Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: 15-1 at Turf Paradise

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Dec. 23 at Mahoning Valley and Turf Paradise, including a 15-1 longshot.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Mahoning Valley: Race 8: Allowance (six furlongs on dirt, 4:02 p.m. ET)

#1 My Suzie Q (3-1) has run well in her last two starts at Mahoning Valley. She finished second by a neck over this distance and class level on Nov. 5, earning a career-best 84 Brisnet Speed rating. Then on Nov. 27, she carved out much of the pace in a one-mile and 70-yard allowance before tiring to finish third with a 79 Brisnet Speed rating.

None of My Suzie Q’s Monday rivals have ever earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 81, so cutting back to six furlongs can send this three-year-old filly to the winner’s circle. Let’s bet her to win and key her over #5 Vegas Love (5-2) in the exacta.

Selections

• #1 My Suzie Q (3-1)
• #5 Vegas Love (5-2)
• #4 Wine and Waves (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #1 My Suzie Q
• $5 Exacta: 1 with 5
  Total: $30

Turf Paradise: Race 4: $25,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:07 p.m. ET)

#5 Chuckanut Bay (3-1) exits a third-place finish in a deep edition of the Hank Mills Jr. S. sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Turf Paradise. The victorious Redline returned to win the Shawn Swartz S. in his next start, while runner-up Coastal Jazz came back to win an allowance optional claimer.

Chuckanut Bay should be formidable while dropping into a $25,000 claimer, so we’ll bet him to win and single him to start a double wager.

Selections

• #5 Chuckanut Bay (3-1)
• #8 Exxel (5-1)
• #2 Love My Jimmy (7-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #5 Chuckanut Bay
• $5 Double: 5 with 10
  Total: $30

Turf Paradise: Race 5: $50,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 4:37 p.m. ET)

#10 She’s My Flame (15-1) has competed primarily on dirt in Southern California, with limited success. But her lone turf run wasn’t bad—in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita, she finished fourth.

Perhaps She’s My Flame will find the competition a bit easier at Turf Paradise. She’s making her first start for red-hot trainer Esteban Martinez, who has gone 6-for-19 (32%) at Turf Paradise this meet, so we’ll take a chance betting She’s My Flame to win and singling her to conclude our double wager.

Selections

• #10 She’s My Flame (15-1)
• #9 Mega Heart (3-1)
• #3 Welcometohollywood (3-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #10 She’s My Flame

Good luck!