ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 9, ALTHEA GIBSON

FIRST RACE

CLAYTON DELANEY stretched out, caught a clean break, and nearly upset similar Cal-bred N1X turf milers last out. That effort makes him the one to beat running back at the same level in just the second route of his brief career. BIG CITY BANE has run several sneaky-good turf routes in recent months, and enters with a big look first start off the claim. He is likely for a good trip under Flavien Prat, and will be running late. SEA OF LIBERTY has had his share of bad racing luck, his mid-80s turf Beyers already put him within range of par (84). Connections entered the weekend overdue to break out. OFFSHORE AFFAIR ran fast last out, winning this Cal-bred condition on dirt. He retains eligibility switching to turf. Big look off his last, and already proven on grass.

SECOND RACE

First-time starter BYE BYE MISS PIE has worked well enough to win her debut vs. a small field of older maidens. By the excellent debut sire MacLean’s Music, and from a top stable that won Thursday with a first-time starter, ‘PIE worked in a team Dec. 27 and though not quick from the gate, she showed plenty of run thereafter while getting the best of her company (including race-8 Santa Ynez entrant starter Queengol). Looks like trainer Mike Puype has ‘PIE ready to fire first out. LITTLE RACHEL is fastest in the field, based on her 74-Beyer runner-up last out in a maiden-40. She finished a long way clear of third. Blinkers on, outside post, proven ability. PHAROAH’S HEART is a firster from a stable that generally races maidens into shape. But at age 4, making her long-awaited debut, she is likely well-meant finally getting to the races. SPANISH CHANNEL is a 19-start maiden entering off back-to-back runner-up finishes vs. Cal-breds.

THIRD RACE

Already a winner of three straight, SHADOW SPHINX figures to be favored in this $50k claiming turf mile. An eight-time winner from 20 starts, he has tactical speed to make his own trip while forwardly placed. The horse he beat last out (Whisper Not) returned to finish a troubled third in a G2 for 3yos on opening day. The point is, ‘SPHINX ran fast (94 Beyer) and he beat a good horse. NOBLE THOUGHT is in from New York, where he won two straight turf claiming races. A back-class veteran with 12 wins from 37 career starts, the honest gelding will be rolling late. UNTAMED DOMAIN drops for the first time into a straight claiming race. Graded stakes-placed early in his career, he fits on numbers but has not won since the G2 Summer in fall 2017 at Woodbine. VEGAS KITTEN should get a forwardly placed trip in a race that could unfold at a tepid pace.

FOURTH RACE

A handful of droppers entered this low-level claiming sprint, $25k starter-to-$10k dropper SHANE ZAIN gets the call. His recent numbers vs. better company are within range of the speed-figure par (78 Beyer), his trainer won with two of his last three steep droppers moving down to this level (Facts Matter and Best Two Minutes, May 2019).

CAMBY drops from the same Los Alamitos starter allowance as the top choice. Although CAMBY finished last, he merits consideration based on his early speed and record over the SA main track. He won two of his last three starts here. MINOSO shows up at the bottom for the first time, with a weight break and back numbers that suggests he is (or was) fast enough for these. MISTER MOJO has speed, shipping in from Golden Gate Fields. He will be involved partway at least.

FIFTH RACE

JEN’S BATTLE drops from New York-bred N1X to $25k claiming N3L, her races in New York are probably fast enough for this California turf claiming mile. With blinkers on, stretching out from six furlongs, she should be forwardly placed. SABINOS PRIDE has been in tough vs. starter allowance and high-level claiming runners lately, and simply not fast enough,. This N3L claiming turf mile is an easier spot; her most recent win was a N2L claiming turf route on this course. LUCKY

PERIDOT rarely wins, but she usually finishes in the money. She is 0-for-her-last 11, with six in-themoney finishes during the time. A G INDY is speed. Come and catch her.

SIXTH RACE

The runner-up debut by DU JOUR was validated when winner Cathkin Peak returned to win the Eddie Logan Stakes opening weekend. Also, maiden fourth-place finisher The Great One returned to miss by a head in the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity. In other words, DU JOUR ran well finishing second against stakes-caliber rivals. He moves from turf to dirt, which should be okay based on pedigree. His second dam is a sibling to Ghostzapper and City Zip. Off the pace and into the winner’s circle? Only if he can catch stretch-out STAR SAILOR. The latter improved a ton second out, finishing third after pressing the pace in a sprint. Two turns should be okay for the son of Union Rags, whose dam was a distance mare and runner-up in the G1 Beverly D in 2013. ‘SAILOR has more tactical speed than the top choice showed first out. EDITOR IN CHIEF rallied from last to second in a promising debut. The winner of the race (Parnelli) was scheduled to start as second favorite in the G3 Sham on Saturday. SANTOS TO WILSON is stretch-out speed, likely to set the pace.

SEVENTH RACE

After back-to-back troubled trips, ENGLAND’S ROSE switches riders to Umberto Rispoli and meets a modest field of maiden turf fillies and mares. ‘ROSE broke slowly both starts; her most recent start was impressive. She walked out of the gate, trailed the field, unleashed a ground-saving rally through the far turn, hit traffic at the head of the lane and had to alter course, and finished with run. Beaten more than seven lengths, she might have been best. If she breaks with the field, she should be tough. DISAPPEARING ACT tossed in a clunker last time, but two previous starts in August and September, fifth and second, are as good as any of these have run. WIND AND HOPE finished in the top four her last three starts. That is not much of an endorsement, but enough to give her a look against a soft bunch.

EIGHTH RACE

KALYPSO is back doing what she does best, which is sprint. She set a fast pace winning a sprint stakes two back; last out she was unable to stay two turns and finished second in a G1 route. Drawn outside where she can set or press the pace in the clear, KALYPSO would be tough if she reproduced her sprint stakes victory here in fall. Joel

Rosario takes over for Abel Cedillo, who stays with maiden winner EXOTIC WEST. The latter scored a solid debut victory over next-out winner Empire House, and trained well since. The difference this time is post. ‘WEST was drawn outside first out, now in post 3 and must take heat from the top choice. Of course, if the top choice clears, then ‘WEST could get to the outside for another in-theclear trip. Close call between the Bob Baffert trainees. NASREDDINE was asked a lot in the G1 Starlet, stretching out off a maiden sprint win. She finished a distant third. Now she returns to one turn, and is competitive based on her maiden win. FROSTERIA is a maiden, runner-up three starts and cutting back to one turn while exiting a fast one-mile race. QUEENGOL did not get away well last time out in a similar sprint stakes, and finished a distant second. Her and the top choice have traded decisions. QUEENGOL will be running late.

NINTH RACE

ALTHEA GIBSON looks tough in this N1X turf sprint. She trounced a Cal-bred N1X last out on dirt, trained well since, and ran super three previous starts on turf including a narrow loss in a $100k Cal-bred stake. Speedy, versatile, in light with the apprentice allowance, likely winner with a front-running/pace-pressing trip. Lightly raced DOLCE wanted no part of two turns last out, she chased and cracked. But her sprint form is solid, in the money all three turf sprints including a runnerup-by-a-head finish two back on this course going five and a half. She probably benefits by the additional half-furlong of this 6.5f race. QUIET SECRETARY became a run-off during fall, opening up huge leads before dying home around two turns. That running style suggests one turn could be her preferred trip. She drops from a G3, cuts back to a sprint and will influence the pace scenario.