ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 4, IT’S A RIDDLE

FIRST RACE

Del Mar fall opening day, first post 12:30. Firsttime starter SQUARED STRAIGHT has worked well at San Luis Rey Downs for connections that win regularly with first-time starters. Trainer Doug O’Neill and jockey Rafael Bejarano are 5-for13 with firsters (all ages) since summer 2018. ‘STRAIGHT is a 2-year-old Square Eddie sibling to stakes-placed Takeo Squared, with sharp works that suggest he is “live.” SUMMER FIRE ran okay his first two starts over the DMR surface, then regressed at Santa Anita. He is likely to improve back on a surface on which he has run well. Flavien

Prat subs for Abel Cedillo, who is expected to return on Sunday. First-time starter DEBT MONGER has shown ability in morning works, although he is likely to improve next time out. Win or lose, he is one to follow for trainer Bill Spawr, who entered five runners on the opening-day card.

SECOND RACE

The speed of the speed? Or, the best closer? Frontrunner RESTLESS RAMBLER faces a challenging pace scenario in a N1X turf sprint loaded with speed, but none of his rivals are as quick. ‘RAMBLER ran the fastest first quarter-mile of SA fall last out (5f turf) when he sizzled :21.21 followed by the second-fastest half in :43.60. The pace made no difference, he ran away from his rivals to win clear. Although the 5f turf course in autumn at DMR is typically more kind to closers than SA, ‘RAMBLER still gets the call. But if the closers-friendly profile returns, late-runner GENERAL INTEREST could be along in time. The improving gelding gets a rider switch to Prat after a better-than-looked fourth last out at SA. The race was dominated by forwardly placed runners, ‘INTEREST rallied from last to miss by less than two lengths. Good effort, now he is racing over a course generally more kind to his style. WILDMAN JACK missed by a nose last out at this N1X level; two also-rans from the race returned to win. ‘JACK faces a tougher pace scenario, but the lightly raced (three starts) gelding obviously is in peak form. PORTANDO has a closing style that suits the pace scenario.

THIRD RACE

FIRE WHEN READY returns to the DMR surface on which he scored a sharp $32k claiming win in summer. A versatile gelding with the ability to press or rally, he drops in class to $20k claiming. Not sure what happened last out at Fresno, fifth as the favorite with no visible alibi, but his summer form is good enough. KENZOU’S RHYTHM ran like a horse that needed a start one month ago, fifth in a starter allowance. His winter form, highly rated wins for $10k and $20k claiming, put him in the hunt. As for his 0-for-3 record at DMR, those three starts were back when he was a 2yo before he became a “racehorse.” He won six races since. Improvement likely second start back. IMPRESSION pressed and tired in his comeback, his first in more than seven months. He returns to preferred dirt footing, and looks best of the speed. He faces three others with similar front-running styles, however: IMPLICITLY, WILSHIRE DUDE and ERNIE BANKS.

FOURTH RACE

IT’S A RIDDLE merits “best bet” status dropping to $28-32k maiden-claiming and returning to the

track on which she ran so well in her second-place career debut. She is drawn outside her main pace rival, quick enough to set or press the pace, and can be gone as most probable winner on the card.

GOLDEN MELODIE drops in class and also returns to the surface on which she ran well finishing third in her debut in July. She has been in some tough spots lately, and was compromised by her trip last out when she bobbled, was stuck inside, pressed and faded. Suspect she is a better filly than that race makes her look, although another inside post (2 of 8) does her no favors. GOLDEN CHROME flashed speed and faded in her maiden specialweight debut on turf. She drops to maiden-claiming, adds blinkers and is the expected pace rival for the top choice. She is trained by O’Neill, who also entered first-time starter LADIES LUV MUNY.

FIFTH RACE

This starter allowance turf route looks wide open, VOLUBILE gets the tepid call first off the claim by Bob Hess Jr. The gelding won a maiden-50 on the DMR turf in summer, his fifth-place finish two back at this class was better than looked due to ground loss. First-time Prat is a benefit. STORM THE BASTILLE is racing into top form. His comeback here in summer was ordinary, he improved a ton second start back when he finished a close fourth at 51-1. This is his third start back from a layoff, the improving gelding should be set for his best effort. Close call between ‘BASTILLE and the top choice, actually. TARTINI finished fast last out to miss by only a head, while HOOTIE did the dirty work pressing hot fractions last out before missing by a neck. SOUL BEAM returns to the turf course on which he ran the best race of his career in summer. Deep race.

SIXTH RACE

ADORABLY SWEET, vanned off the track after her eighth-place debut as the favorite last fall, returns to action in a modest state-bred maiden race. She trained well going into her debut, appears to have trained well for her comeback, and meets an apparently modest field. Mike Puype-trained MSW comebackers off six months or more are 6-for-18 the past three and one-half years. REMEMBER TO SMILE is fast early, returning to dirt, and a potential gate-to-wire threat. Speed did well at 5.5 furlongs here last fall. INTO RISSA is a 21-start maiden with 12 in-the-money finishes including her last six starts. She will pick them up late.

SEVENTH RACE

POSTER GIRL moves up in class following an impressive victory by three+ lengths in a secondlevel allowance/optional $62.5k claiming turf mile. The veteran mare won clear in fast time, and was claimed by Bill Spawr. ‘GIRL ran well all three previous turf routes at Del Mar including a third-beatentwo-lengths allowance here in summer. Sharp mare in peak form can score right back for a top stable. She must hold off the rally of SUPER PATRIOT, whose third last out in a minor stakes race was better than the three-length margin of defeat. She was blocked from the five-sixteenths to the eighth pole, and finished well. With a clean trip she still would have finished third, but much closer. The one-two finishers she chased are the same one-two finishers the top choice finished two lengths behind in summer. POSTER GIRL and SUPER PATRIOT are tough to separate. WICKED OLD FASHION is a 10-for-21 veteran from Northern California whose runner-up finish last out in an allowance was validated when winner Keeper Ofthe Stars returned to win a Grade 3. EXCELLENT SUNSET won this race last fall but was disqualified. She drops from G1. LOSTINTRANZLATION might be ranked too low by this handicapper. Freshened three months, she likes the Del Mar turf, and has a shot on the lead depending on the strategy employed by WICKED OLD FASHION and pacesetter candidate LA SARDANE.

EIGHTH RACE

Notwithstanding a crowed pace scenario, TIZ TOFFEE is the lukewarm choice in this $16k claiming starter allowance. She loves the DMR track (two wins and two seconds from four starts), won a $12.5k claiming starter here in summer, and faces easier than her last two starts. But she is one of several front-runners in the field, and therefore pace-compromised. ROAD TEST also has speed, but at least she has shown she can sit just off the pace and still run well. Expect her to tuck into a cozy trip right behind the leaders. She was claimed last out by Rosemary Trela, who is 6-for-10 f.o.c. at SA-DMR-LRC the past five years. WHOA NESSIE returns to the track on which she won a N2L claiming race by more than 11 lengths in summer. ALTA KY will rally late in a race that could set up for a longshot closer.