Tacos and Trifectas: Theme Park Tacos, Del Mar Derby Longshot

August 31st, 2018 by Jose Contreras

Welcome to Tacos and Trifectas! Each week, America’s Best Racing’s Southern California correspondent Jose Contreras - @LosPonies to those who follow him on Twitter - will provide a taco review along with a selection that he will key in trifecta bets in hopes of winning some cash to buy more tacos! Contreras will map out a trifecta betting strategy for how to key his main pick and keep track of his return on investment (ROI), which was positive in 2017.

Stop back each week if you love tacos and want a trifecta play!

This week’s eatery:

Bumblebee Man’s Taco Truck
Universal Studios Hollywood

Score: 7.8

Generous steak portion
Authentic presentation
Reasonably priced for a theme park
Buzz Cola is a nice novelty

Recap of previous wager: Our key horse Animosity showed good speed to get the lead, appeared comfortable down the backstretch and then suddenly hit the rail and lost all chance of a better finish after that.

This week’s trifecta key:

Sunday, Sept. 2, Del Mar, Race 8, Del Mar Derby, 8:30 p.m. ET

#12 Animosity (20-1 odds): She’s back. She makes a quick turnaround after her troubled trip in the Del Mar Oaks and this time she’s tackling the boys. She hit the rail last time out and completely lost all chance. I don’t mind the outside post, I think her speed will have her in a good position throughout. I thought her effort in the San Clemente was much better than what it appears on paper. She steadied sharply soon after the start, lost position, and settled at the back of the pack. She then looked to be rank and her rider had a difficult time getting her to settle going around the first turn. She steadied multiple times including when approaching the final turn when trying to make her move. She found room late and finished with good energy to finish sixth beaten just under three lengths.

Strategy on $100 Budget:
$.50 Cent Trifecta: 12 with 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 with 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 ($28)
$.50 Cent Trifecta: 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 with 12 with 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 ($28)
$.50 Cent Trifecta: 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 with 1,2,3,5,6,8,9,10 with 12 ($28)
$16 Win on #12 Animosity

ROI year to date: $1,235 wagered / $969.20 returned