ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 7, GYPSY BLU

FIRST RACE

SEDAMAR might get a nice set-up here. She ran on well for 3rd and 2nd in her last 2, both in races just like this here. There are a couple speed types in here to give her the right kind of sharp, contested pace to bolster her late kick. Those last 2 good efforts were also her first starts in 5 months so she’s eligible to improve. OPUS WON dueled through sizzling splits before gamely breaking her maiden on this course at this trip May 12, her first start in 5 months. She does have to face winners for the first time here and there’s other speed to deal with as well. LOSTINTRANZLATION pressed the pace before tiring some to end up 3rd, not far behind the top pick here May 10. Her speed can have her in the mix from the start, but she’s also shown she can pass horses.

SECOND RACE

CAL’S GEM, an AE, looks tough if he gets to play. He dueled and ran 2nd well clear of the others as the 8-5 favorite in his debut here May 31 so he’s shown speed and ability. One concern is he’ll be stuck way outside if he gets in. Both sibs are winners including Topaz Time (15-2-2-0, $38K). CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP likewise showed good speed in her debut here May 10, dueling before finishing 3rd. That was vs. fillies so she now takes on boys, but at this age that’s not a big hindrance. Both sibs (both fulls) to race are 2-time winners including Patience Ofa Saint (19-2-4-4, $50K). NEXT FLIGHT chased CAL’S GEM in that May 31 outing and kept to his task to finish 3rd, though he finished well behind CAL’S GEM (5 1/2 lengths).

THIRD RACE

BLENDED CITIZEN was well regarded enough last year to get a number of graded stakes tires on dirt, even winning the G3 Peter Pan. He was then gone a while (6 months) before a modest turf sprint return here Jan. 27. He’s been freshened again and returns to what may be his best game, this type of distance on turf. SOUTER was sharp from May 2018 into April of this year, earning a shot at a G3 at GG April 27. Alas, he was away slowly, had more trouble and was never involved. He’s been freshened since, returns to a course he likes and gets some class relief. LIAM THE CHARMER nearly won the G2 San Gabriel here Jan. 5, earning a trip halfway around the world to run in a G1 in Qatar Feb. 23. That didn’t go well but he’s back home to a course he loves (4 of his 5 wins have come here) with a significant drop. He won the only time he tried this distance but that was a long, long time ago and he’s surely better going longer so maybe this is more of a springboard to longer stakes action.

FOURTH RACE

PLAY MONEY blew the start in a race like this here May 18 and was no factor. He has speed at his disposal and there’s little opposing zip in the lineup so with a better break he could dictate things up front. He worked strongly twice since. BIG BARREL likewise has some tactical speed, though he doesn’t appear as quick as the top pick. Still, he could be in a good spot from the start and a super bullet work over the training track here June 2 says he’s feeling spry. SATCHEL PAIGE rallied for 3rd in his debut here Jan. 13 and for 2nd here May 18 so he’s got some ability. That said, his lack of speed has left him with a lot to do into the lane in both starts and while he rallied he was never really a danger to the winner either time (beaten by 9 3/4 and 6 3/4 lengths, respectively).

FIFTH RACE

YES I AM FREE is a scary new face. The colt showed ample ability on turf the first part of this year. After winning his first 2 at GP he ran 7th in a stakes at KEE, but the winner of that race was Bulletin, winner of the G1 BC Juvenile Turf Sprint last fall; He was then a nice 3rd in a stakes on WO’s synthetic track. He’s been freshened, drops and returns to turf. CARNIVOROUS pressed the pace and kept on well for 3rd in a race like this here May 10. He’s back to turf sprinting after a big win on GG’s synthetic track May 25 and the blinkers go on. UNBRIDLED’S SKYE rallied for 2nd in that aforementioned May 10 turf sprint here. That was his first try on turf so he certainly handles it and fits at the level.

SIXTH RACE

HOT SEAN came back after 15 months to gamely

win a tough optional claimer here May 11. He’s worked well since that run and could fall into a great trip stalking MR VARGAS and CALEXMAN. MR VARGAS was last seen ‘winning’ an optional claimer at DMR last Aug. 18, only to later be DQ’d. He hasn’t run since but is proven off the bench and has worked well for this comeback. CALEXMAN can flat sizzle. He figures right up on the pace from the start, so a few of these don’t figure to let him just have his way up front. THE HARDEST WAY was a big disappointment in the G2 Triple Bend here May 25 as after a monster return win at KEE April 6 (after 13 months on the bench) he dueled in the Triple Bend but gave way to end up last of 8. It’s nice to see no layoff since, that he’s worked well and gets some class relief so maybe he rebounds...maybe.

SEVENTH RACE

GYPSY BLU’s 4 turf wins all came sprinting on turf. She tried a mile in the Fran’s Valentine here May 12 but didn’t pack the same punch. She returns to her best game with some class relief and that can get her back on track. KENTAN ROAD comes here sharp including a wire-to-wire win on this course at this trip last time out May 18. She can sizzle early and figures the one to catch. ROCKY POLICY did catch ‘ROAD to win on this course at this trip April 27. She was a non-factor 5th in the G3 Monrovia here May 26 but that race was moved off the turf and obviously she was facing tougher. She drops and moves back to turf.

EIGHTH RACE

ZILLINDA has had more than her fair share of chances (18) but in her defense most of that work came vs. tougher. She dropped to this level for the first time at this trip here April 26 and darn near won, not only finishing a good 2nd but ending up 10 lengths clear of 3rd. It might finally be her day. THANKS has been knocking on the door since the fall and may break through one of these days. She worked well for this last week. LUCKY BRITE EYE showed good speed in her last 2, both races just like this, so she figures forwardly placed from the start.