Best Horse Racing Bets for Friday, November 12, 2021

I found a lot to like about my picks from Del Mar Racing, Gulfstream Park, and Remington Park for Friday, including a few surprise picks in the three stakes races I assessed at Remington Park.

Oh, and there’s that 10/1 sleeper I found at Del Mar.

Before you head on down to see what I’m all giddy about, be sure to take a look at the full race-cards for all three tracks at our top best online racebooks.

Good luck!

We’re on the main track for race two, a one-mile claiming race for three-year-olds and upward.

Aside from some good speed figures that didn’t get him to the wire for payday, I’m not sure why the morning-line likes Kershaw so much. I’m betting on a horse that has won a race or two in the past twelve months—the 4/1 underdog, Signofthecross, with Diego A. Herrera in the irons.

This four-year-old gelding finished in the money seven of his eleven career starts, winning four, which gives him the best stats in this short field of five. And not that he appears to need it, but he’s also got the advantage of Herrera’s apprentice weight allowance.

Leonard Powell, who’s having the winningest year of his nearly two decades in the business, trains Signofthecross for owners Emily H. Burns, Christina Gindt, and Mary Ledding.

Let’s move to the turf course for race seven, a five-furlong allowance optional claiming race for California-bred or sired fillies and mares three years old and upward.

This three-year-old filly moneyed six of her eight career starts, winning three. No other entry in this seven-horse field shows any indication of giving Hot Rageous serious competition.

Breeders’ Cup veteran Peter Miller trains Hot Rageous for owners Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Gary Barber, and Wachtel Stable.

We’re back on the main track for race eight, a one mile claiming race for fillies and mares three years old and upward that have never won two races.

I’m calling this race for the 10/1 sleeper, Big Andy, with Diego A. Herrera aboard.

This three-year-old filly finished in the money four of her ten career starts, winning one. Notably, before she graduated from the maiden class last May she finished second in the 2020 California Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association Stakes (Black Type) and third in the 2020 Generous Portion Stakes (Black Type).

Simon Callaghan—who took Firing Line to a second-place finish in the 2015 Kentucky Derby—trains Big Andy for Biggleague Racing, LLC.

Let’s start on the all-weather track for race three, a one mile and 70 yards claiming run for fillies and mares three years old and upward.

I agree with the morning-line here—the horse most likely to succeed in this eight-horse race is the 5/2 favorite, Afficionado, piloted by Leonel Reyes.

This four-year-old French import moneyed 15 of her 24 career starts, winning four, which gives her the best stats in this field.

Fifteen-year racing veteran Juan Carlos Avila trains Afficionado for Omakase Racing Stable, LLC. Avila has put Reyes in the irons for Afficionado’s last four races.

We’re on the main track for race seven, a six-furlong claiming run for fillies and mares three years old and upward. My money’s on the second-favored (at 5/2) Dahlonega, ridden by top jockey Emisael Jaramillo.

Gilberto Zerpa trains Dahlonega for Soldi Stable LLC.

We move back to the all-weather track for race eight, a one mile and 70 yards run for two-year-olds.

This is a no-brainer pick, so I’m betting all two of my dollars on the 9/5 morning-line favorite, Peter D, piloted by Leonel Reyes.

This gelding has three career starts: He broke his maiden at Delaware Park in August, finished fifth in the Hollywood Beach Stakes (Black Type) at Gulfstream Park in September, and last month, he won the Journeyman Stud Juvenile Stakes (Black Type), also at Gulfstream. He’ll do.

Peter D is trained by owner Andry G. Blanco, who put Reyes in the irons for both of Peter D’s stakes runs.

We’re on the main track for race six—the Silver Goblin Stakes, a $70,000 purse, 6-1/2-furlong race for Oklahoma-bred three-year-olds and upward.

I like the 3/1 underdog in this race, Quality Rocket, ridden by top jockey Ramon A. Vazquez.

This seven-year-old gelding finished in the money for 21 of his 36 career starts, winning eleven, which is impressive in this field, but even better, his record for 2021 is the best of this six-horse field.

Six money finishes in eight starts, four of them wins, including the Route 66 Stakes at Fair Meadows Racetrack in July and the Red Earth Stakes (Black Type) at Remington Park in September.

Thirty-year racing veteran Boyd Caster trains Quality Rocket for owner Jeremy D. Ball.

Race seven is the Slide Show Stakes, a $75,000 purse, one-mile race on the main track for Oklahoma-bred two-year-old fillies. I like the 8/5 morning-line favorite: Morning Twilight, with veteran jockey Stewart Elliott aboard.

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen trains Morning Twilight for owners West Point Thoroughbreds, Edwin S. Barker, and Titletown Racing Stables.

Race eight is the Don C. McNeill Stakes, a $75,000 purse, one-mile main track race for Oklahoma-bred two-year-olds. I’m buying a win ticket on the second-favored Cuatro Madres, ridden by top jockey David Cabrera.

This gelding moneyed both of his career starts, winning his initial maiden attempt, then finishing second in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile Stakes (Black Type) in October.

And yes, I know he was beaten in that stakes race by this race’s 5/2 favorite, Rowdy Rascal, who stalked in the back field for most of the Classic Juvenile before thundering forward in the last furlong to win by a head.

I just prefer to bet on horses with statistical superiority, and that’s Cuatro Madres.

Austin Gustafson—who’s having a very good year at the track, by the way—trains Cuatro Madres for Michael J. Mazoch and Linda Mazoch.