Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Betty Pack (Race 3)
Race #1: Selections: 1-2-5
1-Proud Racer is potentially hampered by his third consecutive rail draw after breaking sluggishly in both career tries for conditioner Richard Baltas. Nonetheless, he drops in for a first-time tag this afternoon off an improving Beyer pattern and was a decent second on Feb. 7 off the mini-freshening. 2-Charley Pride goes turf to dirt on the class drop today with the addition of blinkers. This 5-year-old gelding by Arrogate is another runner here with two slow starts in both career efforts. Perhaps the equipment change allows him to be more focused and have a better break. 5-Eagles Dare moves back to the main track with speed and is a gate-to-wire threat if allowed to settle with reasonable early splits. The colt was runner-up on dirt at this level two-back.
Race #2: Selections: 1-4-6
1-Tesoro was a sharp runner-up against similar when making his first try off the Knapp claim, earning par (79) for this class level. He’s a logical fit with a similar effort while making his third start of the form cycle. His stablemate is the speedy 4-Mobe Town who seeks his third straight win off a game nose victory on Feb. 7. The gelding defeated next-out winner Perfect D, who came back to win under the lights at Los Al. The 8-year-old veteran gelding 6-Chasin Munny drops in for a career-low claiming tag for Glatt after racing rank and wide in a subpar fifth-place finish in last. His sprint tries two and three-back were sharp and he’s eligible to bounce back this afternoon.
Race #3: Selections: 1-6-2
The 4-year-old filly 1-Betty Pack returns off a seven-month freshening for conditioner Steve Miyadi while dropping in for a first-time tag. Although the sample is small, this barn is 2 for 3 (67%) with a $3.93 ROI with MDSW to Maiden Claiming dropdowns returning off >180 days. This filly figures to be hustled along from the rail. While no threat to the runaway winner, 6-Be a Goldfish finished a much-improved second when dropped to this level on Jan. 18 and should move forward today making her second try off the six-month layoff. 2-Miss Miche Lada has hit the board in four consecutive tries at today’s $50k Maiden Claiming level for Knapp and figures for another upfront pressing trip. She was third behind Be a Goldfish in last.
Race #4: Selections: 1-6-8
1-Spanish Cara (Ire) has good speed from the rail and drops back in for a tag off of the mini-freshening for trainer Paddy Gallagher. The 4-year-old filly’s route turf tries at Del Mar were decent when facing better and she’s a solid gate-to-wire threat this afternoon. 6-Holly Goquickly (Fr) finished an even third at this level when facing several of these returning rivals when last seen on Jan. 5. The 4-year-old filly makes her second try for the $50k tag for the red-hot Michael McCarthy barn. Blinkers on 8-Happyasaclam (Ire) has had several tries to break through without success for conditioner Simon Callaghan. Perhaps the equipment change gives her the needed boost to find more in the lane. Rispoli sticks.
Race #5: Selections: 2-7-8
2-Nephele has never tried six furlongs but has finished second in four consecutive tries and just missed versus several of these on Jan. 31. A beaten favorite in her last five efforts presents some legitimate skepticism however. 7-Roman Bronze finished an OK third behind Nephele in her debut in the aforementioned Jan. 31 event and adds blinkers today for career start number two. 8-Tenacious Candy (by Clubhouse Ride) has trained steadily for today’s unveiling for conditioner Manuel Badilla, who is 0 for 13 over the local strip this meet but has solid stats with firsters.
Race #6: Selections: 8-6-9
8-Nameless has won four straight for trainer Jeff Mullins, exiting a career-best try and Beyer (77) with a five-length romp on Feb. 15 over a trio of returning rivals. There’s no reason to believe that the 4-year-old son of Constitution won’t take another at short odds. 6-Warrens World is likely the frontrunner again this afternoon, but he was no match for Nameless in last. The six-time winning 5-year-old gelding makes his second start of the Charlie Treece claim. 9-Happy Does finished a good second against similar on Feb. 22 and has improved Beyer-wise in the last three subsequent starts. This gelding is a seven-time winner and could work out a favorable stalking trip today.
Race #7: Selections: 1-2-4
1-Venganza steps up in class off a sharp late-closing win over this downhill layout on Feb. 1 over a bulky field and has returned to fire back-to-back bullet drills over the synthetic track since that winning effort. The 5-year-old mare is a strong repeat candidate. 2-Ma Rae’s Girl flashed speed and tired to finish second at 39-1 in a sharp effort over the straight course in the Wishing Well on Feb. 22 and now drops back down in class today for conditioner Doug O’Neill. This daughter of Mendelssohn is a solid gate-to-wire threat today with Maldonado. 4-Royal Charter (GB) was a good second behind the Wishing Well winner Queen Maxima in her first try over the downhill course on Jan. 23 and is eligible to move forward off that effort for trainer Leonard Powell.
Race #8: Selections 5-6-1
A winner of three of his last five starts, 5-Bartholdy holds a double Beyer advantage over the rest of the field based on his previous two tries. The 4-year-old gelding drops out of the Grade 3 Palos Verdes into this softer spot this afternoon and projects to get a favorable stalking journey. 6-Elwood Blues returns as a first-time gelding off an 11-month hiatus for Team Baffert, sporting a solid overall career resume (6-3-2-1). The son of Justify has trained well for his return effort for an excellent layoff barn. Hernandez sticks. Blinkers on 1-Slider has speed from the rail for Sadler and defeated both Moose Mitchell and See Through It in his last start on Feb. 1. The graded-stakes placed colt is dangerous with an alert break.
Race #9: Selections 3-7-6
Dirt to turf 3-Valentines Candy shortens up on the class drop today for trainer Jesus Mendoza and is eligible to improve making only his second grass try. The 3-year-old gelding by Danzig Candy should get a live race flow to flatter his late kick. A new horse since adding Lasix, 7-Check’s On the Way battled on the front end with the race leaders in a determined third-place effort when facing winners for the first time on Feb. 15. The gelding shortens up today, switches to Rispoli, and should fall into a favorable stalking trip. The improving 6-It’s a Factor finished second at 11-1 in front of Check’s On the Way in the aforementioned Feb. 15 event going one-mile and now turns back to a sprint for trainer Antonio Garcia.
