Horse Racing Weekend Stakes Races

Santa Anita continues its winter/spring opening weekend with the two top graded races of the weekend. On Saturday sports betting fans get to watch Indian Blessing run in the Grade I La Brea.

Then on Sunday online racebook fans get to watch Proudinsky try to take home the top prize in the Grade II San Gabriel Stakes.

Let’s get to this weekend’s stakes action!

12/27/2008

Santa Anita – - Race 8

Grade I La Brea Stakes

$250,000

For Fillies Three Years Old

7 furlongs on Pro-Ride

Indian Blessing should be a huge favorite in this race. She already ran over the Pro-Ride surface in the Breeders’ Cup Fillies Sprint, finishing second to Ventura, and there’s no doubt that she’s the class, but I’m not going with her on top. Instead, my online betting dollars will be on Indyanne who scratched out of the Breeders’ Cup Fillies Sprint because of the track conditions that day. Trained by NoCal sprint expert Greg Gilchrist, who championed Lost in the Fog, Indyanne is one of the fastest animals I have ever seen in my life. She should be long gone in this. Indian Blessing will probably give Indyanne the lead and should put away the rest of the field, but she has an issue in this race. Go with Indyanne and wilt or don’t go with Indyanne and let Indyanne run off with this. Either way, Indian Blessing is a definite overlay. For third I like Bsharpsonata out of the Todd Pletcher barn. She’s a cut below both Indyanne and Indian Blessing, but she’s classy enough to pick up a paycheck.

1. Indyanne

2. Indian Blessing

3. Bsharpsonata

12/28/2008

Santa Anita – - Race 8

Grade II San Gabriel Stakes

$150,000

For Three Year Olds and Up

1 1/8th miles on turf

Becrux should be a good overlay online bet in this race and that’s enough for me to take a shot on him. Why not? He gets Mike Smith and is going from a 1 1/16th mile race on the turf, where he finished third, to this 1 1/8th mile distance. He doesn’t appear to have the class as some of these others, but he’s definitely going in the right direction and trainer John Sadler can pop a long shot once in a while. Proudinsky should go off the chalk because he’s breaking from the three hole, loves this distance and is trained by Bobby Frankel. He’s a must use. For third, it’s a toss up between Obrigado and Porfido. Both are terrific turf horses but both are much more effective racing at 1 ¼ miles and 1 ½ miles. This 1 1/8th mile distance is just to short for either one of them. I’ll use both in my exotics.

1. Becrux

2. Proudinsky

3. Obrigado/Porfido

Good Luck!