ARCADIA, Calif. – Given that more rain is expected this week, uncertainty swirls around the Friday card at Santa Anita that includes two races scheduled for turf. Maybe they will stay on turf, maybe not. But on dirt, there is a sure thing Friday. Sure thing, as in certain underlay. Whether she wins or loses, race 1 starter Miss Watermelon could be the most heavily favored runner on the card. Miss Watermelon stretches to a mile in the maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies. Based on her recent runner-up sprint, Miss Watermelon looks tough to beat. Based also the high profile of celebrity owner Dave Portnoy, entrepreneur and media personality, her odds will be short. “I think because of Dave, she would be heavily favored even if she would have been beat 100 lengths last time out,” trainer Jonathan Thomas said, laughing. “That’s the Portnoy effect.” Portnoy founded Barstool Sports, a successful digital media company that provided him with the resources to own Thoroughbreds. Those include Miss Watermelon, a last-out sprint runner-up who will race two turns Friday. If she stays the trip, she should win. Her trainer believes she will stay. “She seems to gallop out well in her breezes,” Thomas said, noting that Miss Watermelon also finished well in her recent sprint at Del Mar. “She was gaining some ground. What we saw visually would indicate that she probably wants a little bit more ground.” :: Santa Anita Classic Meet! Get DRF Past Performances, Clocker Reports, and more. Sired by Cairo Prince and produced by a Big Brown mare who won route stakes on turf and dirt, Miss Watermelon is bred for the distance. She also has the field’s highest last-start figure, a 71 Beyer she earned finishing less than two lengths behind the winner while 10 clear of third. Miss Watermelon is the only horse Thomas trains for Portnoy, whose stable name is Go Go Greys Stable. The trainer has been hot; Thomas won five stakes with his last 10 stakes starters. He has 28 horses at Santa Anita, and he said nearly half are maidens that turned 3 years old on Thursday. “Hopefully, there’s a gem in there,” Thomas said. As for his stakes winners, Mrs. Astor is nearing the end of her career and targeting the $100,000 Astra Stakes on Jan. 19 at Santa Anita. Truly Quality, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup last out, is aiming to the $200,000 John B. Connolly Turf Cup on Jan. 24 at Sam Houston Park. Three-year-old fillies are highlighted this week at Santa Anita. Miss Watermelon’s main rival in the maiden race could be Bank Shot, whose recent runner-up finish was flattered when winner Consequent won the Grade 2 Starlet at Los Alamitos in her next start. Others include stretch-outs Getting Closer, Wolf Hill, and Sounds Lucky. On Saturday, 3-year-old fillies, led by Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Explora, race seven furlongs in the $100,000 Santa Ynez Stakes. The field also includes stakes winners Himika and Revera, and Grade 1-placed La Wally. The two turf races Friday are race 4, a California-bred maiden sprint topped by dirt debut runner-up Infinitum, and race 7, a California-bred allowance mile for fillies and mares led by multi-surface winner Quantum Innergy. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.