Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 7-Forgiving Spirit (Race 4)
Race #1: The last “off the turf” try by 7-Donic is a complete toss. The 5-year-old returns to his preferred surface this afternoon where he earned a solid (91) Beyer two-back when coming up just a neck short. He makes his third start of the form cycle today as well. 4-Seismic Spirit (Ire) came up less than a length short in most recent despite a troubled trip and was a winner going this 6 ½ furlong trip two-back. 6-Beaudacious steps up off sharp win last month.
Selections: 7-4-6
Race #2: 2-Last Call London makes the all-important 3rd career start for trainer Peter Miller off two encouraging efforts in April and May. This son of Stay Thirsty should break through Maiden ranks in this spot as likely heavy favorite. 6-Mic’s Express finished behind top choice in last but figures to get a favorable stalking trip with outside post. 3-Mr. Dreamcycle showed little in that same May 21 race the top two exit from, but this barn typically improves runners in their second career start.
Selections: 2-6-3
Race #3: 2-Casia (by multiple G1 winner Acclamation) was a voided claim in last but now stretches out for the first time and should relish the additional real estate. 6-Midnight Silence is the logical one to beat in here coming off back-to-back second place finishes and the field’s best last out main track Beyer. 5-Love Our Family hasn’t shown much in recent starts after showing some promise early on but goes turf to dirt today and drops in for a first-time tag.
Selections: 2-6-5
Race #4: 7-Forgiving Spirit is a 4-time winner at the distance and over this turf course and drops back into a Cal-bred event while offered for a tag. The gelding’s versatile running style should serve him well in this spot if the TimeformUS contested predicted pace scenario comes to fruition. He can sit and pounce on this group with Hernandez taking over. 6-Trumped comes off a career best Beyer when switched to grass in last finishing a neck short of the win and figures to be a handful if he can replicate that performance. 1-Barely Functional moves all the way inside today and should be able to work out a favorable ground-saving trip.
Selections: 7-6-1
Race #5: 2-Handsome Harry adds blinkers today after slow starting debut when attracting decent tote support. Trainer Ruben Alvarado is an impressive 5 for 14 (36%) with a $5.17 ROI with second time starters. 7-Mr. Chivas flashed much-improved early speed in start number two with the addition of blinkers and should be tough again with favorable outside draw and a probable move forward again. 1-Shady Appeal is by Twice the Appeal who has had some success from limited starts with his debuting prodigy and trainer Jeff Bonde is 3 for 11 at this meet. This juvenile colt appears to have some speed to coincide with his rail draw based on local drills.
Selections: 2-7-1
Race #6: 7-Escape Artist drops out of the $100k Singletary Stakes where he finished a solid 3rd in front of next-out stake’s winner Game Time. He shows three strong drills since that effort including a “best of 60” bullet 4-furlongs on May 27. 5-Acquired Class goes two sprints to a route for Miller and is reunited with winning rider. 6-Ransomware adds Lasix off sharp return try for D’Amato and broke his Maiden going this mile trip. He owns the field’s best last out turf Beyer (85).
Selections: 7-5-6
Race #7: 6-Essential Business returns to dirt off the extended layoff for trainer Peter Miller and this barn usually has good success with these layoff types. This filly finds a soft spot to start her 2023 campaign. 5-Fried Asparagus was a well-beaten 3rd in comeback effort but showed some sharpened a.m. speed in bullet drill on June 2 since that effort. 4-Storm d’Oro flashed good early zip and tired when dropped to this level in last and may be able to shake free here while drawn outside of main speed.
Selections: 6-5-4
Race #8: The Maiden 7-Worcester makes his grass debut today for Baffert and second start since arriving back from non-threatening try in the UAE Derby in March. He was a strong runner-up over the main track in last earning a (94) Beyer and should be a handful against this group if he handles the turf. 3-Wizard of Westwood is the likely pacesetter in here and comes off a pair of decent stakes tries going shorter albeit surrendering the lead late in both efforts. Today’s stretch out to a 1 ¼ miles might be testing his limitations. The stakes winning 4-Mi Hermano Ramon is 3 for 5 lifetime and comes off a nice closing win in the Singletary Stakes on May 7. His running style, however, may make him somewhat vulnerable at short odds in this competitive lineup.
Selections: 7-3-4
Race #9: 5-Missed the Cut is a 4-year-old colt by Quality Road who makes his first stateside start for trainer John Sadler. He’s been off since late February but adds Lasix today and has trained steadily for his U.S. unveiling. He was a multiple stakes winner in Europe and attracts Hernandez. 1-It’s My House steps up in class having won two straight and has speed from the rail. The gelding’s last two Beyer figures match up well with this field. 6-Tripoli is nowhere the horse he once was in 2021 but is eligible to move forward making his second start off the mini-freshening after an ok third in small stake at Golden Gate.
Selections: 5-1-6
Race #10: 3-Ridin’thestormout showed ability in promising third place finish in debut last summer at Del Mar when flashing good speed and has trained well for today’s return effort. The Candy Ride filly adds Lasix and Hernandez sticks here. 9-Strikingly has been close on numerous occasions but makes career start number ten this afternoon and is running out of excuses. She turns back in distance with an improving Beyer pattern. 5-Make It Snow is back sprinting on grass which produced a solid 3rd for this filly back in February.
Selections: 3-9-5
