Keeler Johnson's picks and plays for Aug. 27

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares $70 worth of picks and plays for Friday, Aug. 27 at Saratoga and Ellis Park, plus suggested singles for a trio of non-jackpot carryovers at Arlington Park.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Saratoga Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second or third in select races at Saratoga. Offer must be unlocked each day of the meet; see offers page for details.
• Rest of the World Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in any race at Kembla Grange (Australia).
• Exacta Insurance: Receive refunds on exacta bets (up to $10) if your two selected horses finish in the first three home, but not in the winning order. Offer applies only to straight exacta bets at Charles Town.

Picks and plays

Saratoga, Race 2: Seeking the Ante S. (6 1/2 furlongs, 1:41 p.m. ET)

#1 Miss Alacrity (7-5) is the favorite, and she has won the first two starts of her racing career.

After she trounced New York-bred maidens at Belmont Park, the daughter of Munnings had little difficulty against unrestricted company in the Colleen S. on turf at Monmouth Park, where she prevailed by 2 3/4 lengths.

But Miss Alacrity has never run farther than five furlongs, and in terms of Brisnet Speed ratings, she isn’t the fastest filly in Friday’s field.

#2 Laoban’s Legacy (5-2) ran faster when she cruised to a 7 3/4-length victory in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga last month. Laoban’s Legacy was tons the best on debut and may still have upside for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, who wins at a 21% rate with second-time starters.

In an effort to unlock the Saratoga Bet Back promotion, we’ll place a $10 win bet on Laoban’s Legacy, then play her over Miss Alacrity and #3 November Rein (2-1) in the trifecta.

$10 to win on #2 Laoban’s Legacy
$5 trifecta: 2 with 1,3 with 1,3 ($10)
Total: $20

Ellis Park, Race 7: Maiden special weight (one mile, 4:40 p.m. ET)

#3 Bunduki (5-1) never had a realistic chance to win her debut, a seven-furlong sprint at Ellis Park last month.

Incredibly slow fractions of :23.97 and :48.15 placed the late-running daughter of Gun Runner at a disadvantage, so the fact she rallied to finish third — beaten just 1 3/4 lengths by the two pacesetters — is impressive.

Trainer Kenny McPeek doesn’t crank his juveniles to win on debut, so Bunduki is eligible to produce a much-improved effort on the stretch out to a mile in her second start.

With that in mind, we’ll bet Bunduki to win and key her over logical favorite #7 Juju’s Map (2-1) in a cold exacta.

$20 to win on #3 Bunduki
$10 exacta: 3 with 7
Total: $30

Saratoga, Race 8: West Point S. (1 1/16 miles on turf, 5:03 p.m. ET)

#2 Rinaldi (7-5) won this race last year, with a gate-to-wire effort, and returns for his title defense in hot form.

The five-year-old gelding used his frontrunning speed to wire the one-mile Forbidden Apple S. (G3) at Saratoga last month, when he sprinted the final quarter-mile in :23 flat to beat a solid field by a half-length.

Rinaldi figures to secure a relatively uncontested lead in the West Point, which sets the stage for another victory.

Following along with the Saratoga Bet Back promotion, we’ll place a $10 win bet on Rinaldi, then play him on top of an exacta, with #7 City Man (9-2) and #8 Mo Ready (6-1) underneath.

$10 to win on #2 Rinaldi
$5 exacta: 2 with 7,8 ($10)
Total: $20

Carryover watch

Arlington Park, Race 1: $3,656 Pick 8 carryover (3:25 p.m. ET)
Arlington Park, Race 2: $1,188 Pick 7 carryover (3:51 p.m. ET)
Arlington Park, Race 3: $4,745 Pick 6 carryover (4:23 p.m. ET)
Arlington Park, Race 8: $268,050 Jackpot High 5 (7:10 p.m. ET)

On Thursday at Arlington Park, the 20-cent Pick 6, 20-cent Pick 7, and 20-cent Pick 8 went unclaimed for the second straight day, which leaves a trio of non-jackpot carryovers for Friday’s competitive eight-race card.

The afternoon finale will also feature a $268,050 jackpot carryover in the 20-cent Jackpot High 5.

Carryovers at Arlington can grow quickly, so if you want to chase the bonus pools up for grabs Friday, we have a couple suggested singles.

Race 1: #7 Field Letters (2-1)

With three wins and two seconds in five starts over the Arlington Polytrack, it’s safe to say Field Letters is a “horse for the course.”

The six-year-old mare has been especially effective this summer, with sharp rallies to win three straight starter allowance sprints at Arlington.

Field Letters has improved her Brisnet Speed ratings since she was claimed by trainer Michael Reavis and most recently threw down a career-best 91. None of her rivals in the Friday opener have posted a figure better than 84, so if Field Letters maintains her current form, she can win this seven-furlong dash for fun.

Race 3: #7 I Love to Race (5-2)

Reavis can pick up a double with I Love to Race, who looks like the filly to beat in this five-furlong turf dash.

The seemingly delicate daughter of Curlin recently returned from a 14-month layoff to finish second over this course, distance, and class level Aug. 8, when she was beaten just 1 1/2 lengths by next-out allowance winner Lipliner.

I Love to Race finished well clear of the third-place horse and is eligible to produce an even stronger effort Friday, considering Reavis strikes at a 24% rate with horses who run back for the second time following a layoff.

I Love to Race owns the best Brisnet Speed ratings in the field and looms as a logical single.

Good luck!