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Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner

BEST BET: 1-Wound Up (Race 9)

Race #1: Selections: 3-4-6

3-Musical Song showed solid speed and a complete form reversal in career start number two on the stretch-out, when rounding at the exacta at 50-1. The 3-year-old filly is dangerous with another progressive move forward on the frontend. A beaten favorite in the last pair, 4-Rehearsal (Ire) has hit the board in her previous three grass routes facing similar and is a logical fit again for D’Amato and Rispoli. 6-Justivar finished a troubled trip wide fourth when returning off a nine-month layoff at even money in her most recent try on Sept. 26, and is likely to move forward today, second off the bench.

Race #2: Selections: 7-6-4

The lightly raced 7-Brunchandcrunch goes two sprints to a route today for Baltas, coming off a wide trip fifth on Sept. 6 at Del Mar, where he showed some interest late. The 4-year-old gelding (by Richard’s Kid) is bred to relish two turns. Claimed out of his last pair, 6-Contrary Chieftain returns to Santa Anita for conditioner Tim McCanna, where he’s 3-2-0 from seven starts. 4-Bazooka Charlie scampered away to a 5 ¾-length maiden win on Oct. 13 and returns protected on the stretch-out for conditioner Steve Miyadi. The Grazen colt will need a Beyer boost, but is in good form right now for the quick turnaround.

Race #3: Selections: 5-4-7

5-Midland Money (an $650k OBS purchase by Shancelot) drops out of the G1 Allen Jerkens at Saratoga into this softer spot this afternoon for Team Baffert. The lightly raced 3-year-old colt makes his third try of 2025, shortens back up to six panels, and removes the blinkers today. Besides the top selection, 4-Mbagnick (Chi) is the only other runner in this field that’s posted a triple-digit Beyer and drops out of back-to-back graded stakes tries. He figures to be forwardly placed for Sadler. 7-Bartholdy goes route to sprint for trainer Steve Knapp, and this 4-year-old gelding has hit the board in all six tries over the Santa Anita main track.

Race #4: Selections: 7-5-2

7-Wild Like The West goes dirt to turf on the stretch-out in start number two for trainer Richard Baltas. This Into Mischief filly doesn’t have a ton of grass pedigree, but her top sire does get an OK 13% with grass route runners, and the presence of jockey Juan Hernandez indicates she’s likely to move forward this afternoon. 5-Island Home ran a decent fifth in her Oct. 3 turf route unveiling for Michael McCarthy and is another who will likely benefit with that race under her belt. Kimura sticks and has been riding well the past two weeks. The Tim Yakteen-trained 2-Tiz Grace is a logical fit off her most recent runner-up effort and (63) turf Beyer when finishing in front of Island Home in the aforementioned Oct. 3 event. The top pair may have more upside, however.

Race #5: Selections: 6-4-3

6-Blue Cheese Olive was a game second in his most recent effort at Los Al on Sept. 13 when battling for the lead and holding second. The gelding followed up on that sharp try with solid a.m. drills in the interim for Knapp. A multiple winner over the track and distance, 4-Howbeit drops below the claiming purchase price from two-back while making his second start off the bench. This veteran 8-year-old gelding has run some of the fastest dirt Beyers in this $5k claiming group. 3-Halo Uncle has done some of his best running over the Santa Anita main track and should benefit from returning to that surface today, exiting an even fourth under the Los Al lights on Oct. 5.

Race #6: Selections: 5-9-2

5-Ride the Tiger should offer some decent value in here, switching to turf in start number two for trainer Brian Koriner, who has solid stats overall with second-time starters. This juvenile colt by Smiling Tiger returns off a two-month freshening off a fifth-place debut finish on Aug. 16 and has potential upside. 9-Cal’s Goal finished third when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on Sept. 28 (beaten less than three lengths) and is a logical fit with any normal second-out progression for the Yakteen barn. 2-Dark Blue finished a closing fifth in the aforementioned Sept. 28 grass sprint for McCarthy and is eligible to move forward off that even effort.

Race #7: Selections: 2-10-5

2-Que Bella Luna hasn’t been out in 10 months for conditioner Ron Ells, but looks logically placed off the bench in a weak lineup and has trained steadily for this afternoon’s return to action. 10-She’s a One of One drops again and removes the blinkers today for Miller off a better-than-looks sixth at Los Al on Sept. 19. This jockey-trainer combo has had better than average success with dirt sprint maiden claiming starters. 5-Going Great Guns has yet to hit the board in three career efforts to date, but drops in class, adds blinkers, and makes her first start for a new barn.

Race #8: Selections: 6-5-4

6-Take a Breath (GB) lost all chance in her second stateside try for Glatt when running up on the heels of a rival, checking hard, and not being asked to run on when last seen as the beaten favorite on Sept. 28. Two-back, she finished a solid closing fourth in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) to next-out winners Lush Lips and Slick, who enters back here. 5-Warming broke slowly from the rail in the John C. Harris (G3) on Sept. 27 and then made a solid, determined wide run late from midpack to round out the trifecta (beaten less than a length). The 3-year-old filly from the Motion barn should only move forward off that effort, making her second start in Southern California. 4-Innovative stretches back out having won three of her last four turf starts for D’Amato, which included the aforementioned Grade 3 John C. Harris in her most recent try on Sept. 27.

Race #9: Selections 1-10-4

1-Wound Up was overmatched in his last pair of graded stakes tries but drops back down to a winning level today for conditioner Librado Barocio and needs only to get a clean break from the rail to wire this field. 10-Jerry’s Spirit wanted know part of the grass in his most recent try, but moves back to his preferred main track surface this afternoon, where he’s won five of his 11 starts for trainer Tim Yakteen. The 4-year-old gelding should fall into a favorable staking trip with the outside draw. A dominating 5 ¼-length winner of his last effort at Del Mar on Aug. 29, 4-Hard to Figure steps up off the claim for trainer Ron Ellis, who has strong stats with new barn acquisitions.

Race #10: Selections 3-5-4

A beaten favorite in last, 3-Yellow Sun Dress exits a solid third, when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals on Sept. 28, and should find the downhill layout to her liking for Glatt and new pilot Juan Hernandez. She’s hit the board in six of eight career tries. 5-Dare to Fly finished in front of the top choice in her first turf try for D’Amato in her last start and is a logical threat right back against that same group. The 3-year-old filly figures to be forwardly placed once again. 4-Gypsy Woman (Ire) shortens up second off the claim today while making her third start of the form cycle for conditioner Tim Yakteen. The 5-year-old mare was a multiple winner going seven furlongs before relocating Stateside.