Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 9-Cloudy Women (Race 3)
Race #1: Selections: 6-7-2
A competitive, evenly-matched group of sophomore maiden special weight 3-year-olds are routing on the grass in the Saturday afternoon opener. 6-Flash of Lightning goes two sprints to a route for trainer Richard Baltas with the addition of Lasix. The colt (by G1 winner Halladay) was a troubled trip fourth when last seen back in late October, when facing several of these, and picks up the red-hot hand of Kimura. 7-Dark Blue adds blinkers, Lasix on the stretch-out for trainer Michael McCarthy and picks up Rispoli, who is 24 for 88 (27%) with a $2.07 ROI overall with grass route runners at Santa Anita the past five years. 2-Start the Ride was declared a non-starter on debut when held too long by the assistant starter at the break on Nov. 16. The Upstart colt switches to grass and stretches out this afternoon for conditioner Dan Blacker and can improve.
Race #2: Selections: 5-6-1
A projected spirited early race flow should enhance the chances of 5-Maniae, who slashes his claiming tag in half today off three solid tries at Los Al and Del Mar. The 5-year-old mare holds a double Beyer advantage over the rest of the field and should mow these down late with the return of winning pilot Demuro. The lightly raced 6-Angi’s Tipsy steps up in class off a sharp win at Los Al against $6.250 claimers on Dec. 12 and is eligible to improve further, making her third start of the form cycle for trainer Steve Sherman. 1-West Side Okie flashed solid early zip before fading to fifth behind the top choice in last.
Race #3: Selections: 9-6-5
9-Cloudy Women rallied for the place spot when last seen back in mid-October for trainer John Sadler, earning the field’s best last-out and a career-best grass Beyer (75). The 4-year-old filly takes a sizable class drop this afternoon, has worked well in the interim, and should fall into a favorable stalking journey. Class dropping 6-Skatingthroughlife through in a clunker when last seen back on Oct. 26 for Glatt, but has run some competitive grass sprint figures in the past, including a maiden-breaking six furlongs over this strip in career start number two. 5-Willow Cove goes first off the claim for trainer Blaine Wright off an even fourth against similar at Del Mar on Nov. 24. The lightly raced 6-year-old mare makes her third start off the bench today, but the barn is a chilly 0-for-7 with newly acquired purchases trying turf.
Race #4: Selections: 1-5-2
1-Latitude (by Candy Ride) was an odds-on beaten favorite third on Nov. 14 after posting a lofty (92) Beyer on debut back at the beginning of September for Sadler. The 4-year-old colt makes the all-important third career try today and is eligible to bounce back with Hernandez taking over the stirrups. The Baffert-trained 5-Taif (a pricey $1.45 million colt by Arrogate) has not been out in 391 days since earning a (92) Beyer when runner-up on debut. The 5-year-old has been training swiftly in the a.m. and is likely to come out running despite the extended break. 2-Running With Chaos makes the all-important third career start today off an improving Beyer pattern and should be all set for his best for Hess.
Race #5: Selections: 2-3-1
2-Dare to Fly has run well in all three turf sprint tries for conditioner Phil D’Amato, rallying for the show spot in her most recent effort on Nov. 23. The 4-year-old filly has come back with three sharp synthetic drills since that last start, including a pair of bullets. She holds the recency edge over 3-Misleading, who returns off a 10-month hiatus for trainer John Shirreffs after an encouraging grass sprint debut score when rallying from far back to get up late. This filly by hot sire Not This Time has trained well in recent weeks, leading up to today’s return to action, and retains Berrios. D’Amato’s second of three starters, 1-Irina’s Charm, goes dirt to turf on the cutback, and this 5-year-old mare has proven she can fire off the bench for an excellent layoff barn.
Race #6: Selections: 5-4-2
Two sprints to a route, 5-Mystic Flyer adds blinkers on the class drop for trainer Librado Barocio, having run the fastest speed figures in this field, and looks like a serious gate-to-wire threat at today’s one-mile trip. The obvious knock is the likely short odds. The Steve Knapp-trained 4-Mother’s Prayer has enough speed to stay within range of the top choice but has not hit the board in his last five starts. 2-Autism Puzzle is winless since March 2024, but drops from $20k claimers to today’s $8,000 level and lands in a weak spot with jockey Mirco Demuro taking over the riding assignment.
Race #7: Selections: 6-3-4
6-Centrodelantero returned off the three-month mini-freshening with a convincing 3 ½-length turf win on Nov. 9 (with a lofty 91 Beyer) for trainer Jeff Mullins and looks primed for the repeat with a similar effort. 3-Baldoro is likely to fall into a favorable pocket trip this afternoon behind the expected outside speed for conditioner Leonard Powell and get first run on the late closers. The lightly raced 4-Theodore George arrives from Churchill Downs for trainer Michael McCarthy off a maiden-breaking main track route score over the off going on Nov. 20. The Curlin 4-year-old returns to grass this afternoon and still has potential upside.
Race #8: Selections: 2-3-5
Trainer Bob Baffert has won the Santa Ynez Stakes a record seven times and has three of the five sophomore fillies in the 2026 edition. The talented daughter of Blame 2-Explora leads the trio off a pair of seconds in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and Del Mar Debutante and the dominating 4 ¼-length win in the G2 Oak Leaf over this strip on Oct. 4. She shortens back up to seven panels this afternoon and should be on or close to the lead today. Her stablemate, the G3-winning 3-Himika, was run down as the odds-on choice by Revera in the Desi Arnaz S. on Nov. 16 but returns to Santa Anita, where she was a decisive winner of the Anoakia S. two back. 5-La Wally chased a fast opening quarter in the aforementioned BC Juvenile Fillies before calling it an afternoon and is eligible to bounce back on the cutback today for trainer Mark Glatt.
Race #9: Selections: 6-1-11
6-Musical Song drops back in for a tag and stretches back out to the 1 1/8-mile trip this afternoon after running well at this distance two back over this turf course. The 4-year-old took pressure all the way around before grudgingly tiring late, beaten less than a length in third. She’ll likely try to employ similar tactics this afternoon. 1-Angelica Bay (Ire) rallied from far back to round out the trifecta on Nov. 23, and the 11-start maiden deserves another chance at today’s $50k maiden claiming level with an expected ground-saving journey. 11-Global Consort rallied for the place spot at 28-1 last seen in late October, facing several of these, earning a career-best (67) turf Beyer. The filly moves from the rail to the far outside, however, and will need to work out a trip.
