Saturday's Best Bet: Olympiad goes for the gold in Mineshaft
Saturday’s 10th race from Fair Grounds is the Grade 3 Mineshaft Stakes for four-year-olds and up traveling a mile and a sixteenth on the main track (Post Time 5:25 p.m. EST).
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No. 4 OLYMPIAD (3-1) is a razor sharp early-pressing type in a race without much speed. He was competitive in all six starts including a facile optional claiming victory at this distance at Gulfstream Park Jan. 15. His winning pilot Junior Alvarado sticks and he looks like the right now horse.
No. 10 Untreated (9-2) is an interesting New York shipper. He aired off the bench in his special weight score for Todd Pletcher, and went to the sidelines after flopping in the Blue Grass (G2). He returned with a powerful score at Aqueduct last fall and overcame a troubled beginning to win again as the chalk in the mud Dec. 31. He clearly runs well fresh and figures to stalk the pace under his winning maiden pilot Luis Saez.
No. 5 Miles D (7-2) exits back-to-back victories including a stakes score in the Discovery. He should be grinding away from off the pace.
No. 2 Silver Prospector (15-1) took the overland route in a stakes at Oaklawn Park Jan. 15, and that was his first start in more than seven months. Joel Rosario takes the call and he is capable of hitting the board at square odds.
No. 11 Big Dreaming (15-1) is a fairly reliable performer for Wayne Catalano, and he can run on anything. He fired in both dirt starts last year and figures to stalk wide from the outside post.
Get my Expert Santa Anita Park picks for Feb. 19
Wagers:
No. 4 to win
Exacta 4/5-10
Exacta 5-10/4
Trifecta 4/ALL/2-11
Recent Best Bet Winners
Feb. 5 - Express Train/Law Professor Exacta ($16.20)
Feb. 9 - REBELDE ($6.80)
Feb. 10 - You're Killin Me/Tiger Exacta ($12.40)
Feb. 11 - Big Novel/Vivacious Vanessa Exacta ($3.80), Trifecta ($6.60)
Feb. 12 - OURAIKA ($11.40), Exacta ($48.20), Trifecta ($125.40)