Horse owner, breeder and HRTV analyst Jeff Siegel also happens to be Southern California's premier handicapper. Check his blog each day before you play!
Handicapping, in short, refers to analyzing the race to come up with best predicted outcome, or pick. There are many angles when it comes to picking a winner. Using some of the help from the professional handicappers below, you can determine your own angle on placing a bet. For more information on how to bet or wager, click here.
Closing day offers a mandatory payoff in the Pick-6.
Swingaway drops into a claimer for the first time in the opner and appears to have found her friends. She should draft into a second flight, ground-saving position and then go on with it. Baze knows her well. We’ll prefer her on top but also include in our rolling exotics Tanquerray, nosed out in a similar spot with a race-shape aided late bid. These are the two short priced favorites, so there’s really no value here.
Brooklyn Rose drops to the bottom in the Saturday opener and looks tough to beat. Nakatani stays aboard for Hess and should have this veteran mare within striking range from a comfortable inside draw. Racy Rosa won a restricted claiming sprint recently with an okay figure and is realistically spotted in this league. She’s stretching out for the first time and has the pedigree to enjoy the extra ground. Both should be used in rolling exotic play; we’ll give a very slight edge to Brooklyn Rose.
A whopping $370,763 double Pick-6 carryover makes Santa Anita’s Friday program a “must play” for serious punters.
Courageousandbold just crushed a softer field with a sharp figure and if she can duplicate that effort for her new connections in the opener she’ll win right back. However, she’s even money on morning line, so there’s certainly no value here. Use her as a rolling exotic single or better yet simply pass the race.
The final week of the season begins with an $85,262 Pick-6 carryover.
In the opener, I Don’t Care Who is a solid fit on numbers, retains Nakatani, and should be comfortably placed just behind the leaders. He seems as good as any and we’ll put him on top while also using in our rolling exotics Tiz Snazzy, an improving sort and switching to Talamo.
Flower Power is a consistent sort with solid figures and returns to his winning level while retaining Bejarano. He seems the logical choice in the opener so we’ll make him a straight play and rolling exotic single.
Master Appeal has two strong races under his belt and looks ready to graduate at what likely will be a very short price in the Saturday opener. His numbers are way above par and the added distance should not be as problem at all. He’s a logical rolling exotic single.
