SEVENTH RACE

although six and a half furlongs is a long way for her. Win or lose, she is the one they have to catch.

DIOSA wired maiden-claiming rivals two weeks ago by more than four lengths. She benefitted from a slow half-mile (:46.63), but her final time and corresponding speed figure were solid. Veteran 7yo ALERT BAY, a millionaire with 11 stakes wins including three stakes wins on the Santa Anita turf, enters autumn as a fresh horse at the top of his game. He was off for more than a year until a runner-up comeback in a G3 at Emerald Downs, then improved second start back with a decisive victory in a minor turf stakes at Golden Gate. This is just the third start of the year for ALERT BAY, a top horse in top form. KENCUMIN looked good winning a N2X mile in sharp style. Up in class, he has enough tactical speed for a cozy trip positioned just off the speed. The main candidate to set the pace is sprint-to-route THREEFIVEINDIA, whose downhill experiment last out produced a modest sixthplace finish. Maybe sprinting is too sharp. ‘INDIA stretches back to two turns, he is fast enough make the lead. His stablemate is graded stakes-placed KENJISSTORM, who will fly late.

EIGHTH RACE

MUCHO UNUSUAL followed her promising debut, runner-up in a stake, with a smashing maiden victory that stamps her the one to beat in this sprint for Cal-bred 2yo fillies. She pressed/set a fast pace, opened up and won “ridden out.” Bred top and bottom for two turns, this seven-furlong race is a perfect segue to longer races ahead. She is drawn outside, where she can press the pace in the clear, or go on with it. CREATIVE INSTINCT defeated the top choice when they met two months ago at Del Mar, although the top choice was making her career debut and obviously improved second time out. ‘INSTINCT is fast and won both starts in convincing front-running style.

DICHOTOMY has an upset chance due largely to her running style. This race is loaded with speed, DICHOTOMY might be the only legitimate laterunner. Off-the-pace upset?

NINTH RACE

The speed of the speed, FROM THE DISTANCE shows up for the first time at the N2L claiming level. Long gone. AMERICAN CURRENCY makes his first start of 2018, also racing at rock bottom for the first time. He has enough speed to keep the top choice company, or within striking range. ‘CURRENCY is from a winning stable; he should fire his best shot first start back. KATZUMOTO, compromised by a pace duel from an inside post in a big field last out, gets a beneficial post switch. Now he breaks from the outside, in the clear, and is likely to put in a late rally rather than duel for the lead. If the top pair run each other into the ground, KATZUMOTO might be the opportunistic laterunner to take advantage. TAP TAP BOOM won a maiden-25 last out at Fresno, he might fit here.

TENTH RACE

A pair of Daily Racing Form “horses to watch” show up for their second start in this downhill sprint for Cal-bred maiden fillies. The call is SMILING ANNIE, who was favored in her August debut, but got slammed at the break, dropped back, was never comfortable and basically misfired. The sibling to G2 turf winner Blackjackcat worked very well going into that dirt race, she worked well since, and with a clean break should improve a ton. ENVY is attractive at higher odds. A sibling to eight winners, she was not asked for speed in her debut, allowed to drop back, then finished evenly to split the field. It was nothing more than a prep race. Second time out, improvement likely. GONE SKYWARD flashed speed and tired in her debut. Bred top and bottom for turf, she adds blinkers for her second start, is comfortably drawn outside and will be on top of the pace from the start.