Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Lone speed at 20-1 odds

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Jan. 16 at Mahoning Valley, including a 20-1 longshot.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Trifecta Tuesday: Receive a 15% boost on your winning trifecta wagers (up to $25 per day) every Tuesday in January.
• 10x Points on Harness Racing: Earn 10x reward points on all harness racing wagers (excluding show bets) every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday during the month of January.

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Mahoning Valley: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 12:45 p.m. ET)

#1 Justa Little Moore (6-5) is a logical favorite after cracking the trifecta in four straight races over this track and class level, but his 7-0-3-2 lifetime record hints he’s often content to settle for a minor award rather than challenge for victory.

Let’s try to beat Justa Little Moore with the first-time starter #3 Kennedy’s Camelot (8-1). Hot trainer Robert Gorham has gone 10-for-44 (23%) saddling first-time starters at Mahoning since 2019, and a bullet half-mile workout from the Mahoning starting gate in :48 1/5 on Dec. 20 suggests Kennedy’s Camelot has some ability.

A win bet is in order, along with an exacta using Justa Little Moore for second place.

Selections

• #3 Kennedy’s Camelot (8-1)
• #1 Justa Little Moore (6-5)
• #4 Equity Cat (4-1)

Wagers

• $22 to win on #3 Kennedy’s Camelot
• $8 Exacta: 3 with 1
  Total: $30

Mahoning Valley: Race 7: Allowance (one mile, 3:33 p.m. ET)

There’s barely any speed entered in this six-horse field, so let’s take a shot backing longshot #5 Ray’s Empire (20-1). The son of Bodemeister wired his lone route race to date, beating a next-out winner by 2 3/4 lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight at Thistledown.

If Ray’s Empire shakes loose on an uncontested lead through slow fractions, he can hold off stretch-running #3 Timesatappin (6-5) for a major upset. In addition to a win bet, we’ll play a small exacta.

Selections

• #5 Ray’s Empire (20-1)
• #3 Timesatappin (6-5)
• #4 El Bambino (5-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #5 Ray’s Empire
• $5 Exacta: 5 with 3
  Total: $25

Mahoning Valley: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (one mile, 4:02 p.m. ET)

#4 Alligator Arms (5-2) has been freshened since last spring, when he ran second and third in $12,500 and $20,000 maiden claimers sprinting at Laurel Park. As a son of Shaman Ghost out of a Tiznow mare, Alligator Arms is bred to shine running long, so Tuesday’s one-mile distance should suit the four-year-old gelding just fine.

Throw in the fact Alligator Arms has the blazing hot jockey/trainer duo of Luis Rivera and Anthony Farrior in his corner, and a mild upset over #7 Shortly (2-1) appears well within reach. We’ll play an exacta accordingly.

Selections

• #4 Alligator Arms (5-2)
• #7 Shortly (2-1)
• #6 Echolite (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 4 with 7

Good luck!