Keeler Johnson's picks and plays of the day for Dec. 6

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Monday, Dec. 6 at Parx Racing, Mahoning Valley, and Remington Park, along with suggested singles for Zia Park’s Pick 5 carryover and tickets for Mountaineer's Super High 5 carryover.

Picks and Plays

Parx Racing: Race 9: $16,000 Starter Optional Claiming (seven furlongs, 3:46 p.m. ET)

#7 Big City Bob (3-1) was a high-class juvenile a couple years back, winning the Sapling S. and placing third in the Champagne S. (G1) behind future classic winner Tiz the Law. He hasn’t recorded a victory since September 2019, but he did show competitive form in a $16,000 starter allowance racing one mile at Parx last month, finishing second by a head while earning an excellent 90 Brisnet Speed rating.

Cutting back to seven furlongs should suit Big City Bob just fine, and he’s eligible to improve in his first start since being claimed by high-percentage trainer Jamie Ness, a 30% winner with new claiming acquisitions. Throw in hot jockey Ruben Silvera (a 33% winner when teaming up with Ness), and we should have a recipe for victory.

We’ll place a large win bet on Big City Bob and call it a day.

• $30 to win on #7 Big City Bob

Mahoning Valley: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 4:02 p.m. ET)

#2 Hosanna (6-1) got burned up chasing a fast pace over this track, distance, and class level on Nov. 17, fading through the final furlong to finish seventh. But that effort came over muddy footing, and Hosanna’s record indicates off tracks aren’t her strong suit. In her most recent run on dry ground, she ran third in a similar six-furlong maiden special weight at Mahoning Valley, beaten just 1 3/4 lengths after carving out the pace.

There’s rain in the forecast for Monday at Mahoning, but if the track is fast by post time for the eighth race, Hosanna can vie for victory at a fair price. Keep in mind, she’s slated to race on Lasix for only the second time in her career, a winning move 63% of the time for trainer Gary Johnson.

#5 Danza Magic (10-1) and #8 Sorority Sister (2-1) can battle for a spot in the exacta.

• $20 to win on #2 Hosanna
• $5 Exacta: 2 with 5,8 ($10)
• Total: $30

Remington Park: Race 6: $25,000 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 5:50 p.m. ET)

#2 Serendipity Coco (12-1) looks live in her first start for trainer Kenneth Nolen, a 33% winner with horses debuting in maiden claimers. Certainly she’s bred to win from an early age; sire Maimonides placed in the Hopeful S. (G1) at age two, while dam Scrappy Coco ran second in both the Prairie Gold Lassie S. and Oklahoma Stallion Fillies S. as a juvenile.

Serendipity Coco has turned in a steady strong of workouts at Remington in preparation for her debut, breezing approximately once per week like clockwork since early October. We’ll take a shot betting Serendipity Coco to win and playing her over #5 Sher’s Texas Bling (3-1) in a small exacta.

• $25 to win on #2 Serendipity Coco
• $5 Exacta: 2 with 5
• Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Zia Park, Race 6: $178 Pick 5 carryover (4:15 p.m. ET)

Once again, Zia Park has put together a small but nevertheless noteworthy prize pool for early-week carryovers chasers. Monday’s card features a $178 carryover in the 50-cent Pick 5.

Want to play along? We’ve identified a pair of possible singles to get you started:

Race 6: $8,000 Maiden Claiming: #1 Ms Bucksnort (6-5)

Having posted Brisnet Speed ratings of 69, 61, 75, and 66 across her first four starts, Ms Bucksnort is fast enough to vie for victory against $8,000 maiden claiming company at Zia—the par winning Brisnet Speed rating for Monday’s conditions is only 67.

Ms Bucksnort recently returned from a long layoff to run third in a $5,000 maiden claimer at Zia. She was only beaten four lengths after setting a quick pace, and it’s worth noting trainer Dallas Barton wins at a 33% rate with horses jumping up one class level. Throw in hot jockey Tracey Hebert (a 22% winner this meet), and Ms Bucksnort looks like a filly to single in this 5 1/2-furlong dash.

Race 7: $5,000 Claiming: #8 Vanna (7-5)

Formerly based in southern California, Vanna has been formidable since transitioning to the New Mexico circuit. Under the care of high-percentage trainer Bart Hone (a 29% winner this meet), Vanna wired a $6,500 maiden claimer by 7 1/2 lengths before finishing third in a $10,000 claimer at Zia, beaten only 3 3/4 lengths.

Upon dropping down to the $5,000 level, Vanna bounced back with another dominant victory, smashing a 5 1/2-furlong sprint at Zia by 7 3/4 lengths. This effort produced a career-best 80 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest figure posted this year by any horse in Monday’s field.

Stretching out over 6 1/2 furlongs is one potential question mark for Vanna, but her pedigree suggests the longer trip won’t be an issue. Hot jockey Rigo Sarmiento (a 33% winner when teaming up with Hone) is named to ride, stamping Vanna as a deserving favorite and a logical single.

Mountaineer, Race 8: $2,245 Super High 5 carryover (9:55 p.m. ET)

Zia isn’t the only track offering a non-jackpot carryover on Monday. Mountaineer is also getting in on the action with a $2,245 prize pool in the Super High 5.

The pot is up for grabs in Race 8, a six-furlong, $5,000 claimer in which #2 Woodhaven Kid (3-1) looms as a potential standout. The speedy gelding has carved out the pace in his last five starts, winning twice and finishing second twice at the $4,000 claiming level. Along the way, he’s consistently put up competitive Brisnet Speed ratings in the 81-84 range.

Speed does well in six-furlong dirt sprints at Mountaineer, and Woodhaven Kid looks like the fastest horse on paper. We recommend keying Woodhaven Kid on top of all Super High 5 tickets while emphasizing #1 Can’t Say No (10-1), #7 Exchange Fever (8-1), and #9 Justin Front (4-1) underneath.

• $1 Super High 5: 2 with 1,7,9 with 1,7,9 with 1,7,9 with 3,4,5,6,10 ($30)
• $1 Super High 5: 2 with 1,7,9 with 1,7,9 with 3,4,5,6,10 with 1,7,9 ($30)
• Total: $60

Good luck!