Dan's Double: Weekend Winners for Jan. 16-17
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When it comes to making money when handicapping races and betting on horse racing, it’s all about picking winners. Dan Tordjman, America’s Best Racing’s New York correspondent, is one of the brightest young minds in the game.
Each Week, Tordjman – DanonymousMan to those who follow him on Twitter – will provide readers with his two best bets of the weekend and strategies for how to bet them. Tordjman will keep track of his return on investment (ROI) throughout the year and, as a bonus, he will also provide picks for a selection of the key races on the Triple Crown trail and the road to the Breeders’ Cup.
Come back every week and be sure to follow Tordjman on Twitter.
Saturday, Jan. 16, Race 6, Gulfstream Park
#3 C. Zee (12-1 ML): This 5-year-old comes out of a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector, which was won by returning rival #8 X Y Jet. The difference here is that there’s a lot more speed signed up for this race, meaning X Y Jet will have to work a lot harder earlier on. I also think he might bounce, or regress dramatically, off of that career best effort last out. That said, the race seems to set up for a horse sitting just off the pace and C. Zee has shown tactical speed and should be able to rate just off of X Y Jet, #4 It’s Not Me and #6 Alfredo Romana. Aside from X Y Jet and #5 Wildcat Red, C. Zee is the only horse in here with a graded stakes win. He’s also won four times and placed three other times from nine starts at Gulfstream, and has been in the money in all eight of his career races at the distance. Wildcat Red is also pretty classy and rates a long look with top jockey Javier Castellano jumping aboard.
Strategy on $10 Budget - $2 win, place and show on #3 C. Zee ($6)
$1 exacta 3,5 with 2,3,5 ($4)
Strategy on $25 Budget - $4 exacta box 3 with 5 ($8)
$.50 trifecta box 2,3,5,8 ($12)
$5 win on #3 C. Zee
Strategy on $50 Budget - $5 win, place and show on #3 C. Zee ($15)
$.50 trifecta box 2,3,5,8 ($12)
$1 exacta key box 3 with all ($14)
$4 exacta box 3 with 5 ($8)
Sunday, Jan. 17, Race 7, Gulfstream Park
#7 Zambian Dream (Odds TBD): Price might be short here but this horse looks like a slam dunk. He cuts back in distance after being asked to go way too long on Breeders’ Cup weekend. Prior to that, he was beaten just a neck at this level by a horse named Eagle, who came back to win his next two races, including a stakes race last out. There isn’t a whole lot of speed in this race and from his outside post and with the addition of blinkers - an angle that trainer Todd Pletcher is successful with 23 percent of the time - Zambian Dream should have some options from a pace perspective. Looks like a crapshoot for the minors but I’d take a look at Tennessee (who had excuses when finishing third last out), Tarpy’s Surprise (who has had some success over course and distance) and On Draft.
Strategy on $10 Budget - $10 win on #7 Zambian Dream ($10)
Strategy on $25 Budget - $10 win on #7 Zambian Dream ($10)
$1 trifecta 7 with 1, 4, 6 with all ($15)
Strategy on $50 Budget - $35 win on #7 Zambian Dream ($35)
$1 trifecta 7 with 1, 4, 6 with all ($15)
ROI Year to date: $170 wagered/$0 returned