LOS ALAMITOS RACE COURSE

after a comeback in a sprint. He ran okay on this track last fall. CSABA MOMMA has some speed, gets a 10-pound weight break with an apprentice rider, and might attempt theft tactics. SIGNOFTHECROSS did not break well in his debut, then passed five rivals in an okay try at 74-1. Potential second favorite, SINGOFTHECROSS is a stablemate of AGENT ZERO.

FOURTH RACE

BALLET DE COUR was in tough in her special-weight debut, she showed no speed from the rail and finished nowhere. But now she drops from specialweight to maiden-30 for a trainer who won with four of his last nine MSW-to-MCL droppers. Not much here to beat. CANADIAN GINGER showed improved speed in her comeback, before she tired and finished a distant third. That race nine days ago was her first start since last summer, improvement possible second start back. FOG LIFTER finished last by a long way in her debut. This field is easier.

FIFTH RACE

SHAKE N FRIES meets easier than he faced last weekend when he split the field for a $16k claim tag. Down to $8k restricted claiming, proven over the track, he can win with a front-running/pace-pressing trip. IRISH BALLAD will roll late; his comeback was a respectable runner-up vs. similar He was defeated by WAR WATCH, who might be ranked too low by this handicapper. ‘WATCH won decisively, and wheels back in a week. The quick turnaround is not as much of an issue as post. He leaves from the undesirable inside box. FERGUSON returns from a layoff of more than a year at the lowest class level he has tried.

SIXTH RACE

COME ON KAT can win this $25k claiming starter allowance race if she reproduces her sharp comeback victory nearly six weeks ago. She posted three easy works since, which suggests she maintains her form. The 4-for-10 pro figures for another forwardly placed trip just off the speed. ‘KAT ran past stablemate BUSY PAYNTER last out, that rival looks like her main rival again. Inside speed has not been that effective this meet going five and a half, but ‘PAYNTER nonetheless has a shot on the front end. SEASIDE DANCER goes route to sprint, turf to dirt, slight class drop for a trainer-jockey combo that entered the weekend 14-for-27 over the past two months.

SEVENTH RACE

A MELIS ran like a filly that needed a start in her okay fourth-place debut. She had a series of sharp workouts, but was cold on the board (4-1 starting price, from 3-1 morning line) and ran to the apathy. She merely chased the pace and missed by four lengths.

She adds blinkers for her second start, worked a sharp half-mile this week at Del Mar, and figures to move way up with a prep under her belt. EDDIE’S SISTER returns from a layoff of more than seven months. She showed speed and faded last summer as the even-money favorite, worked twice afterward, then went to the sidelines. Comeback works are fast, the sibling to multiple stakes winner Sircat Sally might be the speed of the field. MISS CAROUSEL also returns from a layoff after a disappointing debut. Fast works suggest she is an improved filly at age 3. ALTHEA GIBSON is a fast-working stablemate of EDDIE’S SISTER.

EIGHTH RACE

This is the final race of the two-week Los Alamitos meeting; Del Mar racing begins Friday, first post 2 p.m. KIRSCH TRUFFLE trounced maiden-20s by eight lengths with a big number here nine days ago, and is aggressively spotted at the $8k claiming N2L level for her first try against winners. If she runs two alike, this race is over. VIOLENT SPEED looks like the main pace rival for the top choice. ‘SPEED drops in class, shortens in distance, and will mix it up early. REAL GOOD DEAL drops from the same race as ‘SPEED. The off-pace running style of ‘DEAL would play well if the top pair go head and head.