Best bets for Oaklawn and Turfway tournaments, plus Aqueduct’s Pick 6 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks for Saturday tournaments at Oaklawn and Turfway, along with horses to use in Aqueduct’s $18,244 Pick 6 carryover.

Aqueduct: $18,244 Pick 6 carryover

The $1 Pick 6 at Aqueduct gets underway in Race 4 (post time 1:40 p.m. ET) with an $18,244 carryover up for grabs.

The feature event in the sequence is Race 8, the one-mile Jerome S. for three-year-olds. John Mucciolo of TwinSpires ranks Nashua S. winner #7 Studlydoright (5-2) as the horse to beat; check out his Tipsheet for proposed wagers and a horse-by-horse analysis.

MUCCIOLO: Tipsheet: 2025 Jerome Stakes

I also respect Studlydoright, but prefer #6 Cyclone State (7-2), who recently wired an $80,000 allowance optional claimer at Aqueduct by 2 3/4 lengths. Using both colts might be the best strategy to survive in the Pick 6.

Oaklawn Park: $400 Smarty Jones KDBC Qualifier tournament

At least one entry into the 2025 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge will be awarded at the conclusion of the $400 Smarty Jones KDBC Qualifier tournament on TwinSpires. Bet your entire $200 bankroll across at least five races at Oaklawn Park (minimum $20 per race) to climb the leaderboard.

Race 9, the 1 1/16-mile Smarty Jones S., is one of two stakes on the action-packed card. Eight sophomores will face the starter, and Mucciolo and I both rank #1 Kale’s Angel (2-1) as our top choice. The son of Complexity romped by 5 3/4 lengths in the 5 1/2-furlong Advent S. at Oaklawn last month, earning a 97 Brisnet Speed rating. He looks tough to catch while tackling a dirt route for the first time.

MUCCIOLO: Tipsheet: 2025 Smarty Jones Stakes

#6 Hot Property (8-5), a gate-to-wire debut winner racing 1 1/16 miles at Fair Grounds last month, has a strong chance to finish second or third. I recommend tournament players consider betting trifecta tickets as follows:

• Race 9: $4 Trifecta: 1 with 6 with 3,5,8 ($12)
• Race 9: $4 Trifecta: 1 with 3,5 with 6 ($8)
  Total: $20

Turfway Park: $160 Turfway Feeder to 1/18 Lecomte KDBC Qualifier tournament

You can win an entry into the Jan. 18 $400 Lecomte KDBC Qualifier tournament if you finish high enough in the $160 Turfway Feeder tournament. You’ll need to bet your entire $80 bankroll across at least five races at Turfway (minimum $8 per race) to have a chance.

The feature event on the card is Race 6, the Turfway Prevue S. for three-year-olds sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. Mucciolo is all-in on the undefeated #2 Star’s Image (3-1), who has gone 2-for-2 on turf at Fair Grounds. Certainly his credentials are solid.

MUCCIOLO: Exotic plays for the Turfway Prevue Stakes

But don’t dismiss #5 Coming in Hot (12-1) as a live longshot. The former claimer thrived when making his Tapeta debut in a six-furlong $62,500 allowance optional claimer at Turfway last month, pulling away to dominate by 5 1/2 lengths. A $10 win bet on Coming in Hot will rocket you up the standings if he wins at anywhere near his morning-line odds.

• Race 6: $10 to win on #5 Coming in Hot

Good luck!