Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Stars Hallow (Race 6)
Race #1: Selections: 8-3-2
A tricky and competitive maiden special weight grass sprint kicks off the Sunday early pick five. Many different directions one can go. 8-Chapter One has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent try for trainer Doug O’Neill and makes his second try off the mini-freshening today, exiting an even fourth-place finish on Jan. 18. The sophomore colt by Yaupon figures to get a favorable upfront-pressing journey this afternoon, switching to Berrios. 3-Luck Lucky (Ire) is one of two D’Amato geldings entered here returning off a four-month layoff. He adds Lasix today for the second Stateside try, after finishing an even fifth in a well-bet U.S. unveiling back in late October. He may appreciate the turnback in distance today. The other O’Neill 2-Work, comes out of the same race as his stablemate. The American Pharoah colt flashed good speed through some taxing early splits before tiring to fifth on Jan. 18 and is dangerous with another move forward.
Race #2: Selections: 5-1-3
5-The Last Straw ran well enough off the one-year hiatus on Jan. 18 with a third in a four-horse field. The Into Mischief 4-year-old posted the field’s best last-out dirt Beyer (75) with that comeback try and will likely move forward today for a solid jockey-trainer combo. 1-Silent Way closed to round out the superfecta on debut Nov. 14. The colt switches to new conditioner Peter Eurton, who has taken over for the late John Shirreffs, while earning a respectable (73) dirt Beyer. The $700k purchase by McKinzie is eligible to move forward off that initial try. 3-One More Time (by Collected) returns off an eight-month layoff for Team Baffert after a subpar, well-beaten fifth on debut last June when dismissed at 10-1. He’s likely to move forward today with a steady but not necessarily typical barn speedy worktab.
Race #3: Selections: 9-10-1
A beaten tepid favorite in the last 9-Cloudy Women takes a sizable class drop today, second off the bench, and can improve substantially for Sadler and regular pilot Hector Berrios. The 4-year-old filly should fall into a favorable tracking trip with the outside draw. 10-With Love (GB) goes first off the claim for conditioner George Papaprodromou, exiting an odds-on beaten favorite third versus similar on Jan. 31. The 6-year-old mare sports the field’s best last out turf Beyer (67), and this hot barn has solid numbers with new acquisitions. 1-Fancy Facts through in a clunker after pre-race antics on Jan. 24, but can bounce back this afternoon for Puype with an alert break from the rail. The filly’s effort two back at Del Mar was solid, finishing in a dead heat for fourth, and her grass sprint maiden win last summer earned a respectable turf figure, as well.
Race #4: Selections: 9-1-7
If the swift early pace projection predicted by TimeformUS comes to fruition, things should set up nicely for 9-Joint Venture. The 6-year-old gelding just missed winning his third straight on Nov. 16 when falling a nose shy and should get another live pace flow to close into for trainer Ron Ellis on the turnback. His recent a.m. drills have been sharp, including firing a “best of 46” bullet four furlongs in :47.1 on Jan. 30. 1-Four O Six Creed flashed speed and tired versus better on Jan. 19 for Mullins, but drops in class today, second of the bench, and fits well if he can regain that winning form shown last fall. 7-Dirty Words has certainly turned the corner, having won three straight by a combined 16 ¾ lengths. He steps up in class off the Jan. 2 $10k claim and win, earning an impressive (93) Beyer. Not entirely convinced he can do it again for the new barn, but a similar effort makes him the horse to beat again.
Race #5: Selections: 10-6-3
10-Rich Reward has just enough turf pedigree to suggest he will handle the surface switch this afternoon, for conditioner Paula Capestro. The gelded son of Richard’s Kid stretches back out today off a non-threatening seventh when breaking a tad slowly on Jan. 17. He fired a sharp bullet gate drill at San Luis Rey on Feb. 7. 6-Hardtobebetternow is one of two from the Tim Yakteen barn. This 4-year-old gelding is a logical fit, exiting back-to-back seconds going this one-mile trip and back-to-back (68) grass Beyers. He’s reunited with Kimura. 3-Zagreus is a seven-start maiden but flashed solid early zip when last seen back in September for trainer Leonard Powell and is likely to clear this field early on.
