Los Ponies Longshots: Picture Perfect at Santa Anita

Gambling
Fans watch the action at Santa Anita Park. (Penelope P. Miller/America's Best Racing)

Welcome to Los Ponies Longshots! Each week, America’s Best Racing’s Southern California correspondent Jose Contreras – Los Ponies to those who follow him on Twitter – will provide two or three longshots at 8-to-1 odds or better on the morning line that he identifies as strong value bets. Contreras also will map out a betting strategy for how to play his selections and keep track of his return on investment (ROI).

Stop back each week if you love a longshot!

Saturday, April 22

Santa Anita Park, Race 9, Mizdirection Stakes, 8 p.m. ET

#7 Perfect Pic (8-1): She was one of the most impressive debut winners last summer at Del Mar, and I’ve been keeping my eye on her since then. She’s only finished off the board twice, and both of those efforts came against Grade 1 competition. Although she’s proven she can win going long, I think she’s more talented when sprinting. She’s got early speed to get into a good position, and I think that will be the key to this race.

Strategy on $10 Budget

$2 win on Perfect Pic ($2)

$2 exacta: 7 with 2,5 ($4)

$1 exacta: 2,3,5,9 with 7 ($4)

Strategy on $25 Budget

$5 win on Perfect Pic ($5)

$1 trifecta: 5,7 with 2,5,7 with 1,2,3,5,7,9,10 ($20)

Strategy on $50 Budget

$2 win on Perfect Pic ($2)

$1 trifecta: 7 with 2,3,5,9 with 1,2,3,5,9 ($16)

$1 trifecta: 1,2,3,5,9 with 7 with 2,3,5,9 ($16)

$1 trifecta: 2,3,5,9 with 1,2,3,5,9 with 7 ($16)

Sunday, April 23

Santa Anita Park, Race 5, 6 p.m. ET

#6 Friendly Request (10-1): She gets back to sprinting after not making much of an impact going around two turns. She’s been given some time off, and I like the set of workouts leading up to this race. She’s shown a closing kick while sprinting on the dirt, and hopefully she can translate that to the downhill turf course at a price.

Strategy on $10 Budget

$2 win on Friendly Request ($2)

$2 exacta: 6 with 2,3 ($4)

$1 exacta: 1,2,3,5 with 6 ($4)

Strategy on $25 Budget

$5 win on Friendly Request ($5)

$1 trifecta: 3,6 with 2,3,6 with 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 ($20)

Strategy on $50 Budget  

$2 win on Friendly Request ($2)

$1 trifecta: 6 with 1,2,3,5 with 1,2,3,5,7 ($16)

$1 trifecta: 1,2,3,5,7 with 6 with 1,2,3,5 ($16)

$1 trifecta: 1,2,3,5 with 1,2,3,5,7 with 6 ($16)

ROI to date: $9,752 wagered/$9,758.71 returned

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