posted February 22, 2008 at 21:41 in Triple Crown Betting Trends

The Beatles would have been great horse racing fans and maybe great horse bettors. When their catchy ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ hit number one over 4 years ago it meant that the entire top five of the Hot 100 was by The Beatles.

No other act has ever even held the top five spots simultaneously but there are now some acts at Santa Anita that are popular and their new owners will be hoping that if they can’t get love, they can get cash.

We’re talking about the claim game and why astute horse bettors should pay attention to who wants whom when they are offered for sale.

There’s a hot mama in Arcadia that has attracted attention recently and Mama Lula was won in a 3-horse shake recently with Barry Abrams taking the filly back to the barn.

A shake occurs when 2 or more owners put in a claiming slip for a horse. Lula comes from the very capable barn of Bill Spawr and just the fact that there was a shake, and that there was high interest in this filly, suggests she is doing pretty well, is relatively sound, and she has a right to click before the meet is over.

Lula is versatile, handles any kind of going, brings tactical speed short and long and if she comes back on the grass, horse bettors would be wise to take a long look at her at the windows.

The claim report for Santa Anita is available on their website and is should be on the short list of shopping areas for off and online horse racing bettors.

Another runner that recently was the flavor of the day is Candy’s Bro. Cut out to be a good horse, he cost 90 grand, but is still trying to figure out the best way to close the deal. Taken in the shake by TVG commentator Sean McCarthy, this guy can run on turf and the synthetic despite his zero record on those surfaces.

McCarthy does a nice job with the runners he does train and he spots them where they belong. If this guy finds non-winners of two other than sprint on the hillside, the colt just may blow up the tote as he was beaten a nostril in a tough classified allowance up north last spring.

Some horses are claimed because they are thought to be sound. Some are claimed because they are in superior form or very consistent, and same are claimed for a glimmer of tremendous upside.

Remember Seattle is such a horse and she recently went from the small but potent barn of Terry Knight to the factory of John Sadler.

Sadler doesn’t dip in much for claimers so the fact he put in a claim slip is already important. Astute horse bettors should know that Seattle had an absolute horrible trip the day Knight lost here, that she has brilliant speed but also has a right to go long with the classic blood of Seattle Slew on the bottom side.

Expect Sadler to take his time with this miss, find the right spot even if it takes awhile and have her in with very good intentions the first time he brings her to the paddock.

When looking over the past performances of claimers, the most cagey horse bettors go the extra step to see if they were coveted at the claiming box.

This working angle will yield dividends.

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