Santa Anita Horse Racing Picks for Sunday 5/14/23

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 8 races Sunday at "The Great Race Place", and post time is at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. local time.

As always, check the program for scratches and changes, and monitor the weather 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 some of the best bets to make at FanDuel Racing today.

Did you follow FanDuel Racing picks and cash in on recent races? At Santa Anita, top pick Pequena Tormenta (2/1) won recently by 11 lengths, and the April 22 card at Santa Anita went 3-for-3 winners including a pair of stakes races. Two more winners on May 12 plus an Exacta score.

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

1. Aventapp and M Is for Magic, Race 1

FanDuel Racing Odds: 7/1 and 2/1
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The day begins with a Optional Claiming race for fillies and mares sprinting 6 furlongs on the turf. M Is for Magic (7/1) and the favorite Aventap (2/1) are the top win contenders by numberFire's data, and Brad Free of the Daily Racing Form makes Aventapp the best bet of the Day breaking from the outside 7 post with leading jockey Armando Aguilar riding.

M Is for Magic's speed figures rank among the highest in the field. Aventapp has a pace advantage and top recent speed figures.

2. The Key Is Unity and Russells Hustle, Race 6

FanDuel Racing Odds: 4/1 and 5/1
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Race 6 is a Maiden Claiming race with 12 runners going 1-mile on the turf. Russells Hustle (5/1) and The Key Is Unity (4/1) can challenge as win contenders, according to numberFire's algorithm.

The meets top jockey Juan Hernandez rides Russells Hustle. He's finished third three times this year, and posted his best speed figure (90) in last months race while finishing willingly. The Key Is Unity is an 11-start maiden who will rally late. His last-out runner-up finish earned the top speed figure (95) of his career while finishing 3-lengths in front of Russells Hustle.

3. Timely Luck and Candy On Top, Race 8

FanDuel Racing Odds: 5/2 and 7/2
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Race 8 is a Maiden Special Weight for Cal-bred fillies and mares going 1-mile on the turf. The numberFire data projects Timely Luck (5/2), Candy On Top (7/2) or Idessia (7/2) to break through for their first win.

Top jockey Juan Hernandez rides Candy On Top, who has just missed winning two races here this spring including as the favorite going this same 1-mile distance. She's finished in-the-money in 5-of-7 turf routes, according to Daily Racing Form. And DRF gives the nod to Timely Luck with each of her last three starts better than the start before and runner-up last race.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.