From our horseracing handicapper: Bet speed

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Liam Durbin, our new horseracing handicapper, is acquitting himself nicely at Santa Anita’s Oak Tree meet as he familiarizes himself with the track’s biases.

You know, the track is new too, so it’s not easy to handicap there during the first week of the meet. But he’s a quick study.

Durbin’s top choice today ran in the money in six of the eight races, with two winners and three seconds. For the meet, the computer’s top speed score is still performing best winning 28% of the time. His top three choices in the fourth crossed the wire in order for a $43 trifecta.

‘For what it’s worth, 28% is still lower than I’m used to,’’ he said. ‘But I’m recovering from a tough first day. Speed is definitely carrying well so far.’’

Saturday, by the way, is filled with big races at Santa Anita.

-- Randy Harvey