ANALYSIS LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE

BEST BET: RACE 4, DIZZY DIVA

FIRST RACE

A slow start from the rail doomed NORTH COUNTY GUY last time. He broke last of 10, zoomed forward to duel, and weakened in the lane. Now he moves inside to outside, drops from maiden-30 to maiden-20, and can win with a front-running/ pace-pressing trip. COMPETING was the top selection in a similar race Saturday, but he got stuck on the also-eligible list. He was compromised by an imperfect trip in his third-place comeback. He was banged around at the break, blocked behind horses on the turn and into the lane, then went one-paced. He can improve second start back. LUCKY SUN has speed, and benefits by the cutback from six and one-half to five furlongs.

SECOND RACE

Bill Morey-trained stablemates IMPRESSION and TIDAL EFFECT are the principals in this maiden-40 route. The 11-start maiden IMPRESSION lost four straight as the favorite, and six of his last seven, yet he gets the call. Most of the 5-year-old’s races have been on turf, but he has run well on the main track and may have more tactical speed than his younger mate. That is 3-year-old TIDAL EFFECT, who finished in front of the top choice when they met in March. ‘EFFECT was claimed by Morey last out and should improve. Morey is 7-for-12 this year first start off the claim, Northern and Southern California combined. ODYSSEY EXPLORER will be grinding away from the back of the pack in career start No. 17.

THIRD RACE

A five-furlong gate work in 56.60 seconds is rare, indeed. That is how fast first-time starter COLT FICTION reportedly worked June 9 at Los Alamitos. And it was not his only fast work. He posted a gate bullet in :46.80 in May, and a :46.40 work June 20. Sired by Ministers Wild Cat and produced by a dam whose only starter won his debut, COLT FICTION can win this Cal-bred MSW if he runs as fast as he trains. OLDER BROTHER improved second out, third in a downhill turf sprint. The improving gelding ran okay on dirt in his debut, and if the pace gets hot, he could be along in time. CREATIVE HIT is another fast-working firsttime starter that might try to keep the top choice honest on the front end. Like the top choice, ‘HIT has a series of bullet works including a 46-flat gate move on Tuesday.

FOURTH RACE

DIZZY DIVA should win this low-level N2L claiming route at a short price, based on back-to-back in-the-money finishes at Santa Anita and rivals that look modest. ‘DIVA ran well both recent starts pressing slow fractions; she could get a cozy trip chasing potential pacesetter PROPER DRINK. The latter was in three tough spots after winning a maiden sprint in January. Her most recent start, fourth after setting the pace in a $25k claiming N2L turf route, was the best race of her career. If she can repeat that effort while moving to dirt, she could steal it. MILLIE JOEL and REINHERMOSA, fourth and third in the same race last time out, can clunk along to pick up the pieces.

FIFTH RACE

This 2yo maiden-claiming race is a good spot to take a shot with second-time starter NO NEW FRIENDS, despite his sixth-place debut. He probably is better than the race suggests. He reportedly showed speed in workouts prior to his debut, but lost his chance when he broke slowly. Now he adds blinkers, drops from Cal-bred MSW to Calbred maiden-50 and can post a minor upset with a clean takeoff. IRISH TERRIER improved second out, runner-up while more than three lengths clear of third. He is improving. The early returns are promising for progeny of first-crop sire Boisterous. GRAB THE MUNNY will vie for favoritism off a runner-up debut in which he earned a 50 Beyer. That tops this field. The class hike from maiden-25 at Golden Gate to maiden-50 at Los Al probably can be interpreted as a signal of optimism.

SIXTH RACE

QUANTUM FORCE won for the fourth time in nine starts last out and was re-claimed by one of his former trainers. Ed Freeman won a race early this year with ‘FORCE, who is quick enough to make the lead from the rail in this five-furlong restricted $6,250 claiming race and lead gate to wire. GO GHETTO, freshened nearly two months, drops in class for his return. He ran well against better during winter and spring at Santa Anita. GONE WITH IT finished only a neck behind the top choice last out, and therefore must be considered. FANCY TERRACE has speed and will use it from near the outside. Same applies to ATOMIC ACTION.

SEVENTH RACE

Z Z TIGER and WHOA NESSIE are tough to split in this sprint for Cal-bred maiden fillies and mares. ‘TIGER might be a tad quicker, she has run well on dirt, and makes her second start following an okay third-place comeback. The best race of her career was the second start of her career, over this racetrack. Same pattern this time. WHOA NESSIE, vet scratch June 24, has enough speed to be forwardly placed and could get a cozy trip positioned right behind the speed. It seems that her preferred surface might be turf, but she ran okay on a “good” track in spring. Her most recent start was possibly better than it looks. She pressed the pace and held third; the one-two finishers rallied from sixth and 11th. GREAT MA NERI adds speed, while I’M SASSY moves up in class after an okay third-place comeback. She is eligible to improve, at a price.

EIGHTH RACE

Bob Baffert-trained COILS GOLD and MCKALE are principals in this deep N1X/optional $40k claiming sprint. The call is COILS GOLD, first start in nearly four months. He ran well on this track last summer, trained over this track all spring and looks set for a top effort first off the freshening. He can rally from behind, a style that could serve him well in a field with several front-runners. One of those is speedy stablemate MCKALE, who has been involved in a series of tough-pace sprints. He weakened all three tries against winners, but those races unfolded at a strong pace. Perhaps seven furlongs was out of his reach. Shorter distance here, he will be forwardly placed. BOY HOWDY finished nearly five clear of third last out in a highly rated $40k claiming sprint. He adds speed, while fast-working comeback gelding MR VARGAS also will be close to the front. LOVE MY BUD might be ranked too low by this handicapper. He won 3 of 5 at Los Al; his closing style suits the pace scenario. Must use.

NINTH RACE

Second start back from a layoff, speedster SING A SOLO is the one to catch in this maiden-20 sprint. She dueled on a fast pace and tired to third in her comeback; now she shortens from six furlongs to five. Long gone. SISTER NELA trained fairly well into her debut three weeks ago, was bet to 5-1, but merely ran around the track and finished eighth. She adds blinkers second time out, and drops in class. Improvement expected. MIDNIGHT HUNCH was claimed from a nowhere debut in February. She adds blinkers and makes her second career start for a stable that has a long record of success with maidens first off the claim. That is a wrap for this handicapper. Summer vacation beckons, looking forward to opening day at Del Mar on July 18.