Saturday’s TimeformUS Highlight Horse: Joy Drive can rebound in his second start off the layoff
TimeformUS handicapper David Aragona provides his Highlight Horse for Saturday's card at Aqueduct.
David AragonaJan 07, 2017
TimeformUS handicapper David Aragona provides his Highlight Horse for Saturday's card at Aqueduct.
Whom do you like – Unique Bella or Shane’s Girlfriend? What do you like more, 8-5 or 9-5? It’s a trick question. Everyone knows how difficult it is to generate consistent profits by backing low-odds favorites, although the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes on Sunday shapes up as one of the most interesting stakes of the Santa Anita winter meet. Either favorite, Unique Bella or Shane’s Girlfriend, could win the seven-furlong Santa Ynez, for 3-year-old fillies.
The recent stretch of soggy weather in Southern California has made handicapping the races at Santa Anita particularly difficult, and today appears to be no exception. The National Weather Service is predicting a 90 percent chance of rain until 4 p.m. locally before it falls to a 60 percent chance for the remainder of the day. It would appear that turf racing is in serious jeopardy, and even if they do run on the grass, it's likely to be quite wet. Having said all of that, here are a few runners to consider on today's card at Santa Anita.
A series of contentious races offers value in the late pick four at Gulfstream on Saturday. So, let’s take a look at the sequence and my suggested TicketMaker play.
The $2 pick six paid $44,401 at Santa Anita on Friday, but since there were multiple winning tickets sold the carryover provision in the single ticket jackpot pool has swelled to $85,520 for Saturday.
Saturday's card will be affected by the weather in several places, but for our Pick we are betting they get the card in at Aqueduct.
TimeformUS handicapper David Aragona provides his Highlight Horse for Friday's card at Aqueduct.
TimeformUS handicapper David Aragona highlights some contenders on Friday’s card at Aqueduct.
Andrew Hawkins' Hong Kong selections and analysis for Sunday, Jan. 8, 2017
As much as I respect his achievements, I can't vault El Areeb into the top five leading Kentucky Derby prospects as some other handicappers have done, given his victory came in the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.