Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Madison Rae (Race 3)
Race #1: 2-Eight Clap closed strongly for the show spot on Aug. 24 debut and the Mullins barn is a sharp 8 for 34 (24%) with a positive ROI with second-time starters on grass at Santa Anita the past 4 years. The 2-year-old gelding moves inside, stretches out an additional furlong, and is eligible to move forward off that encouraging effort. 4-Sir Maximus goes dirt to turf for today’s second career start and his sire Maximus Mischief has produced a pair of turf sprint winners from limited starts. First-time gelding 9-Teddy’s Triumph flashed good speed before tiring to fourth in the aftermentioned Aug. 24 event while facing several of these and is a logical fit with any normal second-out improvement.
Selections: 2-4-9
Race #2: Recent Los Al maiden winner 3-Casia looks appropriately placed by conditioner Vladimir Cerin for her first crack against winners. She is eligible to move forward making her second start off the bench. 1-Mindandrefined removes the blinkers, goes turf to dirt, and drops to a career-low claiming tag looking for the wake-up call. 6-Mango Moon has been trounced in the last two starts but returns to SA where she was a 4 ¼-length winner on debut back in June.
Selections: 3-1-6
Race #3: 2-Madison Rae finished a decent closing third on Sept. 9 debut earning par for this class level and is eligible to be a handful in the second start this afternoon. Trainer Peter Miller is 11 for 28 (39%) with a $3.25 ROI with second-time dirt starters at Santa Anita. Her stablemate 5-Hot Danzing did little running going long on the grass in her most recent effort but cuts back to a main-track sprint where she finished third on Aug. 12 debut. 6-Miss Miche Lada (By Stay Thirsty) debuts off a solid work tab for conditioner Steve Knapp. This jockey-trainer combo is 6 for 10 ITM with first-time starters.
Selections: 2-5-6
Race #4: 3-Tiergarten steps up off a sharp win where she earned the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (82) and could improve further making the third start off the form cycle for trainer Steve Knapp. 6-Irish Patsy was a strong mile winner on grass two-back and Rispoli returns looking to make it 2-2 on this 3-year-old filly. 1-Zeyaraat has been winless since July 2021 but moves to the rail this afternoon and figures to catch a favorable ground-saving journey with Hernandez retaining the mount.
Selections: 3-6-1
Race #5: The lone 4-year-old in the field 3-Bad Sneakers adds blinkers on the stretch-out for Hernandez and Glatt and figures to improve off his non-threatening fourth-place finish. His sire multiple grade 1 Gun Runner gets a respectable 16% with dirt route prodigy. The 0 for 12 5-Mucino has already had several chances but is a logical fit once again off back-to-back runner-up efforts against this level where the Nyquist colt has posted Beyers of 85 and 87 for Team O’Neil. 6–Mauna Kea Bound saw a 14-point Beyer boost on the stretch-out and now makes the third start of the form cycle this afternoon for trainer Bob Hess.
Selections: 3-5-6
Race #6: The undefeated Oscar Performance colt 3-Endlessly seeks three straight for trainer Michael McCarthy and projects to get another live race flow to close into. He’ll likely continue his winning ways making his Santa Anita debut. The D’Amato import 4-Pour Dompter (Fr) is aggressively placed for his first stateside try but has shown ability in all five career starts over in France. His sire Zelzal (Fr) was a multiple grade 1 winner going a mile. McCarthy’s other colt 2-Ngannou finished a strong second on Sept. 10 debut try behind another barn entrant 8-Formidable Man who is also entered here. Either colt has plenty room to improve and step up here after showing ability at first-asking.
Selections: 3-4-2
Race #7: 9-Princip was overmatched in the last start but drops in for a $50,000 tag this afternoon and returns to Santa Anita where he was a maiden-winner two-back. 10-Houndstooth was a beaten favorite in last but makes the third start off the bench today for trainer Steve Miyadi and figures to get some live pace to close into. 2-Keen Heir makes his Southern California debut off the claim and nearly four-month freshening. The 4-year-old gelding just missed in the last pair of efforts at Ellis Park and Belmont. This barn is 6 for 22 (27%) in the past 3 years with new acquisitions.
Selections: 9-10-2
Race #8: The grade 3 Sorrento winner 3-Dreamfyre is unproven on grass and going two turns but arrives on the scene 2 for 2 and is a serious gate-to-wire threat this afternoon. She’s bred to handle the surface switch and could be tough to reel in as the speed of the speed. 2-Flattery looks to keep her unbeaten streak alive as well after two giant closing winning scores on grass going this trip for trainer Peter Eurton. This filly continues to train well leading up to this. 6-Soho exits a live race where she was a sharp winner Sept. 8 and is bred to handle additional real estate. A pair of runners have come back out of this maiden event to win. The maiden victory followed-up by a 5-furlong bullet drill Sept. 30 adds to the appeal.
Selections: 3-2-6
Race #9: 7-Wishtheyallcouldbe has won two straight from off the pace and is likely to get another flattering live race flow this afternoon. The 5-year-old mare is 2 for 2 over the Santa Anita main track for owner/trainer Mark Glatt. 2-Big Novel comes off a troubled trip fourth when encountering some traffic issues. A threat with clean sailing and Hernandez stays aboard. The lightly raced 8-Class Clown owns the field’s best last-out Beyer with a sharp maiden score at Los Al but will undoubtedly face some other pace pressure this afternoon. The 3-year-old filly did follow up that effort with a “best of 68” 4-furlong drill in :46 flat.
Selections: 7-2-8
Race #10: 3-Maltese Falcon comes off a win and second in back-to-back graded stake events and co-tops the field’s best last-out turf Beyer. 5-Aligato was a sharp second in last start for hot barn and will be a handful with any normal second off the bench improvement. The 6-year-old gelding loves the SA turf course going 2-2-2 from 7 career starts. The lightly raced 4-Seal Time (GB) makes his third career start off an improving Beyer pattern and comes off a better-than-looks third-place finish.
Selections: 3-5-4
