Cambina Key to Santa Anita’s Stakes Double
- Who: Thoroughbreds – Smiling Tiger, Cambina
- What: Horse Racing Betting Tips – The Palos Verdes, The Sweet Life
- Where: Santa Anita
- When: Saturday, January 22nd
Multiple Grade 1 winner Smiling Tiger is the class of the field in Saturday’s Grade 2 Palos Verdes at Santa Anita, and should lay over this modest field of seven. The trick is to find a better way to capitalize on Smiling Tiger than the standard win bet. That’s where Cambina comes in.
Cambina makes her first start in the U.S. in The Sweet Life, which immedialtely follows the Palos Verdes. The Sweet Life is run at a distance of About 6 ½ Furlongs on Santa Anita’s downhill turf course. There are only two multiple winners in this event for 3YO fillies, and Cambina is the only member of the 10-horse field to boast a pair of wins on the sod. Surprisingly, she may be overlooked by the bettors. True, there are question marks. She’s been off since mid-September, and will be receiving Lasix for the first time. Also, the downhill course can be tricky for horses that are unfamiliar with the layout.
Now, let’s consider the positives. Trainer Jeff Bonde was able to line up Northern California legend Russell Baze for the mount. This trainer/jockey combo has compiled a 29% win rate in 2010/11. Bonde sports solid numbers with horses returning from layoffs of 61-180 days (19% win rate; $3.86 ROI) and does well with turfers (19% win rate; $2.28 ROI). The filly has posted four works locally since late December, including a solid 6-furlong move (1:11 3/5) on January 14th. She has obviously settled into her new surroundings. More importantly, she boasts a win over handicap foes at Killarney, and a strong runner-up effort behind the highly-regarded Chrysanthemum last out in a listed stakes at the Curragh. Chrysanthemum, owned by Michael Tabor, went on to win the Group 3 C. L. Weld Park Stakes in her next start. In other words, Cambina’s company lines are superior. Her outside draw probably helps her cause, and her price should be attractive…somewhere in the 5-1 range.
I’ll bet a straight Double…#1-Smiling Tiger (Race 7) with #9-Cambina (Race 8).
Those are my horse racing betting tips for the weekend. Best of luck and happy gambling!


