Horse Races Today: Friday’s Santa Anita Park Analysis & Odds

Horse Racing Action at TVG!
Ah, maybe things are starting to get back to normal, although it would be nice to leave the office and go get a beer sometime soon.
 
Santa Anita received approval from the Los Angeles County Health Department to resume live racing beginning today as part of Los Angeles County’s revision of its “Safer at Home” guidelines.  Racing will be conducted without spectators.
 
Churchill Downs kicks off its spring meeting on Saturday. Charles Town and Golden Gate Fields got back to racing yesterday.
 
We had a good day at Gulfstream Park on Thursday, but the weather is forecast to get ugly with heavy thunderstorms from Thursday night right through this afternoon. So why not just head out to sunny Arcadia for opening day at Santa Anita?
 
After a two-month break Santa Anita is back in action and we have large fields and excellent betting races. That will be the case tomorrow as well as I will head over Churchill Downs daily and both Saturday and Sunday’s cards are outstanding.
 
With limited racing opportunities larger fields should be the norm for the next few months. The average field size at Churchill Downs tomorrow is 11.3.
 
I am going to cover Churchill Downs from Thursday through Sunday and my Best Plays Report each Saturday and Sunday will include action from Churchill Downs and either Santa Anita or Gulfstream Park.
 
To purchase my Santa Anita Report for Friday click here .
 
Horseplayers can stream all the horse racing action using the Watch TVG App. The horse betting company based in the U.S. is offering a risk free bet up to $300 for new players. 
 
Now is the perfect time to purchase my Monthly Package. It gives you a month of Churchill Downs Reports daily and my Best Plays Report which will include all the major Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races.
 
Here is the opening race from Santa Anita to get the day off to a good start:

Santa Anita Park Race 1 Analysis - 5/15

SA Race 1 OClm $80,000N1X (12:30 PT)
#5 Drop the Chalupa   4-1
#6 She's So Special   5-1
#3 Rager   7-2
#7 Commander   10-1
 
Analysis: Drop the Chalupa raced next to last early and came with a good rally, taking over the lead inside the final furlong and winning by 1 3/4 lengths going 6 1/2 furlongs on the main track. He is by Liam's Map out of the stakes winner Monono ($211,095) who was stakes placed on turf and has dropped one other runner, dirt stakes winner Cash Offer ($286,098). Solid works on the morning tab and he will be tough here if he takes to the surface switch as I think he will.
 
She's So Special comes off the fake stuff at Golden Gate Fields last out going a mile where she tracked the early pace and finished evenly in a third-place finish. She takes on the boys here and she broke her maiden on turf here back in January at 5 1/2 furlongs. The cut back and surface switch should suit her. The Miller barn is 20% winners moving runners form route to sprint and has a few live runners lined up this afternoon.

Santa Anita Park Featured Race 7 Analysis - 5/15

SA Race 7 Md $20,000 (3:30 PT)
#4 Kayla's Cowgirl   4-1
#5 Civil Suit   3-1
#9 Caught in a Trappe   7-2
#2 Golden Melodie   8-1
 
Analysis: Kayla's Cowgirl tries conventional dirt for the first time in her career. She has been on the fake stuff in her first four starts including a couple of fourth place finishes and a fifth where she was beaten just 1 3/4 lengths. Last out she was not a threat on good turf here at 25-1. She drops in for a tag for the last time here for the Wong barn that has hit at a 30% clip on the yea overall and is 23% winners moving runners from turf to dirt. By Will take Charge out of a stakes placed More Than Ready mare, she should take to dirt. She has worked well over the main track here.
 
Civil Suit also goes turf to dirt and drops in for a tag. She was an even third in a good debut effort, then regressed last out in a sixth-place finish. The blinkers come back off for the Blacker barn that is 3 for 7 (with a +ROI) dropping runners from maiden special to maiden claiming. She is by Lucky Pulpit out of a Tiznow mare that has dropped three other runners with one winner. The switch to dirt and class drop should suit her.

Live Longshots

These are price plays for exotic players looking to find a couple of extra contenders to use in their trifecta and superfecta wagers. Or for those with smaller bankrolls, you might want to get in a small win-place wager.
 
Santa Anita
R1: #7 Commander   10-1
R2: #11 Instastory   8-1
R2: #8 Queenbeccaandjane   8-1
R3: #5 Strictly Biz   12-1
R5: #10 Kookie Gal   8-1
R5: #7 Pretty Point   8-1
R6: #7 Buster Douglas   8-1
R7: #2 Golden Melodie   8-1
R8: #6 Teachers Big Dream   15-1
R9: #9 Valuation   8-1
 
Good luck today!