Keeler Johnson's picks and plays April 3

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Monday, April 3 at Will Rogers Downs and Turf Paradise, including a trio of exactas.

Picks and Plays

Will Rogers Downs: Race 2: $25,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 2:35 p.m. ET)

Three-year-olds who have never won two races will sprint 5 1/2 furlongs in the second race on the Will Rogers Downs card. The par winning Brisnet Speed rating for these conditions is 85, but none of the entrants have posted a number higher than 80.

Therefore, we’ll take a shot with the lightly raced five-year-old #5 Inside Job (5-2), who may have the most upside for improvement. He wired his debut sprinting six furlongs against maiden special weight company at Will Rogers Downs last spring, beating a next-out winner by 2 1/4 lengths. Inside Job subsequently spent four months on the sidelines before returning with an eighth-place finish in a turf allowance at Remington Park.

Inside Job has trained up a storm in preparation for his 2023 debut, cranking out a flashy series of bullet workouts at Will Rogers Downs. Returning to dirt for hot trainer Boyd Caster can send Inside Job to the winner’s circle over #1 Shell Shocker (2-1).

Selections

• #5 Inside Job (5-2)
• #1 Shell Shocker (2-1)
• #4 Portsmouth (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #5 Inside Job
• $10 Exacta: 5 with 1
  Total: $30

Will Rogers Downs: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 3:05 p.m. ET)

Since 2021, trainer Joe Offolter has compiled a stellar 6-3-0-1 (50%) record saddling first-time starters at Will Rogers Downs. This bodes well for Offolter’s three-year-old gelding #3 Latent Shadow (2-1), who breezed a quick five furlongs from the Will Rogers starting gate in :47 4/5 last week.

In a field that doesn’t look overly deep on paper, Latent Shadow is a logical choice to take home top honors over #1 Dastadly Dan (8-5) and #4 Peppermint Candy (3-1), stablemates conditioned by hot trainer Theresa Luneack.

Selections

• #3 Latent Shadow (2-1)
• #1 Dastadly Dan (8-5)
• #4 Peppermint Candy (3-1)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 3 with 1,4 ($20)
• $5 Trifecta: 3 with 1,4 with 1,4 ($10)
  Total: $30

Turf Paradise: Race 8: $30,000 Maiden Optional Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 7:44 p.m. ET)

#5 The Golden Egg (2-1) has cracked the trifecta in four starts over this track and class level, most recently rallying strongly to finish second by one length on March 18. Along the way, he’s squared off against several next-out winners.

The Golden Egg looks like the best of the experienced runners in Monday’s field, and the first-time starters don’t appear overly formidable. Therefore, we’ll key him over #8 Alcazaba (7-2) and #2 Mister Mafioso (4-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #5 The Golden Egg (2-1)
• #8 Alcazaba (7-2)
• #2 Mister Mafioso (4-1)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta: 5 with 2,8 ($30)

Good luck!