Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Double bet at Mahoning Valley

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Dec. 10 at Mahoning Valley, including a cold double wager.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Mahoning Valley: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 12:45 p.m. ET)

The experienced runners in this field of Ohio-bred juvenile fillies don’t appear overly formidable, so we’ll support the first-time starter #5 Ubetchamister (8-5).

A daughter of elite sprinter/miler Vekoma (who is siring 25% winners from first-time starters), Ubetchamister hails from the barn of Anthony Farrior, a 31% winner at Mahoning Valley this meet and a 23% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights.

Throw in hot jockey Erik Barbaran (a 22% winner at Mahoning this meet and a 29% winner teaming up with Farrior over the last two months), and all the stats suggest Ubetchamister can win on debut.

#3 Foxy’s Country Hit (4-1), the fastest of the experienced entrants from a Brisnet Speed rating perspective, can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #5 Ubetchamister (8-5)
• #3 Foxy’s Country Hit (4-1)
• #6 A Thousand Prayers (7-2)

Wagers

• $24 to win on #5 Ubetchamister
• $6 Exacta: 5 with 3
  Total: $30

Mahoning Valley: Race 7: Allowance (six furlongs on dirt, 3:33 p.m. ET)

#4 Back to Ohio (9-5) boasts 13 wins and two seconds from 15 starts. She’s won her last four starts in a row, including two stakes, and exits a gate-to-wire, 7 1/2-length romp in a six-furlong allowance at Mahoning Valley.

Back to Ohio is 3-for-3 lifetime at Mahoning Valley and shouldn’t have much difficulty winning again on Tuesday. Let’s single her to start a double wager, then key her over #5 The Sweaty Fox (3-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #4 Back to Ohio (9-5)
• #5 The Sweaty Fox (3-1)
• #3 Flower Mound (6-1)

Wagers

• $20 Double: 4 with 6
• $10 Exacta: 4 with 5
  Total: $30

Mahoning Valley: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 4:06 p.m. ET)

None of the experienced entrants in this field of Ohio-breds have posted a Brisnet Speed rating equal to or higher than the par winning number (70) for these conditions. In fact, only one has earned a number higher than 52.

That’s why we’re willing to back first-time starter #6 Ilikethat (7-5). He shouldn’t have to run especially fast to win on debut for trainer Joseph Poole, a 24% winner at Mahoning Valley this meet and a 22% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights.

We’ll single Ilikethat to conclude our double wager, then key him over #2 Vernon’s Best (9-5) in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #6 Ilikethat (7-5)
• #2 Vernon’s Best (9-5)
• #9 Hidden Heart (6-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 6 with 2

Good luck!