Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Kitty Katana (Race 5)
Race #1: 8-Exultation has been plagued by layoff lines but brings a decisive three-race win streak off a two-month mini-freshening into today’s 6-furlong grass sprint for conditioner Peter Eurton. The veteran 8-year-old gelding owns the field’s best last-out turf Beyer and is a five-time winner over this grass course. His stablemate 1-Jetovator comes off a four-month freshening, and the 7-year-old gelding’s last four out of five turf sprints efforts have been very sharp. 3-Gypsy King drops in class, makes a second start off the bench, and is eligible to show improvement this afternoon. The 5-year-old put up some decent turf Beyers last fall.
Selections: 8-1-3
Race #2: 7-Into Yellowstone was trounced in both starts at Del Mar but now makes the first start for a tag and the Miller barn has solid numbers with the MDSW to Maiden claiming class drop going 6 for 16 (38%) with a $2.39 ROI the past two years at SA in dirt sprints. 4-Greenteaze was claimed Aug. 31 off a beaten even money try when flashing good early zip and fading to finish third. The juvenile filly has earned back-to-back Beyers that are best in this suspect field. 5-Eleven Out of Ten showed little in the July 30 debut but drops in for a tag in career start number two today and followed up that subpar debut try with some strong a.m. drills including a recent “best of 31” 5 furlongs in :59.3 on Oct. 9.
Selections: 7-4-5
Race #3: 8–Beef Winslow goes first off the claim for trainer Mark Glatt and has enough tactical early foot to get a decent stalking trip from today’s outside draw. This barn is off to a quick start racking up a 9-4-4 record from 22 starts this autumn meet. 5-Mega Moon ran well for the place spot in the first start against winners Sept. 10 finishing in front off next-out victor Cardiff Crack. The 3-year-old gelding has shown an improving Beyer pattern since mid-June. 3-Single Track Mind (Ire) clipped heels and lost rider in the most recent start Aug. 31 as the beaten favorite and can bounce back today making the first start for the new barn off the claim.
Selections: 8-5-3
Race #4: 4-Top Gun Tommy steps up off the claim after finishing second in his first start in three months and initial Southern California outing Sept. 8. The East Coast invader is eligible to move forward off that encouraging try for new connections. 6-Molto Vivace owns the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (75) and slices his claiming tag in half this afternoon but trainer Brian Cunningham is only 1 for 31 at Santa Anita. That lone win came from 66-1 outsider Second Avenue back in April 2021. 2-Big Swede rallied strongly for the win against N3L company at Los Al Sept. 24 but the 4-year-old gelding has yet to string two wins together.
Selections: 4-6-2
Race #5: 2-Kitty Katana (GB) adds blinkers as a beaten favorite in the last four tries but comes off a sharp runner-up effort when making a decisive move to the front before idling and getting passed late. Perhaps today’s equipment change will keep her focused on the task at hand and she’ll be able to unleash a similar rally in what should be a live race flow. The field’s best last-out grass Beyer (89) adds to the appeal. The speedy 5-Gracelund Gray opened a quick lead through some taxing fractions before fading to third in her most recent start off an extended layoff. The 4-year-old filly has trained sharply since that try and switches to Hernandez today for a red-hot barn. 6-Linda’s Gift comes off a decent-looking gate-to-wire score and career-best Beyer against cheaper Aug. 26 but must avoid a potential pace duel with Gracelund Gray.
Selections: 2-5-6
Race #6: 5-Sand to Sea has shown ability in all three career starts on both dirt and turf while beaten less than a length in all her outings. The Danzig Candy filly is back on the main track this afternoon and figures to be in the mix once again if she can run back to her debut figure. 3-Magic Wanderer is a logical fit off three consecutive runner-up finishes at Golden Gate and Santa Rosa. 2-Bajan Bashert moves back to the main track and makes the third start of the form cycle for a hot barn. Hernandez climbs back aboard.
Selections: 5-3-2
Race #7: 1-Brickyard Ride has good early speed and the rail draw while dropping out of consecutive grade 2 events into this softer spot. This 6-year-old is 13 for 28 lifetime and 3 for 5 over the SA grass course. A big gate-to-wire threat with top turf rider. 4–Kings River Knight shortens up this afternoon having won three of his last four starts for Hernandez and Sadler. The 5-year-old gelding followed up his last stakes score at Los Al with a snappy “best of 40” 5-furlong drill Oct. 8 in :59 flat. 5-None Above the Law was overmatched in the grade 2 Del Mar Handicap Sept. 2. Today, he turns back in distance this afternoon for trainer Peter Miller and adds blinkers presumably looking to be closer in the mix during the early stages of this sprint.
Selections: 1-4-5
Race #8: 7–Vulin comes off back-to-back second-place finishes at Del Mar going this mile trip earning consecutive (55) Beyer speed figures. A logical fit this afternoon making her third start of the form cycle for the Papaprodromou barn. 4-Boginskaya comes off a career-best Beyer and is a threat if able to run back to or improve upon that last Los Al performance. 3-Warren’s Show Biz is now 0 for 17 but a pair of runner-up efforts in two of his last three starts with competitive figures for this level make him a threat to hit the board once again on the stretch-out.
Selections: 7-4-3
Race #9: 2-Golden Again has hit the board in six consecutive tries going this mile trip on turf finishing in front of several of these in her last start Sept. 3. The speedy 9-Ko Olina stretches out for conditioner Luis Mendez and will take these as far as she can on the engine from her outside post. 8–Councilwoman Jilly ships in from Golden Gate off an improving Beyer pattern and gate-to-wire score Sept. 10.
Selections: 2-9-8
Race #10: 8-Mr. Leasure ran on well for the place spot in his first Southern California try for Team O’Neil earning a field’s best (76) Beyer figure Sept. 30. He goes two sprints to a route and is bred to handle two turns successfully. 6-Concord Bridge was hardly disgraced in even fifth place debut try Sept. 9—a race that’s produced a pair of next-out winners. This $850k juvenile purchase by Medaglia d’Oro is bred to stretch-out and has trained smartly since his initial outing. The pricey $1 million-dollar Keeneland purchase 2–Lake Superior (By Quality Road) goes turf to dirt in the second start for Baffert off an even fourth-place finish Sept. 10. He’s eligible to improve moving to the main track in career start number two.
Selections: 8-6-2
Race #11: 1-Warren’s Paradice has had several close chances but moves inside to the rail this afternoon after breaking from outside posts in the last two starts while coming off a near-miss Sept. 8 rallying from far back. The 3-year-old filly has seen her turf Beyers improve with each subsequent start since making the surface change in her second career start back on August 2022. 3-Annie’s Hope adds blinkers exiting a live July 27 race that’s produced four next-out winners. 4–Summer Lake hasn’t been out since May 2022 but has trained well for Carla Gaines for a live jockey-trainer combo.
Selections: 1-3-4
