Keeler Johnson's picks and plays Feb. 22

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at Tampa Bay Downs and Turfway Park, including tickets for Tampa’s $2,686 Super High 5 carryover.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Winning Wednesdays: Get a 25% boost on your winning win wagers (excluding stake amount; maximum $50 bonus per day) when you bet Tampa Bay Downs and Gulfstream Park on Wednesdays.

Picks and Plays

Tampa Bay Downs: Race 6: $16,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on turf, 2:47 p.m. ET)

#10 Get Even (8-5) ran strongly in his turf debut at Tampa Bay Downs last month, carving out the pace in a $16,000 maiden claimer before weakening late to finish second in the 1 1/16-mile contest. The winner, Hereby, came right back to win a $16,000 claimer for non-winners of two races.

Get Even finished three lengths clear of the third-place runner and should be tough to beat while sticking to the same course, class level, and approximate distance on Wednesday. We’ll bet Get Even to win (taking advantage of the Winning Wednesdays promotion) and key him over #5 Lord of the Nile (12-1) in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #10 Get Even (8-5)
• #5 Lord of the Nile (12-1)
• #7 Cheval Dore (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #10 Get Even
• $10 Exacta: 10 with 5
  Total: $30

Turfway Park: Race 1: $7,500 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 5:55 p.m. ET)

#1 Fingers (7-2) looks ready to win on debut for hot trainer Wesley Ward, who has gone 19-for-48 (40%) at Turfway since Nov. 30. A son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) winner Hootenanny (who sires an excellent 21% winners from first-time starters), Fingers has put together an encouraging work tab in preparation for his debut, and it’s worth noting Ward wins at a 35% rate with horses debuting in maiden claimers.

Throw in hot apprentice jockey Walter Rodriguez (who rides with a five-pound weight allowance), and Fingers is worth betting to win and keying over #7 Giacometti (4-1) and #6 El Muzn (5-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #1 Fingers (7-2)
• #7 Giacometti (4-1)
• #6 El Muzn (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #1 Fingers (7-2)
• $5 Exacta: 1 with 6,7 ($10)
  Total: $30

Turfway Park: Race 7: $8,000 Claiming (one mile on Tapeta, 8:55 p.m. ET)

#11 Markitoff (2-1) ran strongly over this track, distance, and class level on Jan. 11, rallying wide to finish third by 1 1/2 lengths. The nine-year-old gelding was claimed out of that event by trainer Jonathan Wong, who wins at a 29% rate with new claiming acquisitions, so Markitoff is eligible to visit the winner’s circle on Wednesday.

A simple win bet on Markitoff will be our primary play, followed by an exacta using #9 Kentucky Cool (5-1) and #6 High Powered (6-1) for second place.

Selections

• #11 Markitoff (2-1)
• #9 Kentucky Cool (5-1)
• #6 High Powered (6-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #11 Markitoff
• $5 Exacta: 11 with 6,9 ($10)
• Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Tampa Bay Downs, Race 1: $2,686 Super High 5 carryover (12:28 p.m. ET)

The Wednesday card at Tampa Bay Downs kicks off on a high note. Race 1, a $16,000 maiden claimer for three-year-old fillies sprinting seven furlongs on dirt, features a $2,686 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

The morning line favorite is #2 Sortaria (5-2), and her credentials are solid. She’s cracked the trifecta in three straight $16,000 claimers at Tampa Bay Downs, including two sprinting seven furlongs on dirt. She ran particularly well over this distance on Jan. 13, finishing second by a head after leading in midstretch.

That victory produced a 76 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number belonging to any filly in Wednesday’s field. If Sortaria brings her A-game to Wednesday’s contest, she can take home top honors, so we’ll key her on top in the Super High 5.

Underneath Sortaria, #3 Da Journeygirl (4-1) and #4 Luvisanaki (3-1) are key contenders. Da Journeygirl has hit the board in her last four dirt sprints, including a trio of $25,000 maiden claimers. Most recently, she settled for third place in a $16,000 maiden claimer dashing 5 1/2 furlongs at Tampa Bay Downs. With a couple of 74 Brisnet Speed ratings under her belt, she’s fast enough to record a strong finish against Wednesday’s field.

As for Luvisanaki, she never factored in her debut over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta track, but improved when switching to dirt for a $16,000 maiden claimer sprinting seven furlongs at Tampa, carving out the pace before staying on to finish third by four lengths. The runner-up was none other than Sortaria. Luvisanaki earned a respectable 70 Brisnet Speed rating that day and looms as a logical contender while sticking to the same class level for hot trainer Victor Barboza Jr.

Other fillies we’ll use are #1 My Baton Rouge (7-2), #5 Wifey Material (8-1), and #7 The Money Machine (10-1).

Here’s how we’ll bet the Super High 5:

• $1 Super High 5: 2 with 3,4 with 3,4 with 1,5,7 with 1,5,7 ($12)
• $1 Super High 5: 2 with 3,4 with 1,5,7 with 3,4 with 1,5,7 ($12)
• $1 Super High 5: 2 with 3,4 with 1,5,7 with 1,5,7 with 3,4 ($12)
  Total: $36

Good luck!