ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, FIZZY FRIDAY

FIRST RACE

DIALED TO GO finished more than five lengths clear of third last out in a maiden-40 sprint for 2yo fillies. A similar effort in this maiden-32 should get it done at a short price. MISTY SLEW is not impossible at higher odds. She makes her second start back from a short layoff, with a history of improvement second time out. WILD EDIE got bet like a “can’t-miss” in her debut two weeks ago, but finished tenth as the favorite. She wheels right back, and might be better than her debut indicates.

SECOND RACE

MESA SKY drops from allowance to $20k claiming; this is the first time he has raced for a low tag. His off-the-pace/pressing style should play well in a race with plenty of speed to set it up from a come-from-behind runner. JES JAA dueled and cracked last time, from an inside post. He was claimed, moves to an outside post, won two similar claiming sprints on this track in summer, and could bounce back. NATIVE TREASURE is a 9-for47 pro that will roll late. ROCKET FUEL drops to the lowest level of his career, and adds blinkers. The speedster will be engaged early.

THIRD RACE

OM, third as the favorite in this G2 turf route a year ago, figures as the horse to beat again this year. All four starts this season were solid, including an eighth-place finish last out in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. He missed by only two and a half lengths. The veteran is lightly raced this year (four starts). PEE WEE REESE defeated the top choice convincingly last out, but that was way back in July. ‘REESE has not started since. His fast workouts suggest he will return in top form, but his up-front running style goes against the closers-friendly course profile. Win or lose, he probably is the one to catch. FLAMBOYANT is cross-entered the Hollywood Turf Cup on Friday. The veteran has not won since 2016, but he has been running well all year, placing in four graded stakes. He is a legit late threat, even at this “short” distance.

FOURTH RACE

GEMINI JOURNEY runs well fresh, trainer Bill Spawr fires with fresh horses, and the filly catches an apparently modest field of California-bred sprinters for her first start since breaking slowly and finishing third in a $32k claiming sprint for 3yo fillies. HAVEITURE WAY finished second, more than four lengths clear of third, in her comeback early this month. Major threat to wire the field if she runs two alike. BRIARTIC GAL has posted a series of fast works at San Luis Rey Downs as she prepares for her first start since moving to the stable of trainer Richard Baltas.

FIFTH RACE

FIZZY FRIDAY drops from a series of stakes in Kentucky and New York, which have better grass racing than California. Her runner-up finish two starts back in a stakes race at Saratoga would be plenty good enough for this N1X at Del Mar. With a comeback under her belt, good works since, dropping from Grade 3, she enters as the most probable winner on the closing-day card. BE MINE finished a lackluster fourth in her comeback, as the 6-5 favorite. Kind of a disappointing effort actually, although it was her first start since last July. She might improve second start back. DEL MAR ANN won a $25k claiming turf route from post 10 last time, her third win from six turf starts at Del Mar. She wheels back a little quick (16 days), but draws a better post while moving up in class and figures if she can reproduce her Nov. 10 victory.

SIXTH RACE

SECRET TOUCH and DIVISOR are key contenders in this starter allowance sprint. The call goes to SECRET TOUCH. He finished third last out in a route, returns to the track on which he ran so well in summer, and shortens to one turn. Trainer Peter Eurton is 5-for-12 this year with dirt sprinters going route to sprint. DIVISOR has the highest last-start figure, an 88 Beyer two months ago at Santa Anita in his return to dirt. The figure was

validated when runner-up Conqueror returned to win a maiden race. UPPERCLASSMAN has a shot to wire the field. This seven-furlong sprint is not exactly loaded with speed. He could get brave if left alone out front.

SEVENTH RACE

OFF LIMITS, much improved this year, is qualified to post a mild upset in this Grade 1 turf mile. All five starts this season (four wins) have been solid; her G3 victory last out was better than the narrow margin (neck) indicates. She won while confidently ridden late. The pace should be legit, her stable has had a huge year (nine Grade 1s on turf). She can win from off the pace. CAMBODIA arrived in California in summer as a mere G3 winner; she went straight up the ladder to emerge this fall as one of the circuit’s top female grass runners. Her most recent was her best yet, third by less than two lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf. The challenge is this one-mile distance might be slightly shorter than she prefers. That is a minor concern. The truth is, she enters as the “best horse” in the field. KITTEN’S ROAR crushed a G2 turf mile here three weeks ago, winning by more than two lengths. The Kitten’s Joy 5yo mare is legit; she has flirted with the top female turf runners in the country. Proven over the course, valid contender. Post 12 no bargain, however. LULL is fast, and could set the pace. One mile on a closers-friendly course is a long trip for her, however. HAWKSMOOR will keep the pace honest.

EIGHTH RACE

ALLIANNA pressed a fast pace and finished third in her debut; the one-two finishers returned to finish one-two in a stakes race. With a race under her belt, facing what appears to be a modest field of maiden fillies, ALLIANNA could be gone on the front end. Also-eligible MISCHIEVOUS SONG was claimed for $40k from a promising runner-up debut. She finished more than 13 lengths clear of third. Up in class to special-weight, she is a frontend contender if she goes. TELL YOUR MAMA drops from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, shortens to a sprint and adds blinkers. Her first two starts in Kentucky were decent.

NINTH RACE

ANALYZE IT was a 13-1 longshot in his debut last month at Belmont, but his romping win by more than six lengths was no fluke. He broke like a shot, set or pressed the pace while hounded from the outside, was always running easily, then turned on the burners in the lane and cruised in a fast time 1:34.31. Big debut by a promising colt. Although he won setting the pace, he ran as if he does not necessarily require the lead. He ran his final quarter-mile in under 23 seconds. INSCOM has more seasoning than the top choice, having made three starts. His last was his best yet. He put it all together with a visually impressive win by more than four lengths. And like the top choice, INSCOM ran fast late. His final quarter-mile was 23 seconds. The two impressive maiden winners are tough to separate in this G3 turf mile for 2yos. GOLDEN DRAGON drops from the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, and returns to grass. He previously won back-to-back turf races on the Midwest circuit. That is wrap for this meet, and a wrap for this handicapper. Vacation beckons, see you Dec. 26 at Santa Anita. Good luck at Los Alamitos, which opens Thursday.