeback try at Los Al, but now switches back to turf first off the Steve Knapp claim. The 5-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride has run well over the Santa Anita turf course in the past and is eligible to improve today for her new connections. The ultra-consistent 6-Stop Digging returns to the turf this afternoon for trainer Simon Callaghan off a recent close-up third on Dec. 12 at Los Al. This 5-year-old mare ran well in all three career grass tries the spring of 2024, but usually likes to fill out the underneath vertical exotics, evidenced by her 13-2-7-1 mark. The late-closing 1-Garden Party had little chance with his outside draw in last, but moves to the rail this afternoon and drops back down to the level he has been competitive at in the past. Demuro climbs back aboard.
Race #8: Selections: 4-5-1
4-Gentleman Rancher returns less than two weeks after he finished a decent second after a tardy break in his 1,000-yard Los Al debut for trainer Craig Dollase and now adds blinkers and Lasix for start number two. The 3-year-old gelding does not meet any world beaters in the nightcap and is a solid threat with any normal second-out progression. 5-One Step Beyond makes career try number eight today for conditioner Jorge Periban, adding Lasix for his first try over the Santa Anita main track. The gray Pavel gelding has managed to hit the board in five of seven starts, and perhaps the addition of medication finds him a few extra lengths in deep stretch. 1-Voucher goes route to sprint this afternoon with the addition of blinkers and should be sent along with the rail draw.
