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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 4-Surfin’ U.S.A. (Race 3)

Race #1: Selections: 1-7-3

1-Dakota Country drew off to a convincing five-length turf romp on the turnback in his most recent try on Oct. 17, and now stretches back out on the class hike for Team O’Neill. The 4-year-old gelding sports the best last-out grass Beyer on the quick turnaround. 7-Hawker has solid early zip and is reunited with Rispoli this afternoon after a disappointing speed-and-fade against better on Sept. 1. Class dropping 3-Smooth Salute is the most likely to benefit from a spirited early race flow and switches to excellent turf pilot, Hector Berrios.

Race #2: Selections: 4-3-1

4-The Big Cheeseola steps up in class but has fired back-to-back sharp efforts for trainer Steve Knapp, posting the best dirt Beyers of his career. The 5-year-old gelding figures to run another upfront-pressing trip on or close to the lead. 3-Gypsy Tears finished a flat fourth in his latest effort at Del Mar on Sept. 6 when breaking a step slow, but has run some competitive main track Beyers for this class level. 1-Constant Conflict has speed, the rail draw, and takes a sizable class drop for conditioner Andy Harris. The 7-year-old gelding figures to be hustled along from the fence by aggressive gate rider Edwin Maldonado.

Race #3: Selections: 4-7-1

4-Surfin’ U.S.A. ran well to round out the superfecta in her well-backed Sept. 26 grass debut despite a tardy break, and figures to be a handful in start number two with that race under her belt. Trainer Leonard Powell is 8 for 31 (26%) with a lofty $5.28 ROI with second-time turf starters the past four years. Hernandez sticks. 7-Darlin’ Duchess finished an ok third at 65-1 on the turnback behind the top choice in last. Trainer Phil D’Amato rarely wins at first asking but sends out 1-Peanutbutterbombe, a juvenile daughter of G1 winner Collected. She’s worked well and lures Rispoli.

Race #4: Selections: 3-11-12

3-Chase N Ryan exits a career-best effort for trainer Steve Knapp when finishing a solid second at Los Al over a pair of today’s returning rivals on Sept. 20. The 2-year-old gelded son of Stay Thirsty is a logical threat with a similar effort. 11-Lady K Westfall goes turf to dirt and drops in for a first-time tag today for conditioner Luis Mendez. This 2-year-old filly has shown some early zip in all three career tries and should improve immensely with the class relief and surface switch. Her main track try against MDSW types, two-back at DMR, makes her the one to beat here, facing males. Her stablemate 12-Cielitos Wish is slowly improving and deserves another crack against this $20k maiden claiming level.

Race #5: Selections: 4-5-3

4-Philippa has enough grass pedigree on her dam side to suggest she’ll handle the surface switch to grass for trainer Bob Baffert, and this daughter of Arrogate makes her second start off the extended break. A sharp “best of 64” main track four-furlong bullet drill in :47.1 on Oct. 13 catches the eye. 5-Surf Song exits back-to-back runner-up sharp turf tries for Powell when dismissed by bettors and looms a late threat again stretching back out. 3-Pura Vida Princess shortens back up to a mile today for Team O’Neill off the eight-month freshening and has trained well for today’s return to action. The 3-year-old filly had shown some decent ability before hitting the sidelines and projects to be forwardly placed.

Race #6: Selections: 8-9-4

8-Foreroyal has been beaten by double digits in his first two starts for trainer Brendan Galvin, but gets the complete makeover this afternoon. The colt goes turf to dirt, drops in for a first-time tag, and adds blinkers. His sire, Forest Commander, gets a strong 24% with dirt route runners, and he’s worth a flier in a weak lineup with red-hot Kimura taking over the saddle. 9-Pio Nono rallied for third when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on Sept. 20 at Los Al and is reunited with jockey Juan Hernandez this afternoon. Hernandez was aboard the gelding back in March on debut for trainer Vladimir Cerin when coming up just a neck shy against the $50k maiden claiming level. A beaten favorite in last on the stretch-out, 4-Rocksalot puts blinkers back on this afternoon for Mullins, exiting the aforementioned Sept. 20 event.

Race #7: Selections: 9-5-6

9-Rastaman Vibe was overmatched in the G2 John Henry Turf Championship but drops down to a more realistic spot this afternoon for Knapp and rattled off two straight marathon turf wins at DMR before that last subpar performance. The More Than Ready 4-year-old holds a triple-digit Beyer advantage over the rest of this field, but is 0-for-14 at Santa Anita. 5-Mythical Reel (Ire) stretches out on the class drop for D’Amato and may find today’s 1 ¼-mile trip very favorable. His sire Highland Reel, was a Group 1 winner at the distance, and also at 1 ½ miles. 6-Grogu is one of two geldings entered here for conditioner Leonard Powell. This son of Get Stormy makes his second start off the eight-month layoff, and figures to be much tighter second off the bench. He exits a race that’s produced a pair of next-out winners.

Race #8: Selections: 1-4-2

The first half of the $5 late double is an ultra-competitive optional $20k claiming 1X dirt sprint. 1-Pokerknightatvees has not hit the board in his last three turf tries for Team O’Neill but returns to dirt today, where he was a sharp winner at DMR four back, with a lofty (85) Beyer. 4-Galland de Besos made a strong middle move before tiring late in his Los Al comeback on Sept. 19 off the 11-month layoff, when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals. The 6-year-old gelding should be much tighter this trip, and sports the field’s best late pace figure in a race that’s projected to have lively splits. 2-Berlin Wall has run well in all three career tries for Knapp and was a sharp runner-up off the seven-month freshening in his most recent try on Sept. 27. The 3-year-old sophomore colt by Practical Joke figures to be a handful with a progressive move forward, second off the bench.

Race #9: Selections 2-4-3

Blinkers on 2-Our Bucky Charm slashes his claiming tag in half, making the third start of the form cycle for conditioner Mike Puype. The 6-year-old has run well in all three turf sprint tries at Santa Anita. 4-Player B hasn’t been out since March but returns for a new barn off the bench with good morning drills and has good speed with Maldonado. The American Pharoah 5-year-old was ultra-competitive when trying this level sprinting on turf at the beginning of the year. 3-Minister Shane finally gets back to turf today for trainer Carla Gaines, where he’s a multiple winner over the Santa Anita lawn. The veteran gelding may fall into a favorable stalking trip this afternoon.