Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Three exacta plays

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Mahoning Valley and Turf Paradise. Three exacta plays are the focus of the day.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Mahoning Valley: Race 1: $5,000 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 12:15 p.m. ET)

Former Florida campaigner #3 Breeze the Bayou (2-1) made his Mahoning Valley debut with a decent performance in a six-furlong maiden special weight. Racing over a muddy track, he dueled for the lead before tiring to finish sixth.

Dropping in class for a $5,000 maiden claimer should place Breeze the Bayou in the hunt for victory under hot jockey Angel Diaz, a 22% winner at Mahoning this meet. It helps that trainer Jeffrey Skerrett wins at a 33% rate with horses switching from maiden special weight to maiden claiming company.

#6 Thisisridiculous (7-2) and #4 Cowboy Luke (9-5) can battle to complete the exacta.

Selections

• #3 Breeze the Bayou (2-1)
• #6 Thisisridiculous (7-2)
• #4 Cowboy Luke (9-5)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 3 with 4,6 ($20)

Turf Paradise: Race 5: $4,000 Starter Allowance (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:50 p.m. ET)

#6 Horse Doctor (6-5) is shipping in from California. He’s finished second in three of his last four starts at Pleasanton and Santa Anita, all against tougher competition. Along the way he’s earned sharp Brisnet Speed ratings in the 83-85 range.

Under apprentice jockey Manuel Americano (who rides with a five-pound weight allowance), Horse Doctor is the runner to beat. We’ll key him over #5 Mad Luther (3-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #6 Horse Doctor (6-5)
• #5 Mad Luther (3-1)
• #3 Abraaj Mirage (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 6 with 5

Turf Paradise: Race 6: $8,500 Starter Optional Claiming (1 1/16 miles on turf, 5:18 p.m. ET)

#3 War Chest (5-2) has launched sharp rallies to win his last two starts over the Turf Paradise grass course. But his latest triumph—in an $8,500 starter optional claimer—came by only a neck over #6 Wellswort (3-1), who is back for a rematch.

Wellswort won his previous start over this course and class level by three-quarters of a length. It won’t take much improvement for Wellswort to turn the tables on War Chest, so let’s box them in an exacta.

Selections

• #3 War Chest (5-2)
• #6 Wellswort (3-1)
• #2 I’m Noble (7-2)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: box 3,6 ($20)

Good luck!