Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Turfway Park double

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Feb. 12 at Gulfstream Park and Turfway Park, including a double wager.

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Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $160 Tampa Bay Downs Feeder to 2/15 Risen Star KDBC Qualifier
• $200 Turfway Feeder to 2/22 Rebel KDBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Gulfstream Park: Race 1: $12,500 Maiden Claiming (one mile and 70 yards on Tapeta, 12:20 p.m. ET)

#3 Royces Ride (2-1) has shown pacesetting speed in his first two starts against $35,000 maiden claiming competition on turf at Gulfstream. He held on to finish fifth by three lengths in his debut, then tired to ninth place in his second start.

Dropping down in class and switching to Tapeta should allow Royces Ride to visit the winner’s circle. Royces Ride’s pedigree offers potential for success on Tapeta, and trainer Brian Lynch wins at 20% rate with horses switching from turf to synthetic.

A win bet is in order.

Selections

• #3 Royces Ride (2-1)
• #10 Stone Cold Flex (7-2)
• #2 Skull Honor (5-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Royces Ride

Turfway Park: Race 9: $62,500 Allowance Optional Claiming (six furlongs on Tapeta, 9:55 p.m. ET)

#7 Nice as Pie (9-5) went 4-for-4 at Turfway Park during the first quarter of 2024, most notably launching big rallies to win the Valdale S. and Serena’s Song S.

Nice as Pie hasn’t been quite as productive since returning to Turfway in December, but top-three finishes in the Holiday Inaugural S. and Wishing Well S. indicate she’s still in good form. Dropping in class for a $62,500 allowance optional claimer should allow Nice as Pie to return to the winner’s circle.

Let’s bet Nice as Pie to win, single her to start a double wager, and bet her over #6 Marmalade Skye (10-1) in a small exacta.

Selections

• #7 Nice as Pie (9-5)
• #6 Marmalade Skye (10-1)
• #1 Kissed by Fire (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #7 Nice as Pie
• $10 Double: 7 with 11
• $5 Exacta: 7 with 6
  Total: $35

Turfway Park: Race 10: $5,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs on Tapeta, 10:25 p.m. ET)

After finishing eighth in a $30,000 maiden claimer and fifth in a $15,000 maiden claimer at Turfway, #11 Price Is Truth (6-1) should appreciate descending in class for a $5,000 claimer. Take note, trainer Andrew McKeever wins at a 21% rate with horses dropping multiple levels down the class ladder.

As a midpack closer, Price Is Truth boasts a running style better-suited to six-furlong sprints at Turfway than morning-line favorite #5 Idiosyncrasies (5-2), who finished a pacesetting third when debuting in a $15,000 maiden claimer on turf at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Only 18% of six-furlong sprints at Turfway have been won in gate-to-wire fashion since Dec. 4.

Let’s bet Price Is Truth to win and then play him over Idiosyncrasies in the exacta.

Selections

• #11 Price Is Truth (6-1)
• #5 Idiosyncrasies (5-2)
• #9 Coal Boss (7-2)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #11 Price Is Truth
• $5 Exacta: 11 with 5
  Total: $20

Good luck!