BetAmerica’s Best Bets of the Weekend for Dec. 12

Photo by Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing
America’s Best Racing and BetAmerica team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Fridays.
Each week, one of our crack handicappers - Jose Contreras, Dan Tordjman, Victoria Garofalo, Mike Johnson or Vince Mathews – will provide at least one “Best Bet” of the weekend, ideal for a win bet. The post also will include some combination of additional bets for the weekend.
For some posts, our handicappers will try to identify a longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet.
Our handicappers also will look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or occasionally try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.
Place your bets at BetAmerica, which prides itself on outstanding customer service combined with the safety and security of wagering with a reputable advance-deposit wagering platform. Place your bets and you can walk away with some extra cash in your pocket.

Saturday, Dec. 12
EXACTA BOX
Gulfstream Park, Race 10, $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes, 4:35 p.m. ET
#2 Valid: He comes out of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, where he might have been a bit overmatched, but this is a substantial drop in class. His workout tab suggests he came out of the race fine, and I expect him to at least sniff the money, if not run away in commanding fashion.
#7 Encryption: He cuts back to his preferred distance of 1 1/16 miles, after notching a valiant third at Keeneland in the Grade 2 Fayette Stakes. I think he has what it takes to rate off the lead and get Valid at the finish line. Paco Lopez, a Gulfstream Park staple, is winless so far early in the championship meet. He’s past due for a win here.
BEST BET/ WIN BET
Gulfstream Park, Race 11, $100,000 El Prado Stakes, 5:05 p.m. ET
#4 Victory Exchange: Turf sprints are some of the most fun races to watch, so let’s try and make some money with a longshot. If there’s anyone I have faith in bringing a price home, it’s Javier Castellano. He’s aboard a 12-1 longshot on the morning line, but I wouldn’t hold my breath on that price at post time for Victory Exchange, who makes his first start on the grass. He’s been very competitive in stakes company on the synthetic Polytrack surface, but it will be interesting to see how this Canadian-bred stacks up against the talent that aligns in South Florida every winter.
BEST BET/WIN
Los Alamitos, Race 7, $100,000, King Glorious Stakes 6:28 p.m. ET
#3 Record Highs: This 2-year-old gets a chance to really stretch his legs at a mile after showing some flash at 6 ½ furlongs in his most recent start. At 5-1 on the morning line, this is a nice price for an emerging talent with Rafael Bejarano, the West Coast’s hottest jockey, aboard. He will need a swift pace to really show his closing ability, but I’m confident that in a field of rambunctious 2-year-olds, we will get that kind of scenario. 
BEST BET/WIN
Los Alamitos, Race 8, $300,000, Starlet Stakes 6:58 p.m. ET
#6 Surfside Tiara: This should be a fun showcase of California-based fillies. Surfside Tiara is one of the speediest in the field, and with Jerry Hollendorfer as the trainer and her regal breeding, I expect her to continue to develop and excel as a racehorse. After coming in a game fourth in a stakes at Del Mar at 7 furlongs on Nov. 15, she fired a bullet workout and has been training well ever since. There’s a ton of talent in this field, including the unbeaten Pacific Heat, which leads to her price of 6-1. That looks like a bargain to me.