The Jury: Expert Picks, Bets, and Fades for Jan. 11 [VIDEO]

Ashley Anderson, Darin Zoccali, and guest Nick Tammaro propose their best bets and fades at Aqueduct, Fair Grounds, Tampa Bay Downs, and Santa Anita.

Best Bet for Weekend Racing

Ashley Anderson:

#10 Justintimeforwine (5-1) in the 10th race at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday, a 1 1/16-mile claimer for four-year-olds and up on the turf. The eight-year-old gelding has raced 57 times in his career and had his best season to date in 2024 with a 10-5-1-0 mark. The Jose Delgado trainee is a need-the-lead type, and he's set the early pace in his last 12 starts. In his last two, Justintimeforwine led all the way to the stretch but faded late to finish sixth racing a mile two back and at today's distance of 1 1/16 miles last out. However, he may be eligible to improve third start off the layoff, and he's won six times, with a pair of runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes from 24 lifetime starts at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. He also boasts a 12-4-1-0 record at Tampa Bay. Looking at the projected pace scenario, Justintimeforwine should get the early lead, and I'll look for him to bounce back with a win with Jose Ferrer regaining the mount (he's a 20% winner this meet). Justintimeforwine also put in a sharp four-furlong workout at Tampa Bay on Jan. 4. I'll play him to win and on top in an exacta with #5 A Western Yarn (3-1) and #8 Policy Option (9-2) underneath.

Top Fade for Weekend Racing

AA:

#1 Manama Gold (5-2) in the six-furlong Bob F. Wright Memorial at Fair Grounds on Saturday. The Star Guitar filly will make her second start since transferring to Cherie DeVaux's barn and is still searching for her first win in the U.S. after shipping over from Dubai following her win in the UAE Oaks (G3). The four-year-old's three career wins all came overseas at the distances of seven furlongs, a mile, and 1 3/16 miles. She'll try six furlongs for the second consecutive start and came home a three-length fourth last out in a non-graded stakes at Fair Grounds on Nov. 22. Today's rivals #3 Freeburn (3-1) and #2 Six String (3-1) placed second and third, respectively. The former just missed by half a length, and Six String was just a neck back from Freeburn, while Manama Gold was another 2 1/4 lengths behind the third-place finisher. Manama Gold does have the benefit of the rail post, which is winning at a 21% clip, and she'll retain the services of Jose Ortiz, but considering this filly has yet to seriously contend in any of her U.S. starts, I'll play against her and look elsewhere. Six String is a candidate to win a second straight stakes at Fair Grounds, and #5 Luyv (8-1) is an intriguing longshot play returning to Fair Grounds, where she last finished a neck second to Six String in the Louisiana Champions Day Ladies Sprint. #4 Classy Judy G (4-1) is another to consider in her move up in class. The Outwork filly may get to the front first and could go gate to wire for trainer Patricia West.

What Else Is Worth Noting

AA:

The other stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday is the six-furlong Gary P. Palmisano Memorial, a six-furlong sprint that will present a rematch of #3 Geaux Sugar (9-5) and #6 Jack Hammer (2-1), the 1-2 finishers in the Louisiana Champions Day Sprint S. The latter was the 1.60-1 favorite in the six-furlong sprint but finished a 4 3/4-length second to Geaux Sugar in Jack Hammer's first start off a nine-month layoff. The Bret Calhoun trainee could get the better of Geaux Sugar second start off the layoff, and Calhoun is a 26% winner with beaten favorites. The five-year-old gelding is 8-5-1-0 lifetime at Fair Grounds, and he's 4-2-1-0 from today's distance. Jose Ortiz will retain the mount on the son of Jimmy Creed who is looking for his fourth career stakes win. Geaux Sugar is likewise a distance and track specialist, with a 5-3-0-1 mark at Fair Grounds while racing six furlongs. He posted a career-best 98 Brisnet Speed figure last out in his stakes score, and Keith Bourgeois is a 23% winner with horses that won their last race. Mitchell Murrill will stay in the saddle and has won his two previous mounts with the five-year-old gelding.

Over at Aqueduct, there's another rematch happening between two talented mares. #1 Tizzy in the Sky (4-5), winner of the one-mile Go For Wand (G3) last out, will re-oppose #4 Comparative (9-2), who came home fifth in the graded stakes event in her first start in about eight months. The Brad Cox pupil could rebound second start off the layoff, but she's been beaten in her last two by Tizzy in the Sky. Comparative won the Ladies S. last year with a career-best 95 BRIS figure while in the midst of a three-win streak. She'll retain the services of Manny Franco today and will look for an off-the-pace trip, but Tizzy in the Sky could once again have her way and turn in a gate-to-wire victory with a lack of speed signed on in the short field at Aqueduct.