Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 4-Icons Only (Race 7)
Race #1: Selections: 1-6-5
Blinkers off 1-Double Jab flashed good speed while wide through some taxing early splits on March 14 and now makes the third start of the form cycle for conditioner Andy Mathis. The 6-year-old gelding figures to be hustled along from the rail by veteran pilot Kent Desormeaux. 6-Incanto (Ire) just missed in his most recent try when coming up a nose short, posting the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (83). He’s the gelding to beat with a similar effort. 5-Travelin’ Show hasn’t been out in eight months but usually fires fresh for trainer Craig Lewis.
Race #2: Selections: 2-3-4
2-Texas Wilcat is a logical win threat, having finished second in three consecutive tries at this level. The 3-year-old gelded son of Frosted is the speed of this field and deserves one last chance, shortening up to 5 ½ furlongs. 3-Jetway (by Munnings) hasn’t been out in 10 months for Sadler, when last of four back in June 2025. Three of those runners returned to win, however, and he drops in for a first-time tag today while luring Jaramillo off the bench. 4-Ima Track Star didn’t show a whole lot when finishing a non-threatening seventh in his grass sprint debut, but moves to dirt today on the class drop and can improve.
Race #3: Selections: 4-2-1
The late closing 4-Hey Jessie drops out of a wide, even sixth in the March 15 Santa Ana (G3) into this softer spot this afternoon for trainer Sean McCarthy. Jaramillo lands here after guiding French Moonlight in her last three starts, and perhaps she can get the jump on 2-Resolve. The hard-hitting 4-year-old filly has finished second in three consecutive turf routes, including beating the top choice in the last. She sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (86), but is 0-for-10 over the Santa Anita lawn, however. 1-French Moonlight is likely going to try and go gate-to-wire with today’s rail draw as the speed of this grass marathon field. She has trained well since her most recent runner-up try.
Race #4: Selections: 5-1-6
The Craig Lewis-trained 5-Quick Kate was a bang-up second when dismissed at 31-1 off the 11-month layoff, when flashing speed and run down late, but I think she’s the mare to beat today if she can move forward off that try, second off the bench. 1-Clubhouse Bride doubles her claiming tag off the recent April 24 purchase and convincing 4 ½-length score. This 5-year-old mare should prove tough for her new connections if she runs back to that field’s best last-out (76) Beyer on the quick turnaround. 6-Tiger of the Sea has hit the board in six of seven lifetime starts and closed strongly late to grab the show spot behind the top choice in last. The daughter of Smiling Tiger picks up the red-hot Ayuso.
Race #5: Selections:5-6-4
Recent maiden winner 5-King’s Ride drew off nicely on April 2 for trainer Craig Lewis and looks well-placed for first crack against winners. That last (78) Beyer topples over this field, and a repeat is well within reach. His stablemate, 6-Romantic Ride, has hit the board in four of five lifetime starts and ran well in his lone main track try on debut. A sharp five-furlong bullet drill in :59.3 on April 26 indicates he’s likely to run well again on the surface switch. 4-Tamarando Beach faded to fifth when trying turf off the mini-freshening and now returns to dirt, where he was a 7 ½-length maiden winner at Del Mar back in early November.
Race #6: Selections: 7-4-6
The six-time winning 7-Chasin Munny was outkicked late and settled for second on April 5 versus similar, but now makes the all-important third try of the form cycle for trainer Libracio Barocio and should fire again. 4-Bluegrass Go Go flashed speed and finished third behind the top choice in last, and is a logical fit again for trainer Steve Knapp. 6-Runkerry hasn’t hit the board in seven straight, but drops in class on the turnback and may not be too far behind the frontrunners in this spot.
Race #7: Selections: 4-5-10
4-Icons Only returns off an eight-month layoff for trainer Carla Gaines, who is a strong 7-for-31 (23%) with a lofty $4.39 ROI with grass sprint runners returning from >180 days the past five years. The 4-year-old filly removes the blinkers today, drops back in for a tag, and should fire fresh. 5-Queen Kimbe had a rough trip, returning from an extended layoff on April 2, and is eligible to move forward for D’Amato, second try for this $50k tag. The More Than Ready filly drilled a nice bullet four furlongs over the synthetic course in :46.1 on April 18. Overmatched in the last, 10-Greys Over Bays drops back down to the $50k maiden claiming level, where she finished a good second two back.
Race #8: Selections: 5-2-1
5-Silicon Native ships in from Turf Paradise for new trainer Blaine Wright off a runner-up finish and field’s best (59) main track Beyer. It’s hard to gauge how this Stanford gelding matches up here, but he drops in for a tag, adds blinkers, and should prove tough to reel in late with an alert break. 2-Son of Oneeyedmama is by Capital Account, who is 0-for-23 with 3-year-old & up debuting prodigy. Nonetheless, the 4-year-old gelding lures Jaramillo at first asking, for conditioner Hector Palma, and has trained well for today’s unveiling. This jockey-trainer combo did win with their lone firster, Original One, back in mid-January. 1-Fighting Thunder finished a much-improved second in start number two, flashing good early zip, and now drops another notch for the all-important third career try.
Race #9: Selections: 4-1-5
A competitive $32k claiming grass route closes out the Sunday card with several horses all within close proximity in recent turf Beyers. The late closing 4-Zalamo (Fr) goes first off the Papaprodromou claim, exiting a recent fourth on April 4, when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals. This barn clicks at 30% (13-for-44) with new turf acquisitions the past five years, and the gelding should get a live race flow this afternoon. 1-Lord Bullingdon takes a sizable class drop today for conditioner Michael McCarthy off an improving Beyer pattern, and was a solid winner at Churchill in his lone try at this 1 1/8-mile distance. 5-Tariff finished a game second for Mullins on April 2 and now stretches out another furlong, second off the bench.
