Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 3-Red Cherry (Race 7)
Race #1: Selections: 5-2-1
5-Non Domicile returns off a seven-month layoff for the Papaprodromou barn while dropping in for a first-time tag and returning to turf. This gelding finished an even fifth after breaking a step slow in his lone grass try last May and has enough breeding to suggest he should be fine on the surface switch. The gelding’s works have been steady but uninspiring over the synthetic course. 2-Dr. Filkins is back on turf, where he’s run his best races for trainer Sean McCarthy, and drops in for a first-time tag. A logical fit at this reduced level. 1-Wasting Aces drops back in for the $50k maiden claiming tag on the stretch out after an even fifth sprinting on March 28 against tougher. The 9-start maiden finished a solid closing second at 18-1 at this level two-back.
Race #2: Selections: 1-2-5
Beaten double digits on his return effort, 1-Royal ‘n Rando drops in for a career-low $10k claiming tag, second off the bench, for trainer Mike Puype. The 6-time winner, a 7-year-old, switches to Rosario and is likely to move forward. 2-Chief Wild Eagle ships in from Turf Paradise for the new barn after three turf tries to start the 2026 campaign. If this gelding can run back to his main track Emerald Down efforts last summer, he’ll prove tough here for trainer Tim McCanna. 5-Devil Moon is 0-for-4 at Santa Anita and has been trounced in recent tries, but looks like today’s lone frontrunner, making his third start of the form cycle. The 7-year-old gelding gets in light this afternoon, with 7 lb. bug boy aboard, and could get brave if allowed to settle up front untested in a weak field.
Race #3: Selections: 1-3-4
The Bob Hess-trained 1-Aleramo (Ire) shortens back up to 6 ½ furlongs off a recent third versus similar back on March 29. The 4-year-old filly sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (68), switches to Rosario, but will need some early pace to utilize her best late kick. 3-Delitefull Hart ran well for the show spot as the beaten favorite when switched to the turf on April 17, when stymied behind traffic late, searching for adequate racing room and falling short. The 6-year-old mare galloped out well and can move forward. Kimura sticks. 4-Maximum Gold is back sprinting off an even fifth, while making her third start off the bench.
Race #4: Selections: 3-5-1
A multiple winner at this one-mile trip, 3-Normandy Queen returns off a nine-month layoff and is reunited with trainer Mark Glatt, off a solid worktab, and this barn is no stranger to firing fresh. The 5-year-old daughter of Omaha Beach figures to be on or close to the lead today off the bench and is reunited with winning pilot, Mike Smith. 5-Lavender Love moves back to dirt, where she was a solid 3 ½-length winner two back with an (80) main track Beyer. A similar effort makes her the filly to beat in here. 1-Donttellourwives goes turf to dirt on the stretch out while understandably taking a sizable class drop for conditioner Leonard Powell. Her a.m. drills have been sluggish, but she’s by Khozan (17% dirt routes) and may spring to life with Rosario taking over the riding assignment.
Race #5: Selections: 1-5-3
Trainer Phil D’Amato sends out a pair of imports in this 5-horse field. 1-Killourney Reigns (Ire) makes his first Stateside start off an eight-month layoff with Lasix and is a first-time gelding. This 3-year-old has looked sharp working over the Santa Anita synthetic course. Her stablemate, 5-Jordi Bear (Ire), was eighth in a bulky field of 30 behind Aidan O’Brien stakes-winner Dorset when last seen racing at Curragh in Ireland last September, and has also looked like she has some talent, while stretching her legs over the synthetic. He also adds Lasix. The multiple Grade 3-placed 3-Proletariat returns off a seven-month freshening for trainer Jeff Mullins as a first-time gelding. This barn has been sending out all live runners this meet, and this sophomore should be no exception. Lasix on.
Race #6: Selections: 5-6-7-4
5-Johnny’s Cap is wheeled back quickly after stumbling badly on his well-backed debut May 1 for trainer Jorge Periban, when a well-beaten third, but is eligible to move forward substantially in his second start with a better start. By multiple Grade 1 winner Acclamation, the juvenile gelding looks to have some ability for a barn that has solid second-time starter stats. Team O’Neill sends out 6-He Is No Lie by freshman sire Preakness (G1) winner Early Voting off a spirited but condensed worktab and lures Jaramillo at first asking. The short morning line indicates he’s well-regarded trackside. Johnny’s Cap stablemate, 7-Winsor George (by Smiling Tiger), is nicely drawn outside and has worked well for this afternoon’s unveiling. 4-Fumano’s Fire flashed good early zip before tiring behind the top choice in the aforementioned 4 ½-furlong May 1 dash and likely got a lot out of that race for conditioner Edwin Alvarez.
Race #7: Selections: 3-4-1
The lightly raced 3-Red Cherry is back on turf after being outrun in the April 4 Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks. The 3-year-old filly was a sharp 3 ¾-length turf maiden winner two back with a competitive (79) Beyer and drilled a solid bullet five furlongs in :58.1 over the synthetic course since that last subpar main track effort. She has good gate speed and is likely to bounce back in a big way for Rosario and Sadler. Like the top choice, 4-Hypergamy is back to her preferred surface after a flop in the aforementioned Santa Anita Oaks for conditioner Doug O’Neill. This daughter of American Pharoah finished a good second two back in the China Doll S. at today’s one-mile trip. 1-Struck By Her (Ire) goes two sprints to a route for D’Amato and figures to sit a favorable ground-saving journey with Hernandez taking over in the saddle. A recent five-furlong drill over the synthetic course in :59.3 on May 9 signals she is likely to improve today.
Race #8: Selections: 1-2-4
A $400k Keeneland purchase by Nyquist, 1-Pacer did little running with a sluggish start on debut April 25 for Sadler, and now must negotiate the rail draw in start number two. However, this barn is a solid 6-for-19 (32%) with a positive ROI over the past five years with second-time dirt sprint starters at Santa Anita. 2-Tess of Hemet moved forward nicely in start number two, improving his Beyer points by 39 points off his debut for conditioner Hector Palma, when finishing third at 25-1. Another progressive step forward in the all-important third career try makes this colt the one to beat on the class drop. 4-Texas Wildcat backed up when tired in a disappointing fifth on May 3 after posting three consecutive runner-up main track sprint finishes. The gelded son of Frosted drops from $32k maiden claimers down to today’s $20,000 level with some of the fastest dirt Beyers in this suspect field.
Race #9: Selections: 8-6-1-9
An ultra-competitive N2X turf sprint closes out the payout leg in the multi-exotics. The Grade 3-placed 8-Lee’s Baby Girl returns off a seven-month layoff for trainer Carla Gaines and is nicely drawn outside with solid upfront pressing speed and should trip out nicely off the bench. This 4-year-old daughter of Malibu Moon was a winner off a similar break with Kimura last fall. 6-Pura Vida Princesa returns off the mini-freshening for trainer Doug O’Neill, having won two straight on turf, and the filly’s recent synthetic drills in the interim indicate she remains razor sharp. A threepeat is well within reach on the class hike. The Peter Miller-trained 1-Young Love is back on the straight turf course off a fourth in the Irish O’Brien S. when last seen back on March 21 and faced several of these two and three back. The Grazen filly is likely to be handled aggressively by Rosario with the rail draw, who looks to have a rejuvenated skip to his step with the recent move back to Southern California. 9-Imaboutago (Ire) draws in, sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (85) when just missing by a nose back on March 27. The 5-year-old mare has trained steadily in the interim for conditioner Leonard Powell.
