Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks for Memorial Day Monday 5/29/23

The rebranded spring portion of the Santa Anita six-month racing season started on Friday, April 21 with a new moniker – the “Hollywood Meet."

There are 10 races on Monday's Memorial Day card at "The Great Race Place" including three Grade 1 races. Post time is at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. local time with the biggest stakes races starting in Race 5 at 6:12 p.m. ET.

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 after adjusting for track, distances, and conditions).

Santa Anita Betting

According to numberFire horse racing projections and insightful analyst at West Coast Handicapping Report (WCHR), these are some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

The May 27 card at Santa Anita produced a pair of stakes race winners on these pages. Did you also follow FanDuel Racing picks and cash at Santa Anita and top pick Pequena Tormenta, an 11-length winner? The April 22 card at Santa Anita went 3-for-3 winners including a pair of stakes races, plus two more winners on May 12 including an Exacta score.

FanDuel Racing's May 19 picks at Pimlico went 3-for-3 and produced an 11/1 winner on Taxed in the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes that also paid $190 on a $2 exacta bet.

Mobile betting on horse racing is easy with the best-in-class experience at FanDuel.

1. School Dance and Bellamore, Race 5

FanDuel Racing Odds: 6/1 and 15/1
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Race 5 is the $400,000 Grade 1 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on the turf. This is the start of the Pick 6 Jackpot with an expectect guaranteed payout of nearly $3 milliion. The numberFire data projects the favorite Queen Goddess (9/5) to win ahead of Macadamia (5/1). The Queen is ridden by top jockey Luis Saez, who is just so versatile along with this magnificent 5-year-old mare. Queen Goddess won at this track three times last year in graded stakes.

WCHR notes the strength of Queen Goddess, and adds longshot win contenders School Dance (6/1) for the meets top trainer D'Amato with top jock Flavien Prat up. EPO trainer Phil D'Amato also conditions Macadamia. Bellamore (15/1) is an interesting price play as she fits class wise in this salty group.

2. Hong Kong Harry and Exaulted, Race 7

FanDuel Racing Odds: 7/2 and 5/1

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Race 7 is the $500,000 Grade 1 Shoemaker Mile. A full field of 11 runners and the "Win and You're In" winner receives an automatic spot in the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile Nov. 4 at Santa Anita.

Hong Kong Harry (7/2) is the top pick by numberFire and WCHR. This flat mile distance is in his wheelhouse, and this is a most impressive colt with Flavien Prat riding for trainer D'Amato. The meets top jockey Juan Hernandez is on Exaulted (5/1). Gold Phoenix (4/1) and Bob Baffert-trained Du Jour (5/1) finished 1-2 in a March graded stakes race ahead of Hong Kong Harry.

Additional Shoemaker Mile preview and horse insight.

3. Defunded and County Grammer, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/5 and 8/5
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Race 8 is the $400,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles. Nothing here as far as money to be made as two Baffert-trained colts are best in Defunded (4/5) and Country Grammer (8/5) with the two top jockeys taking the reigns in Flavien Prat and Juan Hernandez.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.