Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Hothead (Race 5)
Race #1: Selections: 3-2-6
3-Prosper returns off an 8-week mini-freshening for Hernandez and Sadler, exiting a career-best runner-up effort on July 26. The 4-year-old colt appears ready for another top effort off the mini-break and should be forwardly placed. 2-Santarena was the beaten favorite in the August 23 five-furlong grass sprint but had a legitimate excuse while losing valuable momentum late when stymied behind some traffic. A Big threat with a cleaner journey. 6-Laugier Night (Ire) sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (75), with a much-improved second-place finish in the aforementioned August 23 event for D’Amato. He now makes the third start of the form cycle this afternoon and is another strong contender in a very competitive Maiden Special Weight turf sprint opener.
Race #2: Selections: 4-2-1
4-Magic Account never got on track early when floated very wide on August 31 but now moves back to Santa Anita, where he was a dominating 8 ½-length Maiden winner two-back. 2-Chasing Rain was trounced by double digits on Sept. 6 with a wide trip but now shortens up off the claim for an underrated barn and could bounce back here. The gelding’s Beyer figures earned two and three-back, make him a contender in here. 1-Devilnthebluegras exits a sharp, game Maiden win at Los Al two weeks ago and appears appropriately placed for his first crack against winners.
Race #3: Selections 1-8-4
1-Gray Frost takes a substantial class plunge for Hess, exiting a well-beaten effort at Del Mar on August 24. The 4-year-old filly by Frosted should move forward off that subpar performance, making her second start off the year layoff. 8-Warrior Lady has been beaten double digits in the last pair but was a winner here over the main track back in April and should get a strong pace to close into. Upset chance. 4-Soul of a Warrior held on by a desperate neck versus similar after opening up a substantial lead on August 30. The 5-year-old mare holds the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (66) but has other speed to shake off this afternoon.
Race #4: Selections: 4-1-3
A beaten favorite in the last pair, 4-Moon Ice moves back to the Santa Anita turf course, where he sports a (1-3-4) resume from nine tries. The gelding sports the field’s best last-out top turf Beyer (84), and is a logical threat again for a potent jockey-trainer combo. 1-Zip Om ran extremely well to finish third (beaten less than a length) against this level in start number two when breaking slowly and then rushing up into contention before tiring in the final stages. The lightly-raced 3-year-old gelding is a strong threat again with an alert break from the rail for conditioner Carla Gaines. 3-Piper’s Causeway ran very well in his first grass start on Sept. 1 when coming up just a neck short in a bulky field. The gelding figures to be on or close to the front again this afternoon.
Race #5: Selections: 6-3-1
6-Hothead lost all legitimate chance in well-backed August 10 debut when breaking slowly and racing wide thereafter for trainer Mark Glatt. This juvenile colt by G1 winner Bodexpress adds blinkers for start number two for a barn with excellent stats with their second-time starters at Santa Anita. 3-Speedy Wilson makes the all-important third career try today off an improving Beyer pattern and continues to train well for D’Amato. 1-Got’m Cot’m flashed good speed at 32-1 in the August 31 debut try before fading late to fifth and should be sent along again with another rail break. Any normal second-out progression makes him dangerous in here with a clear lead.
Race #6: Selections: 8-11-1
8-Give Me the Lute makes his second start off the D’Amato claim after finishing a good closing second on August 29 at this level and now returns to the Santa Anita turf course where he’s a 4-time victor. 11-My Summer Dream must negotiate today’s outside draw but comes off a sharp win for Mullins on August 10 when returning off a 10-month layoff while earning the field’s best last-out grass Byeer (89). He is a logical threat again if he can avoid a regression. 1-Commander (Fr) makes his third start of the form cycle this afternoon off an improving Beyer pattern and this 7-year-old gelding has run well over this turf course.
Race #7: Selections: 4-1-2
4-Nothing Like You is a multiple G2 winner for Baffert and projects to be on or close to the lead this afternoon while making her second start off the bench. This 3-year-old faces older today but is reunited with winning pilot Juan Hernandez and appears primed for a strong effort. East Coast invader 1-Alpha Bella makes his first Southern California start for new conditioner John Sadler and switches back to dirt off a recent subpar try in Saratoga’s G2 Glens Falls. Recently, this 4-year-old Justify filly has looked good training over the local main track. Multiple stakes-winner 2-Flying Connection co-tops the field’s best last main track Beyer (90), exiting a third-place effort in the G1 Clement L. Hirsch on August 3. She’s never been off the board going this 1 1/16-mile trip.
Race #8: Selections: 1-7-4
1-Straight Luck has speed, the rail, and a top turf pilot aboard for D’Amato and looks like a serious gate-to-wire threat this afternoon. 7-Belly Up didn’t have any stretch punch in the recent sixth-place even effort on August 25 but is eligible to bounce back today for conditioner Brian Koriner. The 4-year-old Into Mischief gelding finished a good second two-back with a (88) turf Beyer, and a similar effort makes him a main contender in this competitive N1X optional $20k claiming event. Recent five-furlong turf sprint Maiden winner 4-Capital Outlay looks well-placed for his first start against winners and figures to get a good tracking trip behind Straight Luck.
Race #9: Selections: 5-4-1
1-Fort Bragg returns off a nine-month freshening for team Baffert and has been training superbly for today’s return to graded stakes action. This son of Tapit finished third in this event last year, but that was after a taxing 2023 campaign. There’s an excellent chance he’s a better horse at four. 5-Straight No Chaser finished a disappointing fourth in the G3 Runhappy at Belmont at the Big A when last seen in back on May 11 but has looked to have regrouped for conditioner Dan Blacker based on recent sharp a.m. drills. The lightly raced 5-year-old sports the top Beyer (107) in this field and figures to try and take this group gate-to-wire off the bench. 7-For All Mankind gets a stiff class test this afternoon but looked very sharp in the recent 4 ¾ length win on August 10 off the extended layoff for Sadler. The 5-year-old gelding followed up that victory with a “best of 26” five-furlong bullet drill in :59.1 on Sept. 20.
Race #10: Selections: 10-8-1
Solana Beach stakes winner 10-Moments Pleasure is in great form right now for trainer Craig Lewis as she seeks her third straight win this afternoon. She sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (88) off her recent stakes win and looks tough right back while still eligible for this 1X level. 8-Watchtower rallied strongly for the place spot in her first Southern California start at Del Mar on Sept. 2 and is eligible to move forward off that encouraging try. Now under the care of trainer Richard Baltas, this 3-year-old filly has hit the board in four of five career efforts. Recent Maiden winner 1-Tiaraqueen (GB) flashed good positional speed before fading in her first U.S. start when facing several of these in the aforementioned Sept. 2 event and is eligible to move forward off that effort.
