Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks for Monday 1/2/23

The Santa Anita Classic Meet continues into the New Year. We have 10 races on Monday's holiday schedule starting at 3 p.m. ET, including one graded stakes.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, monitor the weather and keep an eye on the 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 after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Santa Anita Betting

According to numberFire horse racing projections, these are the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

1. Brooke Marie and Burgoo Alley, Race 1

FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1 and 4/1

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Race 1 is the $100,000 Grade 3 Las Cienegas Stakes for older fillies and mares going 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf. Amy C (5/2) is the favorite and is projected to hit the board, according to numberFire's data. Top turf jockey Umberto Rispoli rides for EPO trainer Phil D'Amato and has won two of her last three starts, but missed the board in her only two graded stakes races.

The meet's leading jockey, Juan Hernandez, rides the numberFire top pick, Brooke Marie (4/1). She won a Grade 2 over this turf course in her only start at Santa Anita in April.

Burgoo Alley (4/1) was scratched from Saturday to run here, but she's failed to hit the board in six starts since winning last year. Top jock Flavien Prat also rides for D'Amato.

2. Coulthard and Motorious, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1 and 5/2

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Race 8 is an Allowance race for older horses sprinting 6 furlongs on the turf. Prat and D'Amato team up again with the favorite Motorious (5/2), who won in November off a layoff in his third U.S. start. Maglev (3/1) will try to win in his first race since winning here a year ago.

Both of those runners are projected to finish in the money behind the winner, Coulthard (4/1). He's ridden by UK top jockey Frankie Detorri, who's riding at Santa Anita in his final year of racing. Coulthard posted his fastest speed figure (104) when finishing a close fourth in a Grade 2 race here in October.

Give Me the Lute (5/1) is a 7-year-old who held the lead into the stretch and finished second when Motorious came from off the pace to catch him last race.

3. Riverside and Odonata, Race 9

FanDuel Racing Odds: 7/2 and 15/1

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Race 9 is Maiden Special Weight for 3-year-olds going 1 mile. The numberFire algorithm picks Riverside (7/2) to win with leading jockey Flavien Prat riding for trainer John Sadler. The son of Bernardini finished a very close third behind the favorite five weeks ago with his best speed figure (91).

Odonata (15/1) finished fourth behind Riverside in that same race and offers a big price.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.