Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 6-Queen Goddess (Race 6)
Race #1: A bumpy troubled trip in the first stateside start Oct. 1 for 6-Sea of Cortez (Ire) resulted in a DQ from third to fourth but this gelding ran well for his first U.S. start and second career outing overall. A big chance this afternoon on the stretch-out for D’Amato. 3-Legislator a beaten favorite in the last pair since crossing the finish line first and Dq’d three-back at Del Mar. Prat and Miller team up this afternoon and this gelding has posted some of the higher grass figures in this field. 1-Caribbean King returns off a 10-week freshening as a first-time gelding for trainer Peter Eurton off a couple of decent two-turn turf routes against similar. Hernandez aboard for the repeat mount.
Selections: 6-3-1
Race #2: 3-Teddy’s Triumph goes turf to dirt on the MDSW to Maiden Claiming class plunge for trainer Peter Miller and looks like the potential front-runner in this group of suspect juvenile colts and geldings. 5–Grazen Boy can improve off even sixth place debut effort dropping from $50k to $32k Maiden Claimers. 7-Sir Looking Glass was forced to take up on Sept. 24 unveiling when eased and walked off. On the positive side, the first-time gelding is back on the work tab with some decent a.m. drills and drops in for a tag.
Selections: 3-5-7
Race #3: 6–King Apollo makes second start off the bench off a sharp runner-up try behind next-out winner Daniel’s Magic. The 4-year-old gelding owns the field’s best last-out grass Beyer. 1-Hawker returns off an eight-month hiatus for Sadler but has trained extremely well for today’s return try and broke his Maiden over this strip two-back. The Justify colt lures Rispoli this afternoon from the rail. 8-Gypsy King flashed speed and tired to fourth in most recent try Oct. 15 but makes third start of the form cycle today off an improving Byer pattern.
Selections: 6-1-8
Race #4: 1-Indian Dreamer has shown little in a pair of 5-furlong sprint tries at Del Mar but moves to the main track today on the class drop and can improve for conditioner Val Brinkerhoff. This barn is 3 for 9 with a lofty $7.22 ROI with turf to dirt MDSW to Maiden Claiming dropdowns. 2-Bossy Bruin Gal adds blinkers, returns to the main track on the turnback, and gets much-needed class relief for Team O’Neill. 6-Capo Sorella has flashed speed in all three career starts and has improved Beyer-wise with each subsequent effort.
Selections: 1-2-6
Race #5: This bottom $10,000 claiming event is a good spot to try a price play. 3-Handr’sdream makes first start for trainer Mark Glatt who has had a fantastic fall Santa Anita meet hovering around a 30%-win clip. This 5-year-old gelding projects to be on or close to the lead in here and could be tough to reel in late if able to shake free. 7-Big Swede has little early speed but owns the field’s best last-out main track Beyer and drops a bit in class off third-place effort Oct. 15. 1-Paco’s Pico was a voided claim for $25k back on Sept. 23 and now drops in for a career-low tag today for Sadler.
Selections: 3-7-1
Race #6: 6-Queen Goddess returns off a five-month freshening dropping out of a pair of grade 1s for trainer Michael McCarthy and this multiple graded stakes winner is proven off the bench. She’s the class of this field and has never been off the board over the SA turf (2-1-1) from four starts. East Coast invader 5-Full Count Felicia brings solid credentials for trainer Brittany Russell having won three straight but gets a serious class test this afternoon against some more seasoned older mares. A winner of two of her last three starts 1-Closing Remarks projects to sit a favorable ground-saving trip with Hernandez and will be closing strongly late.
Selections: 6-5-1
Race #7: 9-Kislovodsk returns as a first-time gelding off the Mike Puype purchase and has trained well off the mini-freshening. 5–Too Much Info a pair of runner-up finishes in two of his last three starts against similar makes this gelding the one to beat. However, he’s winless since August 22 debut so tread lightly. 1-Tahoe Secrets flattened out in last as the beaten chalk and now makes the first start for the new barn off the $16k claim.
Selections: 9-5-1
Race #8: 2-Impact Warrior (Ire) finished behind both Anisette and Be Your Best when last seen in the grade 1 Del Mar Oaks Aug. 19, but makes her third U.S. start this afternoon for D’Amato off a pair of (86) Beyers and should be set for best try this afternoon with Prat. A chance to turn the tables on the after-mentioned grade 2 winner 4-Anisette (GB) who has won three of her four starts stateside for trainer Leonard Powell and cuts back to her preferred mile trip today. 1-Breath Away ships west for Clement off the 5 ½-month layoff and gets a cozy inside draw for Rosario. Her turf Beyer figures two and three-back at Gulfstream and Pimlico fits well here.
Selections: 2-4-1
Race #9: First off the claim 2-Redline adds blinkers today and returns to the main track where he was a sharp runner-up two-back at Del Mar. The Dollase barn clicks over 30% with recent claims at Santa Anita, and this colt looks primed for a top effort making a second start off the bench. 5-Patron d’Oro projects to be forwardly placed again in here for trainer Peter Miller coming off a solid win at Los Al where he earned the field’s best last-out main track Beyer (94). 3-Moose Mitchell was an impressive winner of two straight when last seen here at Santa Anita and comes off another top try at Los Al Sept. 22. The hard-hitting 4-year-old gelding 4-2-0 over this strip. Little separates the top three selections.
Selections: 2-5-3
Race #10: 5-Baj stretches back out off back-to-back third-place finishes and shows two sharp drills since that last effort Oct. 9. Rispoli takes over for Sadler and this 4-year-old gelding projects to trip out nicely returning to a mile. The 4-year-old gelding co-tops the field’s best last-out grass Beyer. The Argentinian-bred 6-Santo Dios (Arg) makes the first U.S. start off an extended layoff with Lasix for low profile barn but has worked well locally for today’s stateside unveiling. 3-Reckless Spirit makes second start off the bench of a troubled trip fifth Oct. 8 for D’Amato and figures to be flying late with Rosario.
Selections: 5-6-3
