Horse Racing Picks for Sunday: Best Bets at Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita

Only a handful of tracks are in action today, but there is still plenty of top-notch horse racing and several deep fields that should yield some nice payouts if you play things right.

My focus continues to be on the Santa Anita Park and Gulfstream Park cards, with these highlighted plays at those tracks.

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SANTA ANITA

Race 3

Time: 4:35 p.m. ET

This $40,000 optional-claiming event for 3-year-olds might be the toughest race to handicap on the card.

There is a ton of talent among the six scheduled to enter the starting gate and I think No. 5 Foreign Protocol (5-2) stands out in this group. Jockey Geovanni Franco gets the mount for trainer Quinn Howey, who has put up sneaky good numbers during his 2020 campaign.

Howey isn’t a marquee name on the Southern California training circuit, but he is hitting at a blistering 53% for in-the-money finishes in 70 starts.

Foreign Protocol had a 73 Beyer Speed Figure rating in his last outing and duplicating that would be more than good enough to triumph against this field.

I am playing Foreign Protocol across the board and putting him on top — along with No. 4 Promise Nothing (3-1) in my exotic wagers. Use No. 1 Hydrogen (9-2) and No. 2 Brickyard Drive (7-2) underneath on your exacta and trifecta tickets.

The bets:

• $5 Win/Place/Show: No. 5 Foreign Protocol (5-2) — $15 Ticket
• $3 exacta wager: 4/5 over 1/2/4/5 — $24 Ticket
• $4 trifecta wager: 4/5 over 1/2/4/5 over 1/2/4/5 — $24 Ticket

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Race 8

Time: 7:18 p.m. ET

Another nice group of contenders kick off the first leg of the late Daily Double in this mile event on the turf course.

My top pick in this $40,000 optional-claiming race is No. 6 Border Town (3-1), who gets jockey Flavian Prat in the irons. Trainer Richard Mandella has posted strong Beyer numbers in his last three starts (85-80-78) and looks to be the class of this deep field.

Play Border Town in your Win-Place-Show wagering, then on top of your exacta wager with No. 1 Madman (5-2) and jockey Mike Smith. Throw No. 2 Southern King (5-1), No. 5 Irish Heatwave (5-1) and No. 8 Mountain Spirit (10-1) on the back end of the play.

I am going to box Border Town, Madman, Southern King and Irish Heatwave in my trifecta wager.

The bets:

• $8 Win/Place/Show: No. 6 Border Town (3-1) — $24 Ticket
• $2 exacta wager: 1/6 over 1/2/5/6/8 — $16
• $1 trifecta box wager: 1/2/5/6 — $24 Ticket

Favorite Multi-Race Wagers at Santa Anita

• Daily Double (Races 3 and 4): 2,4,5 / 3,4,8,11 ($2 Daily Double = $24Ticket)
• Pick 3 (Races 7-8-9): 2,3,7,8 / 1,2,6,8 / 3,6,8,9 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $32 Ticket)

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GULFSTREAM PARK

Race 3

Time: 1:45 p.m. ET

My best bet on the Gulfstream card comes via No. 7 Seismic Wave (5-2) and jockey Edgard Zayas in this $48,000 Allowance Optional Claiming event.

Seismic Wave, a 4-year-old colt, hasn’t raced since winning a $100,000 stakes event up north at Belmont Park in New York. However, the son of standout champion Tapit should be primed to run off the hiatus for trainer Bill Mott.

I am playing Seismic Wave across the board and on top of my exacta and trifecta wagers with No. 5 Monarchs Glen (7-2), who gets Samy Camacho to ride. Use No. 2 Class And Cash (6-1), No. 4 Temple (3-1) and No. 6 Renaissance Frolic (5-1) underneath in those plays.

The bets:

$5 Win/Place/Show: No. 7 Seismic Wave (5-2) — $15 Ticket
$2 exacta wager: 5/7 over 4/5/6/7 — $12 Ticket
$2 trifecta wager: 5/7 over 4/5/7 over 2/4/5/6/7 — $24 Ticket

[Bet now at TVG and get your first bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]

Race 9

Time: 4:52 p.m. ET

My top pick in this Allowance Optional Claiming event going 1 1/16th mile is No. 6 Blue Buff (2-1) for trainer Jason Servis. This talented horse is seeking his fourth consecutive victory and blew the doors off the field in his last outing, which came at the same distance as this race. Jockey Miguel Angel Vasquez will be in the irons for the morning-line favorite.

I am using Blue Buff in my Win-Place-Show wagers and on top of my exotic plays with No. 2 War Giant (9-2), who gets Emisael Jaramillo in the saddle. Play No. 4 Krachenwagen (4-1) and No. 5 Colonel Liam (5-2) under my top picks in your exacta and trifecta wagers.

The bets:

$4 Win/Place/Show: No. 6 Blue Buff (2-1) — $12 Ticket
$2 exacta wager: 2/6 over 2/4/5/6 — $24 Ticket
$1.50 trifecta wager: 2/6 over 2/4/5/6 over 2/3/4/5/6 — $27 Ticket

Favorite Multi-Race Wager at Gulfstream

• Daily Double (Races 3 and 4): 2,3,4,7 / 2,3,4 ($2 Daily Double = $24 Ticket)
• Pick 3 (Races 8-9-10): 1,3,9,10 / 2,5,6 / 1,2,3,4,12 ($0.50 Pick 3 = $30 Ticket)

[Bet now at TVG and get your first bet 100% risk-free up to $300.]