Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Tiger of the Sea (Race 6)
Race #1: Selections: 2-8-7
2-Dinkum (by Caracaro) was a sharp second on debut with a solid (71) grass Beyer for Team O’Neill on Jan. 25 and is a logical win candidate with any normal second-out progression for a barn that has strong second-out stats. 8-Koekkoek (GB) finished fourth of 13 in his lone try at Dundalk back on Nov. 7 and now makes his first try Stateside for D’Amato, who typically does well with these imports. The gelding is by multiple Group 1 winner Pinatubu (Ire) and has worked well locally for his U.S. unveiling. 7-Charlie’s Curlin crossed the line fourth but was disqualified to sixth for interference going into the first turn when finishing behind the top choice in last. The 3-year-old colt removes the blinkers this afternoon and switches to Hernandez.
Race #2: Selections: 4-3-5
4-Infinity Dream has never tried the main track, but is bred to handle dirt, and takes a substantial class drop today for conditioner Richard Baltas. The 4-year-old filly gets her sixth different jockey. The speedy 3-Exington goes turf to dirt on the class drop for Miyadi and figures to hang on for at least a piece of this today. This barn has solid turf-to-dirt overall stats the past five years, going 25-for 106 (24%) with a $2.48 ROI. Class dropping 5-A Fleet Ride moves back to dirt, second off the bench, on the stretch out. The daughter of Clubhouse Ride is likely to move forward today, coming off the rail and returning to the main track.
Race #3: Selections: 5-4-1
5-Princess Midnight finished a good second, coming up just a neck short, versus similar on Jan. 19, and now makes her second try off the mini-freshening. The 6-year-old mare owns the best late pace figure in the field and should get a favorable race flow to help utilize her closing run. The Gus Headley-trained 4-Miss Meagher (Ire) fits snugly again this afternoon after posting the field’s top two grass Beyers (77,80) in the last pair of one-mile grass routes. She shortens up to a sprint today and retains Berrios. Second off the claim 1-How Lovely (Ire) has good speed from the fence and figures to be hustled along once again by jockey Edwin Maldonado. The 4-year-old filly tired to finish third behind the top choice in her most recent try.
Race #4: Selections: 6-3-4
6-Lady Detective moves back to dirt, dropping in for a first-time tag, and figures to find the front again this afternoon for the Papaprodromou barn. The 3-year-old daughter of Speightstown should prove tough to reel in late with an alert break. 3-Definitely Probable is one of two fillies trained by Michael McCarthy. The sophomore daughter of Improbable goes turf to dirt, second off the bench, and can improve on the surface, switching and cutting back in distance. 4-Tulavia’s World ran an even fourth on debut Jan. 15 at this $32k maiden claiming level and figures to be competitive with any normal second-out improvement.
Race #5: Selections: 7-3-8
Claimed out of his first two starts, 7-Charisma goes dirt to turf in start number three for conditioner Paula Capestro and has trained swiftly over at San Luis Rey for his initial try in Southern California. 3-Johnson’s Magic has not been out in 533 days but has trained smartly for a good layoff barn and drops in for a first-time tag. Lasix on. The Gary Stute-trained 8-Sand Bagger hasn’t been out in roughly 11 months, but has finished third in four of seven lifetime starts and has run competitive turf Beyers for this class level.
Race #6: Selections: 6-3-1
6-Tiger of the Sea moves back to the main track off a strong runner-up turf sprint effort on Jan. 11 over a pair of returning rivals, including next-out winner Syntax. The filly’s lone dirt effort two back was excusable when stumbling badly at the start. The daughter of Smiling Tiger has worked four times since that last sharp try and should be a gate-to-wire maiden winner this afternoon. 3-All in the Game just missed by a nose in his most recent try on Jan. 25 when finishing in front of a trio of returning rivals, and is a logical fit right back for Hernandez and Lewis. 1-Dad’s Bad Bunny is on the improve, and makes the all-important third career try today for conditioner Jamey Thomas.
Race #7: Selections: 2-4-6-9
A winner of two of three career tries, 2-Greenwich Village rallied strongly from far back to grab the Baffle S. in his first turf try on Jan. 25 for Baffert, and is projected to get another favorable fast pace to close into again this afternoon. 4-Sammy Davis has never tried grass, but has finished first or second in four of five lifetime starts for trainer John Sadler. The Cal Cup Derby runner-up is by Sir Prancealot (16% turf sprinters) and should have little trouble with the surface switch, with the possibility of improving further. The Grade 3-winning 6-Unrivaled Time and runner-up 9-Iriseach (Ire) exit a third and fourth, respectively, in the Eddie Logan S. on Jan. 8 in a short field. Both colts are expected to make up solid ground late if the projected swift early pace holds.
Race #8: Selections: 5-6-3-7
5-Refocus ran a sharp second with a field’s best last-out (89) main track Beyer for Team O’Neill when returning to a six-furlong dirt sprint on Jan. 17. The 5-year-old makes his third start of the form cycle today and should win this with anything resembling that last strong performance. 6-Majestic Palisades has won two of his last three starts for conditioner Librado Barocio, including a 17-1 upset two back and a 19-1 second-place finish most recently on Jan. 25. 3-Oubabe moves inside today off a wide, better-than-looks trip when last seen back at the end of December, when dropped to this level. Improvement is likely today with a switch back to Hernandez. 7-Whiskyginaandbrandy goes two sprints a route on the class drop off an improving Beyer pattern.
Race #9: Selections: 4-9-8
4-Garden Party steps up in class off a sharp one-mile score on Jan. 16 and figures to be rolling late again on the turnback and switch back to the downhill course. The 5-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride has the best late pace figure in the field, and can take two straight with Demuro and Powell. 9-America’s Mark (by American Pharoah) returns off a year’s layoff for trainer Mike Puype, but was a winner of two straight turf tries before hitting the sidelines and lures Kimura off the bench. 8-Long Mayshe Reign has been the gem of consistency, sprinting on turf, having finished first or second in seven of her last eight starts for trainer Mark Glatt. She’s never tried the downhill layout and has not been out since March 2025, but this mare has proven she can fire fresh.
Race #10: Selections: 5-7-4
A beaten favorite in both sprint grass starts to begin her career, 5-Vicky Lyn (by Grazen) stretches out to a mile today for trainer Brendan Galvin and should be ready for a top try today with Hernandez getting the return mount. This barn has solid numbers on the stretch out, and she goes second-time Lasix this afternoon. 7-Baby Needs Shoes returns from an 11-month layoff for Miller, off a steady and solid worktab. The daughter of Smiling Tiger finished an even third in a short field in her lone turf sprint debut over this course last May. This barn is a solid 9-for-36 (25%) with a lofty $3.96 ROI with turf sprint returnees >180 days at Santa Anita the past five years. Dirt to turf 4-Goje stretches out this afternoon and should find herself on the lead again today. Her pedigree doesn’t necessarily scream grass, however.
