Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Double at Turf Paradise

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Feb. 19 at Aqueduct and Turf Paradise, including an 8-1 longshot.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• 10x Points on Harness Racing: Earn 10x reward points on all harness racing wagers (excluding show bets) every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during the month of February.
• Winter Money Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second or third in select races every Thursday-Sunday, plus Monday, Feb. 19.

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Aqueduct: Race 8: $25,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs, 4:57 p.m. ET)

#8 Snarky (8-1) hasn’t shown much in five starts to date, but she turned in one of her better efforts on Jan. 18, finishing fifth in a $40,000 maiden claimer at Aqueduct after racing wide. Adding blinkers while dropping into a $25,000 maiden claimer opens the door for Snarky to run an improved race.

At 8-1, Snarky is worth betting to win.

Selections

• #8 Snarky (8-1)
• #9 Mangia (5-2)
• #6 Miss Bourbon (4-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #8 Snarky

Turf Paradise: Race 6: $12,500 Allowance Optional Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 5:25 p.m. ET)

#5 Blessed Angel (3-1) has been in hot form on the Southern California circuit. On Nov. 8, she employed pace-tracking tactics to trounce a $16,000 claimer at Santa Anita by 3 3/4 lengths. On Dec. 8, she led all the way to win a $20,000 claimer at Los Alamitos by three lengths.

Those victories yielded strong Brisnet Speed ratings of 83 and 81, even better than the 80 Blessed Angel posted when dominating a $30,000-$20,000 maiden claimer at Turf Paradise last spring by 10 1/4 lengths. She’s trained strongly for her 2024 debut and should be tough to catch while returning to Turf Paradise, so let’s bet Blessed Angel to win and single her to start a double wager.

Selections

• #5 Blessed Angel (3-1)
• #1 On Purpose (5-2)
• #4 She’s Resilient (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #5 Blessed Angel
• $10 Double: 5 with 2,6 ($20)
  Total: $40

Turf Paradise: Race 7: Molly P S. (one mile, 5:55 p.m. ET)

#2 Tiz a Macho Girl (4-1) has struggled a bit in her last two starts, but one was a stakes at Oaklawn Park (where the competition tends to be tougher) and the other was a 6 1/2-furlong sprint stakes at Turf Paradise, which may have been a little short for Tiz a Macho Girl. She’s 3-for-4 racing one mile on dirt, which includes a win in the 2023 Bell Of The Ball S. at Turf Paradise, and the Molly P looks like a perfect spot for Tiz a Macho Girl to bounce back.

That said, #6 Kynlie’s Empire (6-1) is a logical challenger. She’s won her last four dirt routes in decisive fashion, including daylight scores in a $15,000 claimer at Zia Park and a $25,000 allowance optional claimer at Turf Paradise. Kynlie’s Empire is progressing in the right direction for red-hot trainer Kevin Eikleberry and has a chance to surprise in the Molly P.

We’ll use Tiz a Macho Girl and Kynlie’s Empire equally to conclude our double wager, then box them in an exacta.

Selections

• #6 Kynlie’s Empire (6-1)
• #2 Tiz a Macho Girl (4-1)
• #1 Yankee Dollar (5-1)

Wagers

• $5 Exacta: box 2,6 ($10)

Good luck!