Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks for Friday 12/30/22

The Santa Anita Classic Meet continues, and starting at 3:00 p.m. ET, we have 9 races on Friday's schedule, including two 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. Tea Tree Bay and La Peer (Race 1)

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 5/2

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The day begins in Race 1 with a Maiden Special Weight for 2-year-old fillies going 1 mile on the turf. The numberFire data picks Bolt's Broad (3/1) to win Tea Tree Bay (6/1) and the favorite La Peer (5/2) to hit the board.

Irish invader Tea Tree Bay displayed promise earlier this year and makes her US debut at a value price. She finished second behind a top filly, and now faces less overall talent. Bolt's Broad is 0-for-5 but finished third here at long odds in a Grade 3 turf race at the same distance. La Peer has a pair of runner up finishes and posted better 80 speed figures the last two months.

2. Speed Boat Beach and Nagirroc (Race 3)

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 9/5
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Race 3 is the $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes for 2-year-olds going 1 mile on the turf. The two favorites should duel it out, and numberFire agrees with Nagirroc (9/5) and Speed Boat Beach (5/2) to decide the winner.

Nagirroc has won 2-of-4 starts since August, and posted her best speed figure of 98 when finishing third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf last month at Keeneland. Top jockey Flavien Prat rides her for the first time.

Speed Boat Beach has won 3-of-4 starts including a Grade 3 earlier this month when pushing the pace at Del Mar. Flavien Prat leaves her mount and the SA Autumn Meet's leading rider Ramon Vazquez takes over. Speed Boat Beach posted a pair of triple digit speed figures. Trainer Bob Baffert suggests she's better on the dirt, but did win that last race on turf.

3. G Laurie and Manhattan Jungle (Race 9)

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 4/1
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Race 9 is the $100,000 Blue Norther Stakes for 2-year-old fillies going 1 mile on the turf. The numberFire algorithm projects Manhattan Jungle (4/1) to prevail over the favorite G Laurie (5/2) and Decorated My Life (4/1).

G Laurie has two starts and was scratched (illness) from the Breeders' Cup Fillies Turf last month. She makes her West Coast debut off a third place finish at Woodbine in a Grade 1 race in Sept and looks best.