Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Court of Appeal (Race 5)
Race #1: Selections: 3-4-2
3-Gemadini finished a much-improved second when moved back to the main track and dropping to this $20k maiden claiming level at Los Al on Dec. 14. The Doug O’Neill-trained filly has good gate speed, makes her third start of the form cycle today, and returned to fire a bullet “best of 38” four furlongs in a snappy :45.2 since her last try. 4-Makenarita is an 11-start maiden with only one try on dirt, but takes a sizable class drop today and can improve, second off the bench. 3-Greta’s Ghost makes lifetime start number 10 this afternoon and has rounded out the trifecta in the last three starts at this level. She finished behind the top choice in her most recent effort.
Race #2: Selections: 1-5-2
First off the claim 1-Case Hit has run equally well on dirt and turf. The 4-year-old gelded son of Frosted returns to the grass this afternoon for Knapp, who has above-average numbers with new barn acquisitions. 5-Smart Code ran well in all four one-mile turf efforts in 2025 and now shortens back up to six furlongs for trainer Mark Glatt. The gelding’s recent efforts and coinciding grass Beyers make him a logical fit again this afternoon off the mini-freshening. 2-Crazy Cavalier shortens back up to a sprint this afternoon for Team O’Neill off a series of turf route tries the last several months. He’s winless over the Santa Anita grass course, but has hit the board in 8 of 9 starts.
Race #3: Selections: 2-1-4
A recent second in the G2 Los Al Futurity makes 2-Blacksmith a standout at a short price, dropping back down to the Maiden Special Weight ranks. The Baffert-trained son of Liam’s Map adds Lasix today, posting a 94 and 91 Beyers in two of three career starts, and is a likely winner, shortening up to a mile. His stablemate, 1-Cherokee Nation, drops out of the Nov. 29 Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill back into MDSW company and just missed by a nose in a game try two-back over this main track. The Not This Time colt is reunited with Hernandez, and Lasix is added. 4-Easy Company (by Into Mischief) poses a threat to the Baffert pair. He goes two sprints to a route with an improving Beyer pattern and adds Lasix as a newly turned 3-year-old.
Race #4: Selections: 5-6-2
5-Cecilia Street moves back to turf this afternoon for Mandella off a recent second in a short field minor stake try at Los Al on Dec. 7. The Stanford filly ran well in both grass starts two and three back, shortens back up today with the addition of Lasix. The 3-year-old filly should get a live race flow to close into. 6-My Kat has never tried grass but has won two straight for the Papaprodromou barn, including finishing in front of four of this afternoon’s returning rivals. 2-Donttellmewhattodo lost all chance when stumbling and losing her rider in her most recent main track try, but was a sharp gate-to-wire grass sprint maiden winner two back. She adds Lasix today and figures to be hustled along again by Maldonado.
Race #5: Selections: 6-2-3
All six newly turned sophomores add the Lasix medication this afternoon. Kentucky Invader 6-Court of Appeal shortens up to a sprint this afternoon for the new barn, and should get plenty of pace to close into today with Hernandez climbing aboard the son of Constitution. He’s trained steadily over the local footing for his initial Southern California try. 2-Sendit Mo kicked away to a decisive gate-to-wire score on Nov. 28 against similar, posting the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (71). A logical fit right back for Miller. His stablemate, 3-Marcos Performance, goes second off the claim with the addition of blinkers off an improving Beyer pattern.
Race #6: Selections: 6-1-3
6-Kokosan drops of the G1 Hollywood Derby back down into the MDSW ranks after leading to the midstretch before tiring to finish fifth at 52-1. The 4-year-old colt shortens up to a mile today as the likely frontrunner again for Sadler and should prove tough to reel in late. 1-Legal Heir makes his first try for a new barn today while finishing third behind the top choice when last seen back on Nov. 2 over the Del Mar lawn. The Nyquist colt has speed and the rail, but must avoid a pace tussle with the top choice. The late-closing 3-Rostovsky makes his second start off the extended break for Glatt and would be the likely beneficiary of a pace meltdown. The 5-year-old gelding has hit the board in 3 of 4 turf tries over the Santa Anita course.
Race #7: Selections: 3-4-5
The Mullins-trained 3-Dakota’s Shadow (by Stay Thirsty) attracted decent tote support when fractious at the gate when finishing a better-than-looks fifth on debut Dec. 12 and now drops from $50k maiden claimers to today’s $20k level with the addition of Lasix. Improvement likely. Reddam Racing’s 4-Pronounce It goes turf to dirt while dropping in for a first-time tag in career start number two. While her pedigree leans toward turf, she looms as a respected contender at this reduced level for a barn that’s 2-for-5 with a $5.44 ROI with turf to dirt MDSW to MDCLM dropdowns from a small sample. 5-Kiss Me Coco rallied wide for the place spot in a decent try at this level in her last at Los Al and looms a solid contender with a similar effort.
Race #8: Selections: 2-9-4
A maiden winner over this turf course, 2-Tribal has not been out in 526 days for trainer John Sadler, but has been training steadily in recent weeks for a good layoff barn and lures Hernandez off the extended hiatus as a first-time gelding. 9-Empire’s Classic broke through the maiden ranks in career try number 13 two-back and now drops into a more appropriate level off a non-threatening ninth in last. The 5-year-old’s turf route Beyer figures match up well this afternoon. The newly gelded 4-Comininalittlehot takes a class drop today off back-to-back trouble lines for conditioner Tim Yakteen and can improve in this suspect field of non-winners of two lifetime.
Race #9: Selections: 5-2-6
5-Nafisa broke through in lifetime try number 14 with a narrow win on dirt Nov. 23 for team Baffert over next-out winner Into the Hall, who came back with a (83) main track Beyer on Dec. 29. The 5-year-old daughter of Quality Road makes her first crack against winners and figures to be forwardly placed on the stretch-out. A maiden winner in her lone main track try, 2-Time to Shine moves back to dirt today off a series of grass route efforts for trainer Mark Glatt. She’s by hot sire Not This Time, who gets a strong 19% with his main track prodigy, and this barn has solid stats with the turf to dirt angle. 6-Lolo Le Plume is 1-for-14 but was a wide trip third in her most recent try at Del Mar on Nov. 9 when coming up just a neck shy of the win against similar. The 4-year-old filly earned the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (77) off that top try.
Race #10: Selections: 1-2-5
An ultra-competitive $25k claiming turf route for fillies and mares closes out the Friday afternoon card. The speedy 1-Cyprus Moon went gate-to-wire at five furlongs at this level on Nov. 24 when finishing in front of a trio of today’s returning rivals and will likely try to employ similar tactics for a potential repeat from the rail. 2-Oveta’s Hobby never got involved from an outside draw in last when a disappointing ninth at Del Mar, but moves back inside this afternoon, where she was a game winner over this course two back. The daughter of Army Mule is reunited with the winning pilot, Juan Hernandez. 5-Lovin’ On the Run moves back to turf off a nine-length runaway win over at Los Al on Dec. 14 and has run well over the Santa Anita turf course in the past. She makes her third start off the form cycle today and can improve further.
