We canvass the 1/ST BET statistical database each week to bring you up to speed with racing at Santa Anita Park. Check back weekly for statistical trends and tidbits for premier racing in Southern California. And be sure to support “The Great Race Place” by betting with 1/ST BET, the official betting app of Santa Anita Park.

Headlines

Dec. 26 opening day produced $23 million in mutuel handle, the largest total bet to open a Santa Anita meet in track history … Racing this week will be Thursday through Sunday with the Rainbow 6 carryover $167,262 kicking things off … Stakes on tap this week include Friday’s Grade 2 Joe Hernandez for turf sprinters, Saturday’s Grade 2 San Gabriel and Grade 3 Sham (kickoff of the Santa Anita Derby prep season), and Sunday’s Grade 2 Santa Ynez … Xpressbet.com’s Beat the Host contest begins this Saturday and each week features 5 races each from Santa Anita and Gulfstream ($5 win bets). Take on this week’s host Jeremy Plonk for your share of $60,000 in prizes.

Stronach 5

After a week holiday break for Christmas, the Stronach 5 races this Friday, January 1, will be:

Leg A – Laurel Park Race 8 with an approximate post time of 3:55
Leg B – Gulfstream Park Race 9 with an approximate post time of 4:11
Leg C – Laurel Park Race 9 with an approximate post time of 4:25
Leg D – Santa Anita Race 3 with an approximate post time of 4:32
Leg E – Gulfstream Park Race 10 with an approximate post time of 4:42

1/ST BET Top Factors Last Week:

Horseplayers using the 1/ST BET app saw the most success with these 3 of the 52 handicapping filters for Santa Anita Park last week, each winning at a 29% or greater win rate and a flat-bet profit.

Best Speed Distance
% Horses Beaten
Avg. E2 Pace

Trends Last Week

-- 12 of 21 opening weekend winners last raced at Del Mar, 2 each came via Los Al, Keeneland and the Santa Anita autumn meet.

-- Favorites were 5: 3-2-0 in maiden races and 4: 3-0-0 in claiming races, but only 2-for-12 in allowance and stakes.

-- Trainer Eric Kruljac opened the meet 2-for-2 in limited strikes, popping $6 and $33 winners going short and long on the dirt.

-- Trainer Richard Baltas was only 1-for-11 opening weekend, but his 5 runner-up finishes had him knocking on the door. Among the 5 second-place finishers were prices at 9-1, 10-1 and 14-1. Look for him to heat up.

-- Trainer Peter Eurton’s barn was 4-for-5 in the exacta, including Storm the Court’s 10-1 runner-up in Grade 2 stakes company.

-- Jockey Juan Hernandez matched Flavien Prat atop the rider standings with 4 wins, and Hernandez had a $1.42 ROI for every $1 bet on his 18 mounts. He went 2-for-3 in dirt routes.