Horse owner, breeder and HRTV analyst Jeff Siegel also happens to be Southern California's premier handicapper. Check his blog each day before you play!
Handicapping, in short, refers to analyzing the race to come up with best predicted outcome, or pick. There are many angles when it comes to picking a winner. Using some of the help from the professional handicappers below, you can determine your own angle on placing a bet. For more information on how to bet or wager, click here.
The Thursday program begins with a modest maiden claimer that might be best left alone. Cold Bay is a 12-race maiden and certainly not one to trust, but he’s a major contender pretty much by default. A repeat of his last race might be good enough. Gifted Prince has been away forever but returns in an extremely soft spot and attracts Bejarano. Unlike the rest of these, he’s pretty much unexposed. You can usee both in your rolling exotics or simply pass the race.
An excellent Saturday program begins with a rather modest maiden claimer. Night Teller already has had nine chances and isn’t fast on numbers, but the Machowsky-trained filly looks the best of this bottom rung maiden claiming field by default. She’ll never get an easier chance, but she’s hardly one to trust. We’ll put her on top while expecting her to produce the last run at this extended sprint trip but a simple pass might be the better way to go.
Iron Joe T returns from the Bay Area and while he’s never had any success over this main track, he’s with his friends in today’s first race and we’re expecting a major performance. Effective as a late-running sprinter, he has the proper style for this extended sprint trip and surfaces in a restricted claimer after chasing open company at Golden Gate Fields. We like him as a straight play and rolling exotic single.
A Pick-6 carryover of $113,777 awaits horse players as another week of racing begins with a challenging eight race Thursday program.
Although he blew a five length lead at 3/5 up north in his last outing, Russdiculous will be a short price choice again in today’s opener as he drops into a claimer for the first time while removing the blinkers that were added for his last race. At this abbreviated sprint trip the O’Neill-trained colt should be able to stick it out against this bunch, but offers no value. You can use him as a rolling exotic single or simply pass the race.
