Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Galloping Ghost (Race 6)
Race #1: Selections: 4-5-2
A Jorge Periban reclaim, 4-The Old Nine (Ire) moves back to turf and removes the blinkers today after a sharp six-furlong runner-up two-back, where he ran par for this class level. The 5-year-old gelding figures to get another favorable, upfront-pressing trip. The John Sadler-trained 5-Tapalo has never tried turf, but his second over Tapeta and recent sharp drills over the local synthetic course indicate he may find the surface switch more than suitable. The stakes-winning 5-year-old Tapiture gelding projects to be on or close to the lead this afternoon. 2-Belly Up finished a game third (beaten only a half-length) with a solid (80) turf Beyer behind the top choice on Jan. 24 and is a logical fit, second off the bench, for conditioner Brian Koriner.
Race #2: Selections: 1-2-4
1-Pocket Venus flashed speed and tired after facing heavy pressure through opening splits for trainer Mark Glatt, and now makes her third start of the form cycle. This filly’s first two starts of 2026 have been somewhat disappointing, but she will look to get back on track today. Recent maiden winner 2-Thatsalrightmama shortens up to seven panels, exiting a sharp 2 ¾-length score on Feb. 8. The daughter of Uncle Mo looks well-placed for her first crack against winners for trainer Leonard Powell and switches to Hernandez. 4-Allihies has little early speed but returns to Southern California for trainer Adam Kitchingman off a pair of route tries at Oaklawn, facing considerably better. The 4-year-old filly broke her maiden over this course.
Race #3: Selections: 4-1-5
A competitive field of seven fillies and mares line up for this N3L $30k claiming 6 ½-furlong grass sprint. 4-Shamrockin rallied for the place spot despite a slow break on Jan. 30 and now makes her third start of the form cycle off an improving Beyer pattern. Berrios gets the return mount for trainer Paul Aguirre. 1-Aleramo (Ire) goes second off the claim for new trainer Bob Hess, dropping out of a Jan. 16 starter allowance turf route, and figures to be making up good ground on the turnback. The speedy 5-Cyprus Moon flashed her typical early zip before tiring to third against a pair of returning rivals in the aforementioned Jan. 30 event, and figures to be on or close to the lead again today. The daughter of Malibu Moon is only 1-for-10 over the local grass course, however.
Race #4: Selections: 4-1-5
A $45,602 Pick Six Carryover begins here in race four. 4-Tommy Norris broke through in start number eight with an impressive 4 ½-length maiden score on Feb. 7, and this gelded son of Stanford has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent start since mid-December. A sharp 4-furlong drill on Feb. 22, since that winning performance, indicates another top try should be forthcoming. 1-Fionello drops out of three straight stake route events into this softer sprint spot today for trainer Steve Knapp and sports the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (65). The 3-year-old gelding adds Lasix and retains the red-hot Jaramillo. 5-Southern Melodee returns off a four-month freshening for conditioner Craig Dollase and finished a non-threatening eighth when last seen in the Golden State Juvenile S. at Del Mar. He also adds Lasix today and was a game maiden winner over this course two back.
Race #5: Selections: 7-5-4
7-Adverse Selection made up solid ground late to finish fifth (beaten less than a length) in start number two for conditioner Andy Mathis, and now makes the all-important third career try. The Jan. 11 race that the 4-year-old daughter of Sir Prancealot exits from has produced a pair of next-out winners, and she switches to jockey Juan Hernandez today. 5-Pure Chaos exits a troubled trip, solid third when finishing in front of the top choice in the aforementioned Jan. 11 event, when sandwiched between a pair of next-out winners, and now makes her first start for the Richard Baltas barn. 4-War Reception finished a disappointing eighth when facing several of these on Jan. 8, but is eligible to bounce back today, second off the mini-freshening, and keeping with her good-race bad-race pattern for Miller.
Race #6: Selections: 6-3-7
6-Galloping Ghost broke sluggishly in his well-backed Feb. 7 unveiling for conditioner Craig Lewis when finishing an even fifth, and is likely to run much better in start number two. The gelded son of Grazen returned with a :46.3 four-furlong gate drill on Feb. 21 and retains Hernandez. 3-Positive Times makes the all-important third career try this afternoon for trainer Ryan Hanson off a much-improved second on Feb. 7. The sophomore colt was no match for runaway maiden winner Tommy Norris, who races earlier on the card, and came back to fire a sharp five furlongs in :59.3 on Feb 28. 7-One Step Beyond makes career start number 11 today, but has hit the board in eight of ten tries, including three consecutive runner-up finishes. A logical fit again, but hard to back on the winning-end with much confidence.
Race #7: Selections: 6-2-1
6-City Exile (GB) drops back in for a $50k claiming tag today after a solid 3 ½-length starter allowance score over this strip and distance Feb. 1. The 6-year-old gelding is a logical fit for the repeat, but has never strung together victories in the past. 2-Twirling Point drops out of a pair of Grade 3 events into this softer spot today for trainer Jonathan Thomas, and his two back-to-back (90) turf route Beyers fit well with this group. 1-Wizard of Westwood is winless since 2023, having not hit the board in his last five starts, but drops in for a career-low claiming tag today for McCarthy, and figures to be sent today from the fence for a favorable upfront-pressing journey. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo is 3-for-5 (60%) with a $8.08 lofty ROI with turf runners.
Race #8: Selections: 4-9-3-1
The Ron Ellis-trained 4-Joint Venture stretches back out today, second off the bench, and was a wide rallying third in his most recent six-furlong heat on Feb. 15. The six-time winning gelding fell just short of winning three straight over this distance in his three previous one-mile tries with competitive dirt Beyers. 9-Resemblance has won three straight, after back-to-back claims, and is fully capable of winning another for conditioner Andy Mathis. 3-Majestic Palisades has finished first or second in his last four tries for conditioner Librado Barocio, and the gelding’s versatile running style allows him to settle and finish today. 1-Duran has not been out in almost a year, after a bleeding incident when being vanned off the course in 2025. The 6-year-old gelding had won two of three prior to that mishap and has proven in the past that he can fire fresh. The gelding has worked well for today’s return to action for trainer George Papaprodromou.
Race #9: Selections: 4-6-5
4-Silly Rabbit coasted along on the lead before surrendering late in a sharp try Feb. 6 over a trio of returning rivals on the stretch out. The 4-year-old gelded son of Uncle Mo makes his third start of the form cycle today, exiting a career-best turf Beyer (75), which co-tops the field. The lightly raced 6-Precision (GB) weakened to finish seventh and last in a well-backed, disappointing return try, but now makes his first start for conditioner Hector Palma off the $25k claim. This barn is a strong 4 for 15 (36%) with a $4.60 ROI with first off the claim grass runners the past five years, and improvement is likely. 5-Six Madpies (Ire) finished fourth behind the top choice in the aforementioned Feb. 6 event, but makes his third start off the bench today, and can improve this afternoon for trainer Steve Sherman with a more spirited race flow to close into.