Race #6: Selections: 2-8-10
2-Stars Hallow goes turf to dirt on the big class plunge from MDSW to Maiden Claimers today for trainer Dan Blacker. The 3-year-old filly by Clubhouse Ride (17% dirt sprints) showed ability on debut with a runner-up finish at Del Mar last November and followed up that effort with a wide non-threatening seventh on Jan. 17. He adds blinkers today, and these connections are a strong 6-for-18 (33%) with a $3.26 ROI the past five years with this class dropping maneuver. 8-Savannahs Big Girl just missed the show spot in an ok unveiling at Los Al on Dec. 7 for trainer Steve Sherman, and this barn has decent second-time starter dirt sprint starts (3-for-14/21%). She’s likely to move forward today with that racing experience behind her, and Kimura sticks. Trainer Michael McCarthy sends out firster 10-Julia Street, who has trained over at San Luis Rey in preparation for this. A more-than-capable outfit that can fire with a firster, and this daughter of Clubhouse Ride lands in a weak spot with a favorable outside draw.
Race #7: Selections: 2-1-9-11
The late-closing 2-Take Another Card co-tops the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (83) off a Jan. 17 runner-up effort, when making her first try over the downhill layout. She drops out of that small stake for this softer spot for conditioner Simon Callaghan and figures to be motoring home late with the new plot, Florent Geroux. The lightly raced 1-Rosa Parks has won two straight for the D’Amato barn but has not been out since May 16 of 2025. The daughter of Sir Prancealot has trained steadily for her return to action, and this outfit has excellent layoff stats. 9-Claire Austin has shown ability in both career tries for the Papaprodromou barn, including a sharp turf maiden sprint win on Jan. 10. The Nyquist 4-year-old meets some seasoned fillies and mares for her first crack against winners, but may be up to the challenge. 11-Eiffel returns off a five-month freshening for trainer Mike Puype, but has ability, evidenced by her two sharp grass tries to begin her career. The connections thought enough of her to try the G3 John C. Harris S. before hitting the sidelines.
Race #8: Selections: 2-6-1
Trainer Bob Baffert has a two-prong attack with 2-Pilot Commander and 6-Madaket Road, and they are hard to separate. The former has finished first or second in seven of eight lifetime starts, including a win in the G3 San Carlos and runner-up finish in the San Vicente (G2). He shortens back up to six furlongs today off a solid return effort on Jan. 16, where he co-toped the field’s best last-out Beyer with his stablemate. Madaket Road is a multiple graded stakes-placed son of Quality Road, who drops out of the Malibu (G1) into this softer spot today and is also shortening up in distance. The colt has worked three times since that last start and is also likely to move forward. The 11-for-18 1-Man O Rose is hard to fault. She’s won four straight stake races for Mullins with dominant early speed and figures to be hustled along from the rail. Her main track figures match up well with the Baffert pair, and she’s undefeated (4-for-4) over the SA main track.
Race #9: Selections: 1-8-10
The multiple stakes-winning 1-On the Whim lands in a good spot to start his 2026 campaign for trainer Dean Pederson. The 6-year-old gelding is 3-for-7 on the Santa Anita turf course, has trained sharply off the 11-month layoff, and figures to come out running for an excellent layoff barn. 8-Captain Choochies has never been better, having won four straight for Kretz Racing and trainer George Papaprodromou dating back to September 2024. The 6-year-old gelding figures to get another upfront-pressing trip with new rider Florent Geroux today. 10-Kokosan took eight tries to break through the maiden ranks for trainer John Sadler, but exits an impressive 5 ¼-length blowout score on Jan. 9, when shortened up to this one-mile trip. His Beyers have increased with each subsequent try since returning to turf last November, and he could trip out nicely again today with a likely stalking journey.
