HORSE RACING

​Santa Anita Park Horse Racing Picks for Sunday 9/27/20

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

Starting at 3:30 p.m. EST, we have 11 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 check 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)

Vegas Palm and Acting Out, Race 7

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 3/1

Race 7 is the start of the Late Pick 5, and this Maiden Special Weight is for fillies and mares sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the Turf. The top pick according to numberFire’s data is Ya Beauty (4/1) followed by Le Tub (4/1). Ya Beauty has to draw in off the also-eligible list for EPO trainer Peter Miller.

Le Tub has top jockey Umberto Rispoli riding for trainer Doug O’Neill. He ran poorly at Santa Anita more than eight months ago but comes off his best speed figure (92) at Del Mar last month, when he crossed the finish line first but was disqualified for interference in the stretch.

Acting Out (3/1) runs for legendary trainer Art Sherman. This 3-year-old filly made her debut five weeks ago and just missed winning at long odds but carried the lead into the stretch. She shortens up a half furlong. Acting Out is the top pick at Guaranteed Tip Sheet (GTS).

Leading jockey Flavien Prat rides Superstition (5/1) in his second start and is trying the turf for the first time. Vegas Palm (6/1) is winless in 10 starts but has four straight in-the-money finishes, including a pair of second-place tries at Santa Anita. He missed by just a neck in June with an 87 speed figure and is a closer worth supporting at this price.

Collusion Illusion, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 9/5

Race 8 is the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at 6 furlongs. There are just five runners, and the winner earns a Breeders’ Cup entry to the BC Sprint in November at Keeneland. The two short-priced favorites are ridden by top jockeys with Luis Saez on C Z Rocket (8/5) for EPO trainer Peter Miller and Flavien Prat riding Collusion Illusion (9/5).

numberFire's model likes C Z Rocket to win while Daily Horse Picks (DHP) sides with Collusion Illusion.

Collusion Illusion has won 5-of-6 starts, including going 3-for-3 this year with her last race a career-best 116 speed figure in a win at the Grade 1 Bing Crosby by a nose with a huge late rally.

C Z Rocket has won four straight races, including the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien last start with a 112 speed figure. He has not raced at Santa Anita since 2017. C Z Rocket figures to be pressing the pace just behind Flagstaff (5/2), who finished just a half-length behind C Z Rocket in the Pat O’Brien Stakes.

Tizamagician and Muralist, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 2/1 and 15/1

Race 10 is the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 furlongs. There are 7 runners. Favorite Combatant (9/5) is the top pick of numberfire and is switching from turf to dirt with Tizamagician (2/1) and Potantico (3/1) projected to hit the board.

DHP likes two longer priced runners with Cupid’s Claws (6/1) breaking from the rail with Flavien Prat aboard and Muralist (15/1) an overlooked longshot.

Tizamagician ran the fastest last-race speed figure (107) when winning an Allowance race earlier this month. GTS notes that Tizamagician won earlier this year at Santa Anita and posted three straight triple-digit speed figures over the track -- including a Grade 3 race when finishing just 1 1/2 lengths behind high-classed winner Thousand Oaks.

Muralist is improving and makes his stakes debut after a posting a pair of triple-digit speed figures earlier this year at Santa Anita and a 99 speed figure when finishing behind third-place finisher Cupid’s Claws earlier this month at lower odds.