Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Eltonsinganother (Race 2)
Race #1: 6-Player B drops in for a first-time tag for Team O’Neill and was a close-up fourth in “key” race two-back. 1-Crypto Man finished well to close for third despite some traffic issues in his last effort earning the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (74). The 3-year-old gelding stretches out an additional eighth of a mile this afternoon and figures to be running on late. 4-Quintecents makes career start number 11 today but has enough speed to hang on for a piece of this late.
Selections: 6-1-4
Race #2: 1-Eltonsinganother is on the improve for the red-hot Mark Glatt barn and makes the all-important third career start this afternoon cutting back to 5 ½ furlongs. 6-Rosie Ann Rules makes start number 11 today but co-tops the field’s best last-out Beyer and has had several close finishes at this $50k Maiden Claiming level. The 3-year-old filly gets in light this afternoon. 5-Just Is was a beaten favorite in the last start Sept. 29 after breaking a step slow with a wide trip. This filly can bounce back here with a cleaner journey for a rider who had a solid performance last weekend.
Selections: 1-6-5
Race #3: The 1 for 16 6–Aventapp drops in class and makes a second start off the bench today for trainer Mark Glatt. This lucrative jockey-trainer combo has two wins, a second, and third-place finish to start this autumn meet. This 5-year-old mare has run par or better for this class level on multiple occasions. 5-Red Diamond hasn’t seen action in 5 ½ months but is proven off the bench and returns for a career-low $32k tag. 1-Violet Storm has run well over this Santa Anita turf course and returns for new barn off the Sept. 4 claim. The 4-year-old filly by Violence makes second start off the bench this afternoon for new connections.
Selections: 6-5-1
Race #4: A small field of unreliable nonwinners of 3 races lifetime (for 3-year-old fillies) line up here. 4-Sugar Sugar was no match for a 10-length runaway winner in a recent try at Los Al Sept. 23 but returns to her preferred oval today and has a decent chance of grinding down the front-runners late. Last-out Del Mar winner 5-Barbera is ultra-consistent as evidenced by her 2-3-3 record from 8 career tries and she comes off a lifetime best Beyer. 2-Hot Rod Mamma has hit the board in last six straight starts and was a game winner when last seen at Del Mar Aug. 17.
Selections: 4-5-2
Race #5: 3-Princess Midnight has run back-to-back runner-up sharp efforts over the turf to begin her career with improving Beyer figures and is a logical threat again making today’s key third start. A beaten favorite in last, 1-Port Ellen (Ire) rallied strongly for the show spot against similar Aug. 27 in her second stateside start and moves inside to the rail today for conditioner Phil D’Amato. A big threat with an alert break. 5-Happyasaclam (Ire) improved with the switch to grass and the stretch-out when running on late and today’s third start should be her best to date.
Selections: 3-1-5
Race #6: Recent Maiden winner 6-Beau Soleil meets a soft group of winners and is nicely drawn outside with good positional speed. A repeat is certainly within reach today. An impressive Maiden winner back on Aug. 17. 5-Misty Muppet returns to action off the mini-freshening and Mike Puype claim. This juvenile filly by multiple grade 1 winner Tonalist has worked well since that last winning effort including a “best of 53” 4-furlongs in :46.4 Oct. 14. 2-Dreaming of Hope was claimed for $50k by trainer Peter Miller off fifth place debut try Sept. 9 and now adds blinkers for start number two. Team Miller is a strong 9 for 21 (43%) with a $2.79 ROI for the past 4 years at Santa Anita with sprint dirt recent purchases.
Selections: 6-5-2
Race #7: Multiple stakes winner 2-Sumter gets some much-needed class relief this afternoon by dropping out of consecutive grade 2 tries for trainer Richard Mandella who is off to a fast start this meet racking up an impressive six wins from 15 starts. 4–Turn On The Jets (Ire) is 4 for 11 lifetime and has run a pair of Beyers in the mid-90s in the last two turf sprints for D’Amato. The gelding drops back down into a winning spot for an excellent turf rider. His stablemate 5-Unconquerable Keen (Ire) is also dropping out of a tougher spot (grade 2 Eddie D) and was a sharp gate-to-wire winner over this turf course to begin the year.
Selections: 2-4-5
Race #8: A troubled trip fifth in last 1–Halo Uncle drops back down into Maiden Claimers where he finished second three-back. Tepid vote. 3-Mr. Big Bucks was a much-improved second when dropped in for a first-time tag at Los Al Oct. 7. Carla Gaines is 0 for 15 with MDCLM first-time starters but 2-Private Gem debuts in a weak field off an Ok work tab, is by multiple group 1 winner Lookin At Lucky, and gets in light for today’s unveiling.
Selections: 1-3-2
Race #9: 2-O K Rose finished a decent fourth in turf route debut Aug. 25 and is eligible to move forward off that effort for trainer Peter Eurton. This barn is 6 for 24 (25%) with a $3.75 ROI with second-time turf route starters and this barn is off to a fast beginning this meet going 6-1-2 from 15 starts. 9–Lady Lithesome stretches out for start number two off a non-threatening eighth-place debut finish Sept. 8 but is likely to move forward off that effort. The juvenile filly adds blinkers today and switches to top turf pilot. Her debut race has produced a pair of next-out winners. 4-Asada Fries moves back to turf and goes two sprints to a route for conditioner Craig Lewis.
Selections: 2-9-4
