Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 1-Wishful Winker (Race 8)
Race #1: Selections: 7-2-3
An odds-on beaten favorite in the last two main track tries, 7-Lady Gregory returns to grass this afternoon for conditioner Jeff Mullins. She won both of her last two grass sprint races back in March and should appreciate returning to that footing. She ran above par for this class level in both of those victories. 2-Over Attracted defeated similar in her most recent six-furlong turf effort for trainer Leonard Powell and looks like a potential repeat candidate in the Friday opener. This gutsy 8-year-old mare is a six-time winner and has now run back-to-back strong off-the-pace tries since returning to turf. She’s finished behind Lady Gregory multiple times, however. 3-Issa Court returns from an 11-month hiatus for winning connections.
Race #2: Selections: 2-5-3
2-Mr. Leasure goes turf to dirt for trainer Tim Yakteen and was a solid runner-up two-back going this one-mile trip over the main track. The 4-year-old gelding has good gate speed, draws inside, and figures for another favorable upfront pressing trip. 5-Concord Bridge was a sharp maiden winner in career start number nine for trainer Ron Ellis with a lofty (89) Beyer and now stretches back out for his first crack against winners. This pricey 4-year-old by Medaglia d’Oro was beaten by double digits in his prior two route tries but is bred to relish two turns. 3-Malibu Rocks is also moving back to dirt but was nearly five lengths behind Mr. Leasure two back.
Race #3: Selections: 3-4-2
3-Princess Snow was super impressive second off the bench 25-1 upset winner on the stretch-out on April 25. This 4-year-old daughter of Sir Prancelot sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (84) and figures tough again this afternoon if able to replicate that strong performance. 4-Ima Joker returns after a two-month mini-freshening for Team O’Neill and finished a solid closing second when last seen, against similar competition, back on April 5. 2-Thebestisyettobe (Ire) won off an incredible 868 days’ rest for D’Amato on May 16 with the addition of Lasix and is now confidently moved up in class for a winning barn.
Race #4: Selections: 7-6-3
7-C Her Beauty shortens back to a sprint today off the three-month layoff for a barn that’s 0 for 10 this meet and yet to hit the board. Nonetheless, this 5-year-old mare lands in a weak lineup on the class drop and co-tops the field’s best last-out Beyer. She has worked well for this over at Los Al. The 1 for 25 6-Lochmara returns off a 3 ½-month layoff for her low-profile connections and figures to improve on the class plunge. The 7-year-old mare did fire a sharp four-furlong drill in :47 flat at Los Al on May 21. 3-Misty Dancer was no match for repeat winner Auditory on May 9 when finishing third, but deserves some consideration in this weak field, making her second try at this reduced level.
Race #5: Selections: 7-8-6
7-Del Mar Jerry shortens back up this afternoon after flashing good speed off the year layoff on May 4 for trainer Michael McCarthy. The 4-for-10 5-year-old gelding figures to be much tighter second off the bench today and should fall into a favorable stalking trip on the turnback. The 9-year-old veteran gelding 8-Jetovator finished third, sandwiched between a pair of returning rivals behind repeat winner Regal Patriot on May 2 and figures to get a favorable upfront pressing trip for conditioner Peter Eurton. The old-timer co-top the field’s best last-out grass Byeer (85). The Bob Hess-trained 6-Count of Amazonia (Ire) wanted no part of two turns when completely outrun on May 4, but shortens back up to 6 ½ furlongs today and figures to get a live race flow to help with his closing kick.
Race #6: Selections: 4-5-7
4-Mrazek’s Old Dream finished a much-improved second when dropped to this $12,500 maiden claiming level on May 10 when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals and looks like the filly to beat with a similar effort. The lightly raced 5-Smokem Hot Girl has run well in both local route tries and now goes first off the claim for new conditioner Jose Valdez off a runner-up finish in the aforementioned May 11 event. 7–Little Silver Girl attracted some decent tote support when a well-beaten third in her March 2 debut and now takes a sizable class plunge for career try number two. The daughter of Smiling Tiger has been training steadily for today’s return to action, albeit with a series of uninspiring drills for a barn that has done well this meet.
Race #7: Selections: 4-8-3
The lightly raced 4-Sunset Glory (Ire) has not been seen since her disappointing eleventh-place finish in the BC Filly & Mare Turf back on Nov. 2 when flashing speed and tiring. The 5-year-old mare ran well in all four route grass tries prior to stepping up to face graded stake competition, and has also battled through extended layoffs along the way. She’s been training very well in the a.m. for conditioner Michael McCarthy and should come back running. The Grade 3-winning 8-Circle of Trust returns off an eight-month layoff for trainer Phil D’Amato with a spirited work tab but is 0 for 4 at today’s one-mile trip. The late-closing 4-year-old filly prefers longer, but this is a solid starting point for her 2025 campaign. The class climbing 3-Certitude (Fr) has won three straight and four of her last five grass starts for Sadler. She meets some salty fillies and mares this afternoon, but there is no denying her recent sharp form.
Race #8: Selections 1-6-2
1-Wishful Winker shortens back up today to six panels on the sizable class drop for trainer Mike Puype and sports the fastest main track speed figures in this suspect field. The 4-year-old filly must negotiate the tricky rail draw today, but should handle this inferior group. Some pre-race antics when throwing his head and then some trouble (crowded) at the start may have caused 6-Jazz Spot a better placement when returning off a five-month freshening on May 30. She adds blinkers this afternoon, drops another notch, and is likely to improve in the all-important third career try. 2-Lucky Nea is a 14-start maiden that’s been outrun in most of her starts but drops in for today’s bottom $8k claiming level and exits a career-best Beyer on May 16.
Race #9: Selections 7-3-1
7-Bad to the Bones goes dirt to turf today for conditioner Richard Mandella while dropping in for $25k career-low claiming tag. The 1 for 19 gelded son of Arrogate makes his second try off the bench today and retains Hernandez in a wide-open finale. 3-One of These Days (Ire) flashed good speed and battled on gamely for the place spot when returning off the seven-month layoff on May 9 when facing similar. The 5-year-old gelding now goes first off the claim for trainer Steve Knapp, who has had a strong meet, clicking close to 30% at the time of this writing. However, this barn has a chilly 1 for 36 (3%) record with new turf route acquisitions over the past five years. 1-Naismith moves inside this afternoon, having finished third in his last three grass starts for the lucrative Desormeaux-Hess veteran jockey-trainer combo. He was behind One of These Days in the last. 2-Invigorated has been outrun in recent starts, but drops in for a career-low $25,000 tag today for trainer Michael McCarthy and has run some turf Beyers that match up well here.
