COMMENT: Om continued his ascent, stamping himself a horse to watch come 2016. He beat American Pharoah at Del Mar last year at 2, and he’s really come into his own on turf this year. He won his first grass try, then ran second to Prospect Park in the Grade 3 La Jolla at Del Mar Aug. 9. Om gained his revenge over Prospect Park when leading all the way to easily win the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby Sept. 6.
Trainer Stuart Simon saddles Avenue Road (#2, 20-1) in Sunday's fifth race at Woodbine, a one-mile maiden special weight race. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Simon is winning at a 41 percent clip in maiden special weight races, for a return on investment of $7.17.
ARCADIA, Calif. – Sunday is closing day of the autumn meet at Santa Anita, the meet previously referred to as Oak Tree. Two low-odds overlays late on the card illustrate the value that sometimes can be found when fields are big.
A field of 11 entered race 7. A field of 14 entered race 9. Both races include top-choice contenders in sharp form from winning stables.
Races 7 and 9 are the Saturday keys.
Race 7
Trainer Jerry Hollendorfer saddles Jury (#9, ML 4-1) in Saturday's sixth race at Santa Anita, a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight race. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Hollendorfer is winning at a 30 percent clip when saddling a horse making its first start, for a return on investment of $2.66.
Trainer Jeremiah Englehart saddles Saint Joseph (#2, ML 6-1) in Friday's seventh race at Belmont Park, a six-furlong allowance. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Englehart is winning at a 30 percent clip when saddling a horse coming off a layoff longer than 180 days, for a return on investment of $3.72.
La Appassionata (#9, 3-1) returns in Friday's ninth race at Delta Downs, the seven-furlong My Trusty Cat Stakes. It will be her first start since finishing first by 4 1/2 lengths in a maiden special weight race Sept. 13 at Churchill Downs. The second- and third-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.
Download DRF Plus handicapping reports for Friday's races, including DRF Bets GamePlan, the Positive ROI Report, and Key Race Report.
DRF Bets GamePlan
Closer looks for Belmont Park, Delta Downs, Golden Gate, Gulfstream Park West, Keeneland, Santa Anita, and Woodbine, and spot plays and live longshots for Belmont Park, Delta Downs, Laurel Park, and Santa Anita. Picks are chronologically listed, so you can build and plan your wagering day.
You could cold-punch a $30 double combining IMAGINING in R7 with SISTER BLUES in R8 at Keeneland on Saturday, but what fun would that be in hoping to get back something like $20 for every $2 played?
:: See Marty McGee’s pick four play in DRF TicketMaker and bet it with DRF Bets
Well, he may have been slow at the breeze show, but Jan’s Reserve moved fast enough to pay $11 as one of our “watch-the-board gimmick plays.” Unfortunately, our preferred Pick, Cast Iron, ran as if he were a cast iron pan—slow. Jan’s Reserve was one of 16 BreezeFigs maidens who won last week, including five who combined with another for a BreezeFigs exacta. There were two more at Belmont (including an $88 exacta), three at Indiana, and two apiece at Gulfstream West and Santa Anita (both exactas