A common mistake horseplayers make is betting too many races. That will not happen on a bland card Sunday at Santa Anita, with small fields and legitimate favorites. It’s the type of card that might justify passing entirely.
Some small fields and a 2-year-old maiden race chockfull of first-timers smack in the middle of the card make it tricky to put together some multirace plays on the Sunday card. I’ve settled for an end-of-the-day pick three, though the favorites hold strong hands in those races, so unless you can topple them, it’s not likely to be a “wow!” hit for you. And the small fields make your options as far as trying to beat those favorites limited.
DRF handicapper Matt Bernier provides his best plays for Saturday's program at Santa Anita.
DRF handicapper Dan Illman provides his best plays for Saturday's program at Belmont Park.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Saturday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
DRF handicapper Mike Watchmaker provides his best plays for Saturday's program at Belmont Park.
The early double and some early pick threes present a quandary as race 2 is loaded with firsters, so unless you play the pick three beginning with race 2, where you can see the wagering and see the horses on the track, you’re flying a bit blind. That doesn’t mean they’re not playable, but we’ll look after race 2 for options. These runners can be critical for your in-race and multirace wagers.
Trainer Norm McKnight saddles Bold Ambition (#5, ML 7-2) in Friday’s sixth race at Woodbine, a six-furlong maiden special weight race. Since Jan. 1, 2014, McKnight is winning at a 31 percent clip in sprint races, for a return on investment of $2.87.
Integrity (#5, ML 5-2) returns in Friday’s third race at Belmont Park, a one-mile optional claimer. It will be his first start since finishing second by 3 1/2 lengths in an optional claimer March 27 at Aqueduct. The first- and third-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.
BreezeFigs Quick-Pix for Saturday, May 30th by Bob Fierro and Jay Kilgore.
