$150,000 California Dreamin' Stakes Has Wide-Open Feel

Rock Me Baby is the 7/2 morning line favorite for trainer Craig Dollase after winning the Albany Stakes June 13 at Golden Gate in his last start. The six year-old gelding has won 7 of 19 career starts, including a victory in last year’s edition of the California Dreamin.’ Rock Me Baby also showed his class by running second in against open stakes company in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap last August. The son of Rock Hard Ten has shown a decided preference for the Del Mar Green with two wins and two second place finishes in four career starts. Rock Me Baby, who also ran second in the 2013 California Dreamin,’ appears to be well-spotted against this group. Corey Nakatani will take the mount breaking from post 3.

Awesome Return battling "seconditis"

9/2 second choice Awesome Return has finished second in each of his last three starts – most recently settling for runner-up money in the Crystal Water Stakes June 6 at Santa Anita. Prior to that effort the Mike Puype-trainee hit the bottom half of the exacta in a pair of allowance races. The four year-old son of Decarchy will look to snap his five-race losing streak with Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith in the irons breaking from post 8.

Proctor longshot rates a look 

At 8/1 Temple Keys could be ready for a breakthrough performance after running second in the Snow Chief Stakes May 23 for trainer Tom Proctor.