Keeler Johnson's picks and plays Feb. 23

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Thursday, Feb. 23 at Fair Grounds and Turfway Park, along with horses to play in Super High 5 carryovers at Turfway and Gulfstream Park.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Turfway Park $2,500 Thursday Leaderboard Contest: Place $10+ win wagers at Turfway Park on Thursdays from Jan. 5 through March 30 to earn points and compete for your share of a $2,500 weekly jackpot.

Picks and Plays

Fair Grounds: Race 6: $50,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs, 4:45 p.m. ET)

#6 Margoinabubblebath (6-1) ran well in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Fair Grounds last month, finishing third with a decent 71 Brisnet Speed rating. The runner-up, Blame Day, returned to win her next start against similar competition.

Dropping down to the $50,000 maiden claiming level should allow Margoinabubblebath to vie for victory. Adding to the appeal is the fact jockey Corey Lanerie and trainer Eddie Kenneally have gone 3-for-8 (38%) teaming up together over the last two months.

#2 Cinco de Cuatro (3-1), runner-up over this track, distance, and class level in her Jan. 28 debut, is another logical contender. We’ll box Margoinabubblebath and Cinco de Cuatro in a large exacta.

Selections

• #6 Margoinabubblebath (6-1)
• #2 Cinco de Cuatro (3-1)
• #1 Dialherup (7-2)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta box: 2,6 ($30)

Fair Grounds: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (about one mile on turf, 5:15 p.m. ET)

#4 Slick and Fast (2-1) has finished second in each of her first three starts. The first two came on dirt, but Slick and Fast tackled this precise course, distance, and class level on Jan. 28, settling a couple of lengths off the pace before finishing up nicely in her turf debut.

There isn’t much pace in Thursday’s field, so Slick and Fast has every opportunity to work out a perfect trip stalking #2 Sikara Sikara (5-1) in her second turf try. We’ll bet the race accordingly, playing Slick and Fast over Sikara Sikara in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #4 Slick and Fast (2-1)
• #2 Sikara Sikara (5-1)
• #3 American Dollars (3-1)

Wagers

• $25 Exacta: 4 with 2

Turfway Park: Race 6: $30,000 Maiden Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 8:25 p.m. ET)

#9 Night Kiss (7-2) is eligible to run a strong race on debut for hot trainer Paulo Lobo, whose 18-for-75 (24%) record at Turfway since Nov. 30 includes a 3-for-8 (38%) record saddling first-time starters.

Night Kiss has put together an encouraging work tab at The Thoroughbred Center highlighted by a swift half-mile from the starting gate in :48 2/5. Sire Midnight Lute is responsible for a respectable 11% winners from first-time starters, and jockey Joseph Ramos has gone 8-for-29 (28%) teaming up with Lobo over the last two months, so at 7-2 Night Kiss is worth betting to win.

#6 Queen Tapiture (2-1), runner-up twice over this track and class level, is a logical choice to complete the exacta.

Selections

• #9 Night Kiss (7-2)
• #6 Queen Tapiture (2-1)
• #4 Elegance (6-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #9 Night Kiss
• $10 Exacta: 9 with 6
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Gulfstream Park, Race 1: $4,268 Super High 5 carryover (12:10 p.m. ET)

The opening race on Thursday at Gulfstream Park brings a $4,268 carryover in the $1 Super High 5. With nine horses in the entries, there are 15,120 possible Super High 5 outcomes, hardly an unmanageable number.

Race 1 is a $50,000 maiden optional claimer for three-year-old fillies racing 1 1/16 miles on turf. Florida-bred fillies are ineligible to be claimed, while all others must start for the $50,000 tag.

From all appearances, the filly to beat is one of the claimers. #3 R Rose’ All Day (3-1) has spent four of her six starts competing without much success on synthetic, but her turf form is stronger. In a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Aqueduct last fall, R Rose’ All Day ran third by 1 1/2 lengths, earning a career-best 78 Brisnet Speed rating. And in a $50,000 maiden optional claimer racing one mile at Gulfstream last month, R Rose’ All Day pressed the pace before battling on to finish second by a nose.

R Rose’ All Day displayed a strong finishing kick in the latter race and should be tough to beat while sticking to the same course and class level. Jockey Tyler Gaffalione has won at a 29% rate teaming up with hot trainer Saffie Joseph over the last two months, so all signs suggest R Rose’ All Day is worth keying on top in the Super High 5.

Turfway Park, Race 8: $1,782 Super High 5 carryover (9:25 p.m. ET)

Whereas Gulfstream’s Super High 5 carryover is available to chase in the first race on the card, Turfway is saving their $1,782 Super High 5 prize pool for last. The finale on Thursday is Race 8, the only race on the card offering Super High 5 wagering.

Race 8 is a maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies racing one mile on Tapeta, and among the 12 horses in the main body of the field, #10 Golden Runner (8-1) owns the co-best Brisnet Speed rating. The Sarah Hamilton trainee posted a 76 when debuting with a fifth-place finish over this track, distance, and class level on Jan. 25.

Golden Runner was only beaten 2 1/4 lengths with an outside rally and is eligible to move forward while adding Lasix, a 29% winning move for Hamilton. At 8-1, Golden Runner is a live longshot worth betting on top in the Super High 5.

Good luck!