Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Juveniles at Fair Grounds, Turfway

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, Dec. 18 at Fair Grounds and Turfway Park, including win bets on unraced two-year-olds.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• New Players $200 Sign-Up Bonus: Open your TwinSpires.com account using the offer code BET200 to start earning a $200 bonus.
• 2 for $2,000 Exacta Hit It and Split It at Turfway Park: Hit two exactas at Turfway Park for a chance to split a $2,000 prize pool each Thursday in December.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $50 Fair Grounds Challenge
• $200 Fair Grounds Feeder to 12/27 Oaklawn KDBC/NHC Qualifier
• $50 Turfway Park Challenge
• $200 Turfway Park Feeder to 12/20 Gun Runner KDBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Fair Grounds: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 3:15 p.m. ET)

#3 Fade to Gold (9-5) showed promise in her debut on turf at Ellis Park. Starting as the favorite in a 5 1/2-furlong $50,000 maiden optional claimer, the daughter of Bolt d’Oro rallied to finish second by a half-length.

Now Fade to Gold is tackling a maiden special weight for horses bred in Louisiana. She’s finished third twice over this class level on dirt and should be able to visit the winner’s circle while returning to turf under red-hot jockey Jose Ortiz.

Let’s bet Fade to Gold to win and key her on top of #6 Mischievous Cindy (6-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #3 Fade to Gold (9-5)
• #6 Mischievous Cindy (6-1)
• #8 Oldfashlovesong (15-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Fade to Gold
• $10 Exacta: 3 with 6
  Total: $30

Fair Grounds: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 4:15 p.m. ET)

Since 2021, trainer Brendan Walsh has compiled an excellent 3-for-7 (43%) record debuting juveniles in turf routes at Fair Grounds.

This stat suggests #10 Truly an Honor (6-1) warrants a win bet. The daughter of Code of Honor has put together a lengthy work tab that should have her fit to debut over a mile, and jockey Ben Curtis (a 29% winner teaming up with Walsh over the last two months) is named to ride.

Selections

• #10 Truly an Honor (6-1)
• #7 Lady Blast (6-1)
• #12 Honor Azteca (4-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #10 Truly an Honor

Turfway Park: Race 2: $50,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on Tapeta, 6:25 p.m. ET)

Trainer Brad Cox has done well debuting two-year-olds in route races at Turfway Park, going 4-for-12 (33%) since 2020.

On Thursday, Cox is unveiling #1 Gio Linh (5-1), a daughter of Haskell (G1) winner Paynter. A long work tab at Turfway Park suggests the bay filly will produce a competitive effort even while debuting around two turns.

At 5-1, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #1 Gio Linh (5-1)
• #4 Rip Current (5-1)
• #7 Mariposa Moon (7-2)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #1 Gio Linh

Good luck!