Merry and Bright Holiday Picks for Monday, Dec. 25

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Monday, Dec. 25 at Randwick (AUS) and Urawa (JPN), including exacta and trifecta tickets.

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Randwick (AUS): Race 1 (1,400 meters, 9:35 p.m. ET)

#5 Pure Alpha is a first-time starter trained by Chris Waller, who has won with 22% of his last 50 starters. Pure Alpha has participated in a bevy of barrier trials and is slated to be ridden on debut by hot jockey Tyler Schiller, a 20% winner across his last 50 rides.

Pure Alpha is receiving support in the early wagering, so let’s take a shot betting him to win and keying him over experienced rivals #3 Invade and Conquer and #4 Le Chocolat in the exacta.

Selections

• #5 Pure Alpha
• #3 Invade and Conquer
• #4 Le Chocolat

Wagers

• $14 to win on #5 Pure Alpha
• $3 Exacta: 5 with 3,4 ($6)
  Total: $20

Urawa (JPN): Race 1 (1,400 meters, 10:10 p.m. ET)

None of the juveniles entered in this 1,400-meter contest have managed to record a top-three finish, though a couple have come reasonably close. #6 Wonder Survival, for example, finished fourth by six lengths over this track and distance on Nov. 24. He ran the final 600 meters in :40.3 (faster than anyone else in the field) and recorded a final time of 1:33.7.

#1 Daisy King ran similarly well when debuting in a 1,400-meter sprint at Urawa on Nov. 20, running his final 600 meters in :40.1 to finish fifth in the time of 1:33.9. He’s eligible to move forward in his second career start and may have more upside than Wonder Survival, who has already run twice.

Let’s box Wonder Survival and Daisy King in the exacta.

Selections

• #1 Daisy King
• #6 Wonder Survival
• #7 Colorful Peach

Wagers

• $5 Exacta: box 1,6 ($10)

Randwick (AUS): Race 2 (1,600 meters, 10:10 p.m. ET)

#9 Northern Eyes has posted sharp finishing fractions while running second in each of his last two starts for Waller. He handled soft ground just fine two starts back, unleashing a rally from seventh place to snag runner-up honors, and he performed similarly well over good going in his most recent run. No matter what course conditions Northern Eyes encounters at Randwick, he should be a formidable win threat.

We’ll keep things simple with a win bet on Northern Eyes.

Selections

• #9 Northern Eyes
• #6 Thermodynamic
• #7 Il Tevere

Wagers

• $25 to win on #9 Northern Eyes

Urawa (JPN): Race 2 (800 meters, 10:40 p.m. ET)

Three-year-old #6 Line Gaudi has shown good finishing speed in 1,000-meter sprints at Morioka. On Oct. 9, he ran his final 600 meters in :36.2 to finish second with a final time of 1:01.6. On Oct. 23, he finished in an even faster :35.3 to run third in the time of 1:00.6.

These clockings suggest Line Gaudi has the potential to vie for victory against established 800-meter Urawa competitors like #2 Eye Monster, #8 Annemarie, and #5 Smart Ciel. Eye Monster looms as Line Gaudi’s main rival in her second start back from a layoff, since she’s won four of her last five starts over this track and distance.

We’ll play exacta and trifecta tickets accordingly.

Selections

• #6 Line Gaudi
• #2 Eye Monster
• #8 Annemarie

Wagers

• $4 Exacta: box 2,6 ($8)
• $2 Trifecta: 6 with 2 with 5,8 ($4)
• $2 Trifecta: 2 with 6 with 5,8 ($4)
• $2 Trifecta: 2 with 5,8 with 6 ($4)
  Total: $20

Randwick (AUS): Race 3 (1,200 meters, 10:45 p.m. ET)

#10 Xidaki ran well in his debut sprinting 1,200 meters, rallying from fifth place into sharp closing fractions to finish second by less than one length. The three-year-old gelding has since won a 1,000-meter barrier trial and should have every chance to vie for victory in his second start for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden, who have won with 13% of their last 350 starters.

Selections

• #10 Xidaki
• #3 Hanau
• #8 Tellez

Wagers

• $15 to win on #10 Xidaki

Urawa (JPN): Race 3 (1,400 meters, 11:10 p.m. ET)

#8 Ponte Rosa has been competing against tougher competition on the Japan Racing Association (JRA) circuit, most recently finishing 10th in a maiden race traveling 1,800 meters over the Tokyo turf course. Switching to dirt and facing easier competition at Urawa—which is a National Association of Racing (NAR) track—should put Ponte Rosa in the hunt for victory.

Let’s place a win bet on Ponte Rosa.

Selections

• #8 Ponte Rosa
• #7 Pinonui
• #4 Popcorn

Wagers

• $20 to win on #8 Ponte Rosa

Good luck!