Santa Anita hosts an exciting lineup of races today, with Maiden Special Weights, Claiming Races, and a standout Stakes event, covering distances from six furlongs to over a mile. Here’s a breakdown of each race, along with our top picks and recommended bets for the day.
Race 1: Maiden Special Weight – 1 1/8 Miles (Turf) – $54,000
Post Time: 4:00 PM
Our top pick (3) It's My World at 6-1 looks primed to win. (1) Fight Back at 4-1 and (2) Toppers Wager at 10-1 have shown potential and will round out the show spots. (5) Miss Will at 8-5 is our wildcard.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 3/1/2
- Trifecta Box: 3/1/2/5
Race 2: Claiming – 1 1/16 Miles (Dirt) – $8,000
Post Time: 4:30 PM
(4) Tom and Jazzy at 10-1 offers value for the win. (2) Hardmoneymuchachos at 6-5 is strong for place, with (1) Impossible Task at 7-2 rounding out the top three. (5) Dos Vicios at 5-1 is a solid joker.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 4/2/1
- Trifecta Box: 4/2/1/5
Race 3: Allowance – 6 Furlongs (Turf) – $61,000
Post Time: 5:00 PM
(4) Turn On The Jets at 3-1 is well-placed to capture this sprint. (1) Noble Reflection at 8-1 and (2) Forbidden Kingdom at 2-1 could challenge closely. (3) Unconquerable Keen at 7-5 rounds out the picks.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 4/1/2
- Trifecta Box: 4/1/2/3
Race 4: Maiden Special Weight – 6 Furlongs (Dirt) – $54,000
Post Time: 5:30 PM
(5) Toughness at 2-5 is our top pick for this race, while (2) Mellencamp at 8-1 and (4) Journalism at 4-1 offer competitive place and show potential. (1) Smooth Cruisein at 12-1 could be an upset.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 5/2/4
- Trifecta Box: 5/2/4/1
Race 5: Claiming – 6 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) – $28,000
Post Time: 6:00 PM
In this claiming race, (3) Great King at 8-1 offers strong value for a win. (7) Jetovator at 4-1 and (5) Whatmakessammyrun at 7-2 have potential for place and show, respectively. (6) Hacking It Up at 12-1 adds excitement as a joker.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 3/7/5
- Trifecta Box: 3/7/5/6
Race 6: Maiden Special Weight – 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) – $54,000
Post Time: 6:33 PM
(1) Cipriani at 2-5 is our favorite, with (4) This Name's Taken at 15-1 providing place value. (5) American Blessing at 8-5 rounds out the trifecta. (3) Gemadini at 20-1 could surprise.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 1/4/5
- Trifecta Box: 1/4/5/3
Race 7: Stakes – 1 Mile (Turf) – $100,000
Post Time: 7:04 PM
(1) Zona Verde at 4-1 is our top pick for this competitive stakes race. (10) Watchtower at 20-1 adds value for place, with (6) Medoro at 8-5 rounding out the trifecta. (2) Asean at 15-1 is an interesting wildcard.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 1/10/6
- Trifecta Box: 1/10/6/2
Race 8: Allowance Optional Claiming – 6 1/2 Furlongs (Dirt) – $57,000
Post Time: 7:34 PM
(7) Fort Bragg at 2-1 stands out for the win. (2) Manitowish at 12-1 and (5) Pilot Commander at 4-5 should contend for place and show, with (4) Moose Mitchell at 20-1 as the joker.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 7/2/5
- Trifecta Box: 7/2/5/4
Race 9: Allowance – 6 1/2 Furlongs (Downhill Turf) – $55,000
Post Time: 8:03 PM
Our top choice is (11) Afternoon Nap at 10-1. (4) Touchdown Brown at 9-2 and (13) Travelin' Show at 12-1 could provide competitive finishes, while (10) Lord Tripping at 20-1 brings an added edge.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 11/4/13
- Trifecta Box: 11/4/13/10
Race 10: Maiden Special Weight – 6 1/2 Furlongs (Turf) – $54,000
Post Time: 8:32 PM
(6) Final Edition at 3-1 aims for the win. (3) Western Avenue at 10-1 and (11) Mardy's Fish at 20-1 add depth in place and show. (4) Santarena at 6-1 rounds out the picks.
- Best Bet: Exacta Box 6/3/11
- Trifecta Box: 6/3/11/4
Final Thoughts
This race card offers plenty of value across maiden, claiming, and stakes races, with exciting opportunities for bettors to explore Exacta and Trifecta boxes, especially in the stakes races. Best of luck, and let’s make it a winning day at Santa Anita!
