ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, ITALIANO FIRST RACE

A shorter distance and outside post give ROSSMAN the edge in this maiden-20 sprint. Although he is a six-start maiden and lost twice recently as the favorite, his form is solid. He set a blazing pace last time going six and a half, and tired to finish fourth. Now he shortens to five and a half furlongs. Two starts back, he finished second with an uncomfortable trip inside after breaking from the rail. No prepackaged excuses from the outside post in this small field. First-time starter CHURCH OF MANY debuts for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer with a string of fast works over the track. Progeny (all ages) of his sire Many Rivers are 6-for38 first out; ‘MANY is the second runner from an honest claiming-caliber dam that won 11 races. A full sibling to ‘MANY is Canada-based five-time winner River House. ZIYANAIR will pick them up late. He has no speed, but should finish. DESERT SWARM might be ranked too low by this handicapper. He has some gas, dropping for the first time to the bottom level.

SECOND RACE

FAST COTTON, comeback third in a fast-pace claiming sprint, worked well since and enters as a deserving choice in this $12.5k claiming starter. The race ‘COTTON exits was flattered Sunday when winner Short of Ez returned to win a Calbred allowance. ‘COTTON is fast, has won at Los Al, and could be long gone depending on pressure applied by the fellow speedster drawn to his outside. Late-runner RICK’S DREAM would benefit by a duel up front. ‘DREAM finished second last out in the same race, more than a length in front of the top choice. As a veteran 6yo, ‘DREAM has lost his speed but may have found a calling as a closing sprinter. He is a two-time winner at Los Al. Closers win here at five and a half: nearly half the races at this distance opening week were won from the middle or back of the field. EASY GRADER, the only female, is a lightly raced 7yo mare who finished a respectable second last out in her return from a layoff of more than a year. LUCKY ROMANO is the aforementioned front-runner drawn in the outside post. He will keep FAST COTTON honest.

THIRD RACE

HARVEST MOON ran super in her debut, third in an allowance turf route facing seasoned winners. She raced inside and behind, split rivals while rallying, and missed by less than three lengths. Solid debut in a small field. She drops to face maidens for her second start, and with a race under her belt should be tough. The transition from turf to dirt is not usually an issue at Los Al. Flavien Prat is named on two runners according to the overnight, he is expected to ride HARVEST MOON. Meanwhile, MY HAPPY GIRL probably is better than her recent sixth-place finish suggests. Not sure what happened, she was wide into the first turn, dropped over to save ground, and was empty on the far turn. Maybe she did care for the kickback? A pattern of easy solo works since, improvement likely first start in more than three months. DEL

MAR DRAMA finished an okay fifth in a sprint that was her first start in four months. She stretches out to the distance of her previous best race, and can move up with a prep under her belt.

FOURTH RACE

Notwithstanding a last-place finish in a recent sprint, IMAGINEIAMFASTEST gets the call as he stretches back to two turns in a wide-open $10k claiming mile. His fourth in a $12.5k claiming mile two starts back would probably be good enough. ‘FASTEST was chewed up chasing a hot sprint pace last time. He could find himself setting easier fractions stretching to a route, depending on the mare in the outside post. MAGIC MUSKETIER drops to the lowest level of his career while making his first start since November. His form in winter 2019 would dominate, but his placement in this low claiming race suggests he has lost a step. SHEZA FACTOR, aforementioned mare facing boys, stretches to two turns as a potential pace rival for the top choice. Claimed for $25k, entered back for $10k, not exactly an optimistic placement. But ‘FACTOR likes this track (3 starts, 1 win and 2 seconds), and figures to be forwardly placed. MERCY RULE will be running late.

FIFTH RACE

Plenty of reasons to like ITALIANO. Arguably fastest in the field on numbers, he returns to his preferred footing, drops from N1X to $25k claiming starter, is reunited with Prat, and meets a field with pace to flatter his rally. The “best horse” can rally for the win as a rock-solid favorite. LITTLEBITAMEDAL returns from Golden Gate, where he finished second

in three successive races. Although he lost as the odds-on favorite last out, he actually ran well. He dropped farther off the pace than expected, narrowed the gap late, but the race was won by the pacesetter. Good effort by ‘MEDAL, who adds blinkers and has run faster on dirt than synthetic. ADENS DREAM pressed and tired last out while probably facing better company than he meets here. The last time he raced at Los Al, in December, he won by six lengths. CAMBY moves up in class after a dominating comeback; MORE HONOR also steps up after a daylight victory.

SIXTH RACE

AVA’S CHARM finished third last out at even-money, but she actually ran well. She was under severe pressure inside, shook off a pace rival that ended up fifth, and only tired the final furlong. That race was back in March, ‘CHARM returns with a solid work pattern, an outside post, and speed figures that are close to par for this N1X level. She should get a cozy trip positioned second behind potential pacesetter BIDDY DUKE. The latter set a fast pace in a stakes race and finished third. Good effort by a four-time winner. ‘DUKE is two-for-two at Los Al, and benefits by the slightly shorter distance. INTO THE SOUTH split the field in her comeback at Golden Gate, an okay effort by a filly who had not raced in nine months. Her dirt form in spring 2019 puts her in the picture. Expect improvement second start back by a filly whose closing style is opposite the top pair. With pace to run at, INTO THE SOUTH has a shot to finish in the exacta if not score an outright upset.

SEVENTH RACE

RAWHIDE RAWLINS is sitting on a maiden win third time out. His debut two starts back was promising. He was void of speed, raced greenly, lost ground rallying wide and finished with run for third. A route next out was too much to ask; he pressed and faded in a race dominated by closers. ‘RAWLINS cuts back to a sprint, is drawn outside, racing into condition and ready to score from off the pace. MAMBA COOL debuts with a series of black-letter works for a trainer who does not typically work them this fast. The works signal MAMBA COOL has above-average ability. Sired by the late Unusual Heat, he is the first foal from an unraced dam. The second dam of ‘COOL is Grade 1 winner Plenty of Light. SCARY FAST SMILE finished an okay third in his debut; he was claimed for $50k and gelded. Improvement possible. CLAYTON DELANEY was surprisingly favored first out off a string of ordinary workouts. Whatever chance he had, he lost at the break. He was squeezed to last, and stayed there. Gelded since, blinkers on, fast works possibly in company with MAMBA COOL, the second start by ‘DELANEY should be better than the first. 4961 Katella Avenue, Los Alamitos, CA 90720 (714) 820-2800

Main track: One mile, oval.

Distance from last turn to finish line: 1,380 feet.

TAKEOUT INFORMATION

■ Win, place, and show: 15.43%

■ Exacta: 22.68%

■ Trifecta, Superfecta, Super Hi-5, Pick 3, Pick 4,

Pick 6: 23.68%

■ Early Pick 5: 14%

■ Daily Double: 20%

NOTE: A horse which wins a non-winners of $3,000 other than maiden or claiming, or two races, for Calbreds, shall remain eligible for that comparable open allowance race, provided that horse did not win a race other than claiming following that Cal-Bred win. Once a horse has won the two first condition allowance races (Cal-Bred and open), then the Cal Bred win will be disregarded in future allowance races for eligibility purposes only.