Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 7-Mischievous Bev (Race 4)
Race #1: Selections: 1-2-4
1-Throwthefirstpunch moves back to turf on the quick turnaround for Team O’Neil after finishing a much-improved second when dropped in for a $20,000 tag over the main track. The 3-year-old gelded son of Sir Prancealot did not show a whole lot in his first three grass tries, but in his defense, that was against considerably better MDSW types. The Irish import 2-Lucky Lucky (Ire) drops in for a tag today while exiting a disappointing seventh and last on Feb. 15 as the 5-2 second choice. He’s by G1 winner Lucky Vega and is likely to move forward this afternoon, going second time Lasix and making his second try off the mini-freshening. 4-Jetaway did little running in his debut last June but has regrouped for Sadler off a steady work tab and drops in for a first-time tag. Lasix on.
Race #2: Selections: 1-2-4
1-Bretts Acclaim finished an even fourth in a well-backed debut on March 1 and now drops another notch from $20k to $12,500 maiden claimers. The gray gelding is bred to relish the stretch-out to two turns. 2-Saturday was beaten by double digits in his last two starts but takes a sizable class drop today, making his third start of the form cycle, and the (45) dirt Beyer he earned two-back fits. 4-Another Juanito stretches back out today, having hit the board in four of six career tries. The Victor Garcia-trained gelding drops another notch today, sporting some of the best main track Beyers in this weak lineup.
Race #3: Selections: 2-3-5
The class of this field, 2-Mi Hermano Ramon, banking nearly $500k in earnings in only 15 starts, drops out of seven straight Grade 1 and 2 events into this considerably softer Grade 3 today for conditioner Mark Glatt. The 6-year-old gelding has had good success at today’s 1 1/8-mile trip. 3-Cabo Spirit is the speed of this field, and like the top choice, drops out of the Frank E. Kilroe Mile (G2) into this easier spot this afternoon. He could prove dangerous at this level if allowed to carve out reasonable splits with Smith. The lightly raced Grade-2 winning 5-The Padre (Ire) returns off a seven-month freshening for D’Amato off a spirited work tab and has done little wrong with three wins and a second from four tries. The 4-year-old colt has proven he can fire fresh.
Race #4: Selections: 7-1-2
7-Mischievous Bev goes turf to dirt on the class drop and mini-freshening for trainer Adam Kitchingman. This filly’s main track third at Oaklawn two back gives her a legitimate chance against this suspect group, and she picks up the hot hand of leading rider Emisael Jaramillo, who is closing in on 40 wins for the meet. Trainer Vladimir Cerin is 0-for-14 with main track first-time starters the past five years, but 1-Lively Girl debuts in a weak field and is by Originaire, who is 2-for-3 from a small sample with firsters. 2-Hot Rod Christine finished a non-threatening sixth on debut, March 13, but moves to dirt today, dropping from $50k to today’s $32,000 level. Improvement likely.
Race #5: Selections: 5-3-1
5-Midway Lane will likely try to bottom out this field for Sadler and should prove tough to run down late after posting back-to-back strong turf route figures of 78 and 77. The 4-year-old gelded son of Quality Road just missed when trying this level two back. 3-Both Sides of Bad has run well at this level in both grass route starts of 2026 and makes the third try of the form cycle today for trainer Jeff Mullins. Fresu is back for the return mount and has done exceptionally well when teamed up with these connections. 1-Fight Back makes career try number 16 today but exits a career-best Beyer (72) when last seen back on Jan. 8, and has worked well in the interim, including a bullet five furlongs over the synthetic track on March 22. He’s reunited with Hernandez for a red-hot barn.
Race #6: Selections: 2-7-5
Turf to dirt 2-Syntax was beaten by double digits in the last pair, but drops in for a career-low $10k claiming tag and switches to Hernandez for conditioner Ed Freeman. This looks like a winning spot. 7-Subtle Knowledge flashed speed but was forced to steady when put in a compromising position, going into the first turn on Feb. 22, when facing winners for the first time. The 4-year-old filly should improve today, moving outside on the class drop for a very lucrative jockey-trainer combo (3-for-4;75%). 5-Molly Jensen looks like the likely frontrunner returning to the main track today off a speed and fade at 43-1, facing considerably better. This is a more appropriate level, and the daughter of Ghostzapper was a maiden-breaking winner two back over today’s course at six panels.
Race #7: Selections: 7-2-4
The Craig Lewis-trained 7-All in the Game returns to grass on the stretch-out this afternoon, exiting back-to-back runner-up efforts sprinting on dirt. The 4-year-old daughter of Grazen should be on or close to the lead today, and despite not running particularly well in both turf sprint tries, she seems to have figured things out. 2-Jennys Wine Girl was a game third when finishing in front of a pair of today’s returning rivals on March 6, and the career-best 64 turf Beyer she earned in that route is close to par for this level. 4-Mperfection has not hit the board in her first three turf route tries this year, but shows an improving Beyer pattern for Miller and figures to be making up her typical ground late.
Race #8: Selections: 1-2-5
The 6-time winning 1-Joint Venture exits a pair of sharp efforts at this level for trainer Ron Ellis and was runner-up to Duran in his most recent try. The gelding gets a “key” rider change to Hernandez today and can turn the tables on his main rivals.Claimed out of his last three starts, 2-Mighty Kai is projected to get a live clip this afternoon, which should see him running on late for the new barn. The 5-year-old gelding owns the top pace late figure in the field. 5-Duran returned from the year hiatus to post the sharp 6-1 score on March 6 with a field’s best last-out (77) dirt Beyer, and is a solid repeat candidate if he does not regress. The 6-year-old gelding has strung back-to-back wins together in the past for the Papaprodromou barn.
Race #9: Selections: 5-2-8
The 10-time winning veteran 8-year-old 5-Proof He Rides is in stellar form for the Mullins barn, having won two straight in solid fashion, and has shown no signs of slowing down. Never worse than first or second on the Santa Anita lawn (5-4-1-0), the gelding figures to fall into another ideal stalking journey with Kyle Frey. 2-War At Sea has not been out in 531 days for trainer Ron Ellis, but is training exceptionally well for today’s return to action and usually fires fresh. The Grade 3-winning 7-year-old adds blinkers today and lures Kimura off the bench. 8-Virat gets some class relief this afternoon, exiting a recent third at 22-1 in the Clocker’s Corner S. for trainer Dan Blacker. He makes his second start off the mini-freshening and figures to be forwardly placed on or close to the lead today.
