Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 2-Hardtobebetternow(Race 9)
Race #1: Selections: 1-3-4
The Bob Hess-trained 1-Beef Winslow kicked away to a decisive 3 ½-length turf route score over this strip back on Oct. 17 over next-out winner, Uncle Happy, and sports the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (89) on the turnback. The veteran 7-year-old gelding has been just as effective sprinting, and figures to be motoring home late with Rispoli. The lightly raced 6-year-old 3-Central Dispatch has been plagued by layoff lines but has proven he can fire fresh for Sadler and has won two of three turf starts. He was hardly disgraced when facing the likes of multiple graded stakes-winning Motorious in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez back in December 2024. 4-Charge for Gold flashed speed and tired when last seen back on Oct. 5 as a voided claim and deserves another chance at this reduced $50k claiming level, shortening up to 6 ½ furlongs.
Race #2: Selections: 3-5-6
3-Singlemore ran an even fifth when ignored at 30-1 in his Sept. 7 unveiling for trainer Tim Yakteen, but earned a strong Beyer (78) in defeat. The Distorted Humor 4-year-old gelding now drops in for a first-time tag ($20k) off the four-month layoff and should prove tough if able to run back to something resembling that first-out speed figure. 5-English Icon has yet to try the main track, but drops another notch in class today for conditioner Mark Glatt off the mini-freshening and has certainly posted figures high enough on turf to be considered a threat today against this soft group. In addition, this barn is a solid 4 for 13 (31%) with a $3.40 ROI with turf to dirt maiden claimers at Santa Anita the past five years. 6-Brahms Mendelssohn has yet to hit the board in six career tries, but moves back to the main track on the turnback and drops in for a first-time tag after facing better MDSW types all last year.
Race #3: Selections: 1-3-5
A six-time winner over this turf course, the 10-year-old veteran gelding 1-Jetovator is in super form, exiting a recent win and runner-up effort over this strip two back. The Peter Eurton-trained gray shows no signs of slowing down, and this is the horse to beat off that far-superior best last-out (90) Beyer. A multiple winner over the track and distance, 3-Grazed goes dirt to turf for Miller and has run far better races on grass over his career. Jockey Emisael Jaramillo gets the mount, recently moving his tack from Florida to Southern California. 5-Jaguar Jon was not nearly as sharp in both his turf tries, but his fourth-place finish two-back was better than it looks on paper when facing a trio of today’s returning rivals. He has good gate speed to coincide with today’s outside draw and may offer some value this afternoon.
Race #4: Selections: 3-1-8
3-Heavenly Princess was scratched last Sunday afternoon for this softer spot and gets the complete makeover this afternoon by trainer Librado Barocio. The 3-year-old filly adds blinkers, Lasix, and drops in for a first-time tag after flashing speed, tiring, and getting beaten by double digits in all three career starts, facing better. She could prove tough to reel in at this reduced level with new pilot Hector Berrios. 1-Flamingo Star flashed improved speed versus similar in her last at Los Al on Dec. 14, posting the field’s best (51) main track Beyer. Kimura sticks. 8-My Girl Mia lost all realistic chance on debut when bumped, checked, and eased in the lane for Team O’Neill, but can improve today on the class drop and the addition of Lasix for a barn that heated up last week. This barn is 7 for 20 (35%) with MDSW to MDCLM second-time starters dropdowns sprinting on dirt the past five years.
Race #5: Selections: 5-1-6
A competitive, evenly-matched group of sophomore maiden special weight 3-year-olds are routing on the grass to close out the Thursday afternoon early pick five. 5-Flash of Lightning goes two sprints to a route for trainer Richard Baltas with the addition of Lasix. The colt (by G1 winner Halladay) was a troubled trip fourth when last seen back in late October, when facing several of these, and picks up the red-hot hand of Kimura. 1-Dark Blue adds blinkers, Lasix on the stretch-out for trainer Michael McCarthy and picks up Rispoli, who is 24 for 88 (27%) with a $2.07 ROI overall with grass route runners at Santa Anita the past five years. 6-Columnist is a logical fit based on his last pair of turf route tries for trainer Tim Yakteen, posting a 63 and 61 Beyer. The gelding will have the blinkers removed today, and Lasix added. He finished third to repeat G3 winner Unrivaled Time, when last seen on Oct. 19.
Race #6: Selections: 6-1-3
6-Solo Gano faded to fifth in his most recent try on Nov. 30 but drops back down to today’s $50k maiden claiming level, where he flashed speed and ran third two back. The 4-year-old son of Dad’s Cap makes his third start of the form cycle today for conditioner Luis Mendez. His stablemate, 1-Charmz Away, makes career start number 13 this afternoon but has hit the board in half of his career tries and has run main track figures that make him a threat against this suspect bunch. Blinkers off, 3-Millibo Baggins has not been competitive thus far, but returns off a nine-month layoff, moves to dirt, and drops in for a first-time tag. All positive moves for this barn from small samples.
Race #7: Selections: 3-2-6-5
3-Berlin Wall has never sprinted on grass but has just enough turf pedigree to suggest he will handle the surface switch for trainer Steve Knapp and looks like the controlling speed this afternoon with an alert break. The 4-year-old colt by Practical Joke drops out of the Malibu (G1) into this much easier spot today, having hit the board in five of six career efforts. 2-Check’s On the Way sports the field’s best last-out turf Beyer (80) off his recent runner-up on Nov. 7 and figures to get a favorable tracking trip. Recent maiden winner 6-Warm Sun and Brew was scratched last Saturday for this spot by trainer Mark Glatt, with an improving Beyer pattern, and has plenty of upside. Hernandez takes over the riding assignment this afternoon. A voided $32k claim when last seen, 5-Irish Royalty returns off a nine-month layoff for trainer Doug O’Neill, but has run well fresh in the past and shows up at the $20,000 level today off a steady work tab. This 5-time winner is 0-for-8 over the SA turf course, but has been close on several occasions.
Race #8: Selections: 7-8-2
7-Ryan’s Girl slices his claiming tag in half for the Papaprodromou barn on the class plunge and the stretch out. The 4-year-old filly is reunited with Kimura and figures to fall into a favorable trip on or close to the lead this afternoon. Two sprints to a route 8-Big Celebration drops in for a career-low claiming tag today, making the third start of the form cycle, and has run well over the Santa Anita main track for Mullins, evidenced by her (6-2-2-0) mark. 2-Misty Dancer slugged up for the runner-up spot at 63-1 on Nov. 24 against a pair of today’s returning rivals, posting the field’s best last-out (59) main track Beyer.
Race #9: Selections: 2-4-1
2-Hardtobebetternow has run well in both turf tries for trainer Tim Yakteen, who is off to a fast start this meet. The Hard Spun 4-year-old makes his second try off the extended layoff today and is the horse to beat with any normal second-out progression. The Glatt-trained 4-Big Bill has hit the board in three of five turf starts, co-tops the field’s best last-out grass Beyer (68), and exits some competitive races that have produced multiple next-out winners. 1-Star of Delhi is slowly improving for conditioner Wayne Baker, exiting a career-best turf Beyer, and has worked well in recent weeks since that last fourth-place effort. He finished behind the top choice in last, but the 4-year-old gelding figures to get a favorable upfront pressing journey from the rail with jockey Tiago Pereira.
