HORSE RACING

​Santa Anita Park Horse Racing Picks for Saturday 5/22/21

It's a great time to dive into horse racing, and FanDuel Racing gives you the chance to do just that.

Starting at 4:00 p.m. EST, we have nine races at Santa Anita Park. Using numberFire’s projections as a guide, here are some of the best bets.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and monitor the weather and track conditions.

(I will reference Equibase's Speed Figure in selected races, which tells you how fast a horse has been running in each of its races -- adjusted for track, distances, and conditions.)

As Time Goes By, Race 2

FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/5

Race 2 is the $200K Grade II Santa Maria for fillies and mares going 1 1/16 miles. It's a short field of four runners, and numberFire projects the heavy favorite and Bob Baffert-trained As Time Goes By (2/5) to roll to another win following her nine-length romp last month. She possesses speed other rivals in this field don’t have and is the clear favorite if Ce Ce doesn't run. As Time Goes by also finished second to Swiss Skydiver in March.

Ce Ce is not confirmed to start but was a multiple Grade I winner last year with several triple-digit speed figures. She was sharp in her comeback win last month after a five-month layoff.

Octopus, Race 4

FanDuel Racing Odds: 8/5

Race 4 offers another short favorite who looks tough in this 6-furlong sprint for older horses. numberFire's algorithm projects Octopus (8/5) to win, and he drops back to a level he won at two races back. Octopus draws outside his pace rivals and shows the best speed.

Black Storm (5/2) moves up the claiming ladder and will likely be running from off the pace late. He’s a six-time winner over this track.

Going Global, Race 7

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/5

Race 7 is the $100K Grade III Honeymoon Stakes for three-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the turf. numberFire's data projects leading jockey Flavien Prat to ride Going Global (6/5) to a runner-up finish for EPO trainer Phil D’Amato. Going Global is California’s top three-year-old filly with three straight stakes wins. She has proven form at this distance that other horses in the field lack.

numberFire projects Madone (9/5) to edge the favorite. Leading jockey Juan Hernandez rides Madone, who is 4-for-4 in California. Her only career defeat was the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Madone was the Grade III Senora Stakes three weeks ago and was one length better than sharp closing Golden (8/1), who returns with top turf rider Umberto Rispoli taking the reins.