Horse Racing picks for Santa Anita race track on Saturday, January 8: Uptown Funkenstein

Horse racing at Belmont Park

There is plenty of great horse racing action to look forward to across America on Saturday, including at Santa Anita race track. We have been in fine form with our picks for a long time, up 237.65 units dating back to August 5. On Friday we nailed a 10/1 winner!

Here are 5 runners we expect to perform well today. It’s time to dive in and discuss these potentially profitable plays.

4:00 pm Santa Anita (Race 2) – Soy Tapatio 9/5

Placed in maiden special weight races on each of his last two starts Doug O’Neill’s charge looks capable of breaking his maiden in this small field mile-and-sixteenth contest. Raced in fourth prior to being beaten by a couple of debutants over six-and-one-half-furlongs here over Christmas and the extra distance here should prove no issue for the four-year-old son of Not This Time having finished just over two lengths third in a mile event at Los Alamitos on his penultimate outing.

4:34 pm Santa Anita (Race 3) – Bacchanalia 3/1

The selection was an allowance optional claiming race winner at Gulfstream Park just under a year ago and while she’s proven a disappointment since but the daughter of Union Rags did manage a fourth in a similar event over a mile-and-one-sixteenth on turf at Belmont Park in June. Two down the field finishes followed but getting a marked drop in grade the six-year-old looks up to providing jockey Flavien Prat with a winner following a 1:02.40 five furlong breeze.

5:06 pm Santa Anita (Race 4) – Funkenstein 2/1

Mike Puype’s charge catches the eye here following a couple of second place finishes in maiden claiming events. The most recent of those came when beaten half-a-length having led into the straight over a mile at Los Alamitos last month. Had previously had to challenge four wide in a similar event at Del Mar in November and the son of Smiling Tiger is taken to break his maiden having performed well at this venue in the past.

6:06 pm Santa Anita (Race 6) – Girl Ranger 8/5

Impressed when getting the better of a number of more experienced rivals to score by five-and-a-quarter-lengths in a five-and-one-half-furlong maiden claiming contest at Del Mar when making her debut two months ago. Delivered a solid effort when fourth in a minor stakes contest upped to a mile at Los Alamitos subsequently. The shorter trip here is no issue and she looks up to registering a second win in three career starts switched to an allowance optional claimer.

7:06 pm Santa Anita (Race 8) – Under The Stars 8/5

Trainer Bob Baffert can complete a hat-trick of wins in this race with his sole representative having followed up a couple of third place finishes, including in a stakes event at Del Mar with a three length triumph in a six furlong maiden special weight at Los Alamitos last month. Is bred to appreciate the extra furlong here and having clocked 49.20 four a four furlong work here earlier this month she is taken to double her career tally.

Exotic

Early Pick 4

Race 1 – 4, 5
Race 2 – 1, 5
Race 3 – 1, 5
Race 4 – 1, 4
Stake – $2.00
Total Stake – $32.00

All of our horse racing predictions and handicapping information at Pickswise come with full analysis, brought to you by industry leaders with decades of experience. Check out our latest Horse Racing Picks today!

Pickswise
*
By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy