Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Nyce Shot (Race 9)
Race #1: Selections: 6-7-8
6-Zuraya (GB) cuts back to a sprint off the mini-freshening for McCarthy, exiting an even fourth at this level on Aug. 1. The 3-year-old filly was a solid runner-up at this 6 ½-furlong trip two-back over this course and is a solid win candidate with a similar effort. 7-Tokala has speed and drops back in for a tag after flashing solid early zip and tiring going shorter over at Del Mar on Aug. 21. The daughter of Yaupon figures to be much tighter today, making her second try off the seven-month layoff. 8-Velvet Reign (Ire) turns back in distance for red-hot O’Neill barn after surrendering the lead and finishing third in back-to-back grass routes this summer session at Del Mar.
Race #2: Selections: 5-4-2
5-Angel Baby last finished second back on July 24 and posted a field’s best (80) main-track Beyer. The sophomore filly now makes her first start in Jeff Mullins’ barn, which has strong numbers with new acquisitions, and she has trained well in the interim. The Peter Eurton-trained 4-Jasmine turns back to dirt after coasting to a gate-to-wire score in a maiden-breaking win in career try number seven. The Bolt d’Oro filly is expected to make the front end again this afternoon, and a repeat is well within reach despite the surface switch. 2-Sweet Gal of Mine goes turf-to-dirt and hasn’t tried the main track since September 2024. This mare usually prefers to finish underneath.
Race #3: Selections: 4-3-2
A short but contentious group of fillies line up here. 4-My Girl Mia did not show her customary early zip when switching to turf in the last, when stepping up to face winners, but tries grass again this afternoon for Team O’Neill and may offer more tactical early zip in a wide-open affair. 3-Queen Bay co-tops the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (69) when finishing alongside the top choice on Sept. 7. This gal’s lone grass win came on this turf course. 2-Kintrigue came up empty in the last pair, but is reunited with winning pilot Kazushi Kimura.
Race #4: Selections: 6-3-1
6-Got’m Cot’m has been fairly consistent this current campaign, with a win three-back and back-to-back thirds (beaten less than a length) in the last pair. She had an awful journey on Oct. 3 when she was away slowly and finished with a flourish amongst heavy traffic. A big chance this afternoon with clear sailing, and her previous physical setbacks seem to be behind her for conditioner Val Brinkerhoff. 3-Mr. Machupicchu scampered away to a solid win in last and now goes first off the Steve Knapp claim. This barn is 10-for-50 (20%) with dirt sprint newly acquired purchases at Santa Anita in the past five years. The 4-year-old gelding came back to work a sharp four furlongs in: 47 flat on Oct. 5. 1-Supernal exits a game runner-up try at Los Al on Sept. 20, coming up a neck shy with a competitive (78) Beyer.
Race #5: Selections: 1-10-2
If the swift TimeformUS pace projection comes to fruition, things could set up nicely for recent claim 1-Enterdadragon, who sports the field’s best late pace figure and figures to be saving a ton of ground from the rail and motoring home late with Rispoli. Trainer Mike Puype is 3-for-6 (50%) with a lofty $6.07 ROI with turf sprint new acquisitions in the past 4 years from a limited sample. 10-Known Idea shortens back up to a sprint today but has won three of his last four races for the Papaprodromou barn and sports some of the top grass figures in this field. Recent claim 2-Code Duello is a 4-time winner over the Santa Anita turf course and is a perfect 3-for-3 going six panels. Red-hot Kimura climbs aboard.
Race #6: Selections: 2-3-5
The 5-year-old maiden 2-Zuzu’s Classic Gal has never tried dirt but is by Classic Empire (16% dirt sprints) and should transition over to the main track just fine for Glatt. She’s had some close-up finishes sprinting on grass. 3-Volcanologist was no match for the race winner, Kool Kitten, in last, but defeated a trio of today’s returning rivals with a recent runner-up effort on Sept. 4. 5-Genuine Grace was a wide-trip sixth behind Volcanologist in last but finished second two and three-back with respectable Beyer figs. A better trip makes her a contender today against a suspect group.
Race #7: Selections: 7-1-2
7-Divisible By has been solid since returning off an extended layoff with two wins in Southern California and a most recent second at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 9. The Drysdale-trained 5-year-old gelding returns to his home base today and looms as a win threat again if he doesn’t regress off his career-top turf Beyer. Trainer Mark Glatt sends out a pair of geldings. 1-Essos didn’t show much in his two prior grass attempts, but he’ll get another look here: his third start of the current form cycle, switching to Rispoli and getting the cozy rail draw. The gray continues to drill swiftly in the a.m. 2-Sand Bagger looked visually impressive when kicking away to a sharp 3 ¼-length score on Aug. 28 and was claimed out of that performance by trainer Sean McCarthy.
Race #8: Selections: 4-1-5
4-Lady Mendelssohn came up super game when a wide second off the seven-month layoff when moving back to dirt on Sept. 7 on the turnback at Del Mar for conditioner Carl Gaines. This 4-year-old filly has worked three times since that strong try and figures tough if able to move forward this afternoon. 1-Hurricane Layla showed strong early speed off the year layoff at Los Al on Sept. 13, only to be run down in the final stages and settling for the runner-up spot. She figures to be hustled along again from the fence. 5-Danzing Flyer has won two straight and now goes first off the Sean Williams Aug. 30 claim. This barn is 4-for-18 (22%) with dirt sprint newly acquired purchases in the past three years.
Race #9: Selections: 2-7-8
2-Nyce Shot ran a huge race on debut Aug. 28 for trainer Michael McCarthy, never having had the chance to save any ground from an outside post. The Nyquist colt battled gamely through the lane to finish fourth (beaten only two lengths) and should be a handful in start number two, moving inside this afternoon and keeping Rispoli. A best-of-35 bullet four-furlong drill in :46.1 on Oct. 11 adds to the appeal, and three horses have returned from that Aug. 28 event to win. 7-Miss Mo Brown finished second in that aforementioned Aug. 28 event and is an obvious threat right back, too, for conditioner Andy Mathis. 8-Tiger Luck is slowly improving and makes the all-important third career start for Tim Yakteen. The filly is reunited with Rosario today.
