Keeler Johnson's picks and plays for Feb. 9

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares $85 worth of picks and plays for Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Gulfstream Park and Sam Houston, including a 10-1 longshot.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Midweek Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in select races at Sam Houston.
• Rest of the World Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in any race at Happy Valley (Hong Kong).
• 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) at Parx Racing. Offer applies to straight exacta bets only.

Picks and Plays

Gulfstream Park: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (one mile and 70 yards on Tapeta, 1:33 p.m. ET)

Trainer Chad Brown has compiled an excellent 14-5-5-0 (36%) record over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta track, a statistic hinting #7 Oakhurst (3-1) is the horse to beat in this maiden route for three-year-old fillies.

As a daughter of Mr. Speaker (winner of the Lexington S. [G3] on synthetic), Oakhurst has the pedigree to handle artificial footing. She’s hit the board in her first two starts against maiden special weight company on turf, and it’s worth noting Brown wins at a 30% rate with horses transitioning from turf to synthetic.

Throw in the presence of hot jockey Irad Ortiz, and Oakhurst is worthy of a win bet. We’ll also bet her on top of an exacta using #3 Ojeleye (6-1) and #5 Myriskyaffair (5-1) for second place.

• $20 to win on #7 Oakhurst
• $5 Exacta: 7 with 3,5 ($10)
  Total: $30

Gulfstream Park: Race 6: $12,500 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 3:05 p.m. ET)

There’s a ton of speed in claiming sprint for three-year-olds, so we’ll put our support behind #6 Oriental Park (10-1), a longshot who may receive an ideal setup.

Oriental Park isn’t completely lacking in speed; he wired his debut in a $12,500 maiden claimer at Gulfstream last summer. But he’s also effective rallying from off the pace, as he demonstrated when charging from last place to finish third in a $20,000 claimer dashing six furlongs on Dec. 24 at Gulfstream. The winner, Yes I’m a Beast, has returned to win back-to-back starter optional claimers at Gulfstream.

If Oriental Park receives a fast pace to chase while dropping in class and adding Lasix, he can produce a winning rally at a solid price. We’ll bet him to win and key him over logical favorites #7 Rayo Colorado (7-2) and #8 Backatya (3-1) in the exacta.

• $20 to win on #6 Oriental Park
• $5 Exacta: 6 with 7,8 ($10)
  Total: $30

Sam Houston: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 8:09 p.m. ET)

#3 Whiskey Over Ice (3-1) hasn’t run since July, when he finished second in an unrestricted maiden special weight racing one mile over the Louisiana Downs turf course.  He’d previously run second by head in a 7 1/2-furlong turf maiden special weight against fellow Texas-breds at Lone Star Park.

Whiskey Over Ice will return to the Texas-bred ranks on Wednesday, setting the stage for a breakthrough victory. Trainer Robertino Diodoro wins at a 21% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, and he’s been ultra-hot at Sam Houston this meet, going 3-for-7 (43%).

Taking advantage of the Midweek Bet Back offer, we’ll place a $10 win bet on Whiskey Over Ice. #6 Clear Advantage (6-1), #9 King Kongo (7-2), and #10 Causeway Storm (5-2) can round out the exacta and trifecta.

• $10 to win on #3 Whiskey Over Ice
• $3 Exacta: 3 with 6,9,10 ($9)
• $1 Trifecta: 3 with 6,9,10 with 6,9,10 ($6)
  Total: $25

Good luck!