BetOnline has a big card on Friday with 13 racecourses available for wagering. You can take your choice from the east to the west coast on Friday afternoon and evening. Don’t go off looking for big-stakes races because that is not what you’re going to locate.
There are two small $35,000 stakes events at Turf Paradise, which aren’t worth getting into. We are looking at two racecourses on the Friday card. Gulfstream Park is in action in Florida. They are coming off the running of the Pegasus World Cup last weekend.
Santa Anita Park is running nine races, four on the dirt and five on the turf in California. There is $458,000 in prize money available on the card. Head below for our best Santa Anita Park picks on February 4, 2022.
Race 1
Post Time: 12:30 p.m. PST
Distance:1 ¼ Miles
Purse:$50,000
Race 1 is a unique race on the downhill turf for a $50,000 purse. Red King and Moody Jim could get into it in the final furlong.
Red King is 8 for 37 in his career with plenty of experience on the graded level. There are 11 graded races on his resume, with two wins on June 21, 2020 and August 22, 2020.
In his most recent graded race, Red King finished 7th in the $200,000 John Henry Championship Stakes (Gr. 2) on October 2. After that one, he dropped to an allowance optional claiming race.
Red King beat Midnight Tea Time by 1 length in a $74,000 assignment on November 7. At $50,000 on Friday, he has to be within shouting distance.
Moody Jim is 3 for 7 in his career, with the gelding finishing 1st, 11th, 1st in his last three. He is coming off a strong 2 ½ length win for a $46,000 purse after going 11th in the $300,000 Hollywood Derby (Gr. 1) on November 30.
That outing in the Hollywood Derby was following a win by a nose for a $51,000 purse. Back down in class, Moody Jim should be back in contention. However, Red King should be a touch too tough. I like Red King in a mini upset.
Race 5
Post Time: 2:35 p.m. PST
Distance: 1 ⅛ Miles
Purse:$69,000
Race 5 is another race on the grass at Santa Anita Park. The best look in this one is likely at Rifey and Wilder Than Most.
Rifey has been in decent shape through six career races. He’s finished 1st, 1st, 5th, 5th in his last three, going 2 for 6 in his career.
In his most recent winning trip, Rifey found a $55,000 win by a half-length on December 10. Then he went stakes racing and dropped off the track.
Rifey is coming off a 5th place loss in the $150,000 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint on January 15. That was a good sign to seek an easier race on Friday.
Wilder Than Most is 2 for 7 in his career with a winning performance on December 27. He’s coming off a $69,000 win in that showing. Wilder Than Most cleared easily by 5 ¼ lengths.
Prior to that win, Wilder Than Most finished 4th on November 3 for a $72,000 prize. The slight class drop helped out him in the winner’s circle.
He was the favorite in that $72,000 assignment, so the bounce back to form was good. Expect Wilder Than Most to go back to the winner’s circle with a similar performance from his most recent.
Race 7
Post Time: 3:39 p.m. PST
Distance:1 ⅛ Miles
Purse:$72,000
The co-feature at Santa Anita Park covers 1 ⅛ miles in another turf play this afternoon. Evening Sun and Offlee Naughty should be tough runners in this outing.
Evening Sun is 2 for 11 in his career and has finished 8th, 1st, 4th in his previous three attempts. Evening Sun had a win two races back on August 21 at Del Mar.
It was a half-length win for a $72,000 purse for a solid showing, but couldn’t sustain his winning ways on Halloween. Evening Sun was 4th in a $65,000 purse.
He can just be too inconsistent to fully trust, but has the talent to compete again. Offlee Naughty on the far outside should have a big try in this one.
Offlee Naughty is 2 for 6 and has finished 1st, 4th, 1st in his previous three attempts. The colt is coming off a win by a neck in a $72,000 event.
It was his second win in three attempts after a $61,000 win on October 3. Offlee Naughty looks like a solid value option in Race 7.
