Who: Thoroughbreds – Dan and Sheila, Z Dager, Amazombie, Courtside, Euroears
What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The LeComte, The Palos Verdes
Where: Fair Grounds, Santa Anita
When: Saturday, January 21st
The tougher the handicapping challenge, the greater the opportunity for value. That looks like the case in Saturday’s Grade 3 LeComte at Fair Grounds and Grade 2 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita. None in the 13-horse LeComte field stand out, as evidenced by #11-Shared Property being assigned morning line favoritism at a lukewarm price of 4-1. The Palos Verdes is tricky because of the likelihood of rain, which may prevent Breeders’ Cup Sprint champ Amazombie from running. Let’s take a closer look at these races below.
#4-Mr. Bowling (8-1) may have had an excuse last out in the Grade 3 Iroquois, cutting back to one turn after romping in the two-turn Dover at Delaware Park. Trainer Larry Jones believes his horse will have a better chance to settle in The LeComte. Robbie Albarado takes over the riding chores aboard this Brereton Jones homebred. #5-Exfactor (5-1) has won three straight sprinting, and will be making his two-turn bow in The LeComte. #6-Seven Lively Sins (9-2) hails from the red-hot Albert Stall barn, but may not be fully cranked. #8-Hammers Terror (6-1) is unbeaten in three starts at three tracks, including Fair Grounds last out. His descending Beyers (79, 78, 72) haven’t scared anyone away, however. Unbeaten #10-Capetown Devil is a horse on the rise, and will attract support at the windows. #11-Shared Property (4-1) is coming off a 3 ?-month break, and may need a race.
I’ll take a shot with the somewhat unusual Zayat Stables coupling of #2-Dan and Sheila (6-1), trained by Todd Pletcher and #2b-Z Dager, trained by Steve Asmussen. Both halves of the entry are promising, lightly-raced horses…and when you can get both Pletcher and Asmussen for the price of one, at 5-1 or better to boot, what’s not to like? Dan and Sheila won his debut going a one-turn mile at Gulfstream Park, and acts like a horse who wants a distance of ground. Z Dager owns a two-turn win locally, albeit in the slop, and should move forward off that effort. Key the Zayat entry top and bottom in the exacta with the horses mentioned above. The tickets look like this: 2/4,5,6,8,10,11 and 4,5,6,8,10,11/2.
If #2-Amazombie (9-5) goes in The Palos Verdes, it will be because trainer Bill Spawr is comfortable with the track conditions. Still, I wouldn’t have much of a betting interest in Amazombie at what will probably be an underlaid price. With him out of the race, I’d lean toward the fast and classy Euroears, who’s making the final start of his career. Euroears’ outside post should give him an advantage…rider Martin Garcia will have the option to lead or press, and avoid eating a ton of slop in the process. I’ll bet on the millionaire #8-Euroears to win his final engagement at odds of 3-1 or better.
Those are my horse racing betting tips for the weekend. Best of luck and happy gambling!