Xpressbet writer Jeff Siegel offers his top plays for Friday with both at Santa Anita.
Santa Anita Race No. 4 (4:32 p.m. ET/1:32 PT)
#6 Yo Time (3-1)
Was knocked down to favoritism in a similar maiden state-bred dirt sprint at Del Mar in his debut in late November but got behind horses inside during the early stages and appeared to resent the kick back. He adds Lasix, draws a better post, and may run to expectations this time around. The son of Smiling Tiger probably has more gate quickness than he displayed, and it wouldn’t surprise us to see him on or near the lead throughout.
Santa Anita Race No. 8 (6:36 p.m. ET/3:36 p.m. PT)
#2 Motorcade (6-1)
The conditions of this maiden sophomore sprint restrict entry to those that went through the ring at auction for $150,000 or less, or are entered to be claimed for $62,500, meaning this first-time starter is perfectly spotted, having sold for that top price at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton July sale. The son of Accelerate certainly has looked the part in his morning drills for trainer John Sadler, appearing plenty fit and with enough raw talent and speed to be very competitive in a field such as this. Juan Hernandez rides a lot of live newcomers for this stable, so at 6-1 on the morning line there is plenty of wagering value available in the Win pool and in the various rolling exotics.