1/ST BET Horse Racing Predictions from Santa Anita:

We are excited to announce a renewed partnership with the fine folks and handicappers at 1/ST BET. Jeremy Plonk and Jeff Siegel will be sharing their expertise on a weekly basis to pass along some ponies that they like for races at various tracks around the country, including Santa Anita.

For this Friday, January 17 article, Jeff Siegel shares everything you need to know for the racing card for Santa Anita.

Santa Anita Race 3: Post: 1:30 PT
Top Selection/Prime Play: 3-Cowboy Mike

Forecast: Cowboy Mike looks like a slam dunk in this starter optional claimer.  The son of Smiling Tiger, freshened since September and looking his usual sharp self in recent workouts, turns back from a series of two-turn events and should have the proper stalking style for this seven furlong trip.  Strong in the speed figure department and reuniting with “win rider” Juan Hernandez, he exits a pair of tougher Los Alamitos stakes events and qualifies for this condition after having raced once for $32,000 over this track last March (an easy six length romp).  He’s 6/5 on the morning line and looks it on paper. 

Santa Anita Race 5: Post: 2:30 PT
Top Selection/Prime Play: 6-Thirty Four Coupe

Forecast: Thirty Four Coupe earned a career top speed figure when a strong runner-up in his most recent outing over the Del Mar lawn a couple of months ago and returns fresh and dangerous while switching to Flavien Prat.  He’s probably most effective as the controlling speed but may be reduced to a stalk-and-pounce role today with other front running types drawn inside him.  The Steven Miyadi-trained gelding isn’t entirely trustworthy, but this is a field he really should beat.