Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Carryovers at Sunland Park

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Jan. 5 at Sunland Park, including horses to bet in Pick 5 and Super High 5 carryovers.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Sunland Park: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2:25 p.m. ET)

#4 Blcherrimanhattan (3-5) showed promise when debuting in a five-furlong maiden special weight on Dec. 15 at Zia Park. She set quick fractions of :21.96 and :44.96 before weakening in the final furlong to finish second by one length.

That effort yielded a 71 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number belonging to any filly entered in the Monday opener at Sunland. Blcherrimanhattan should be tough to beat in her second start, so let’s single her to kick off a double wager.

Selections

• #4 Blcherrimanhattan (3-5)
• #2 Toni the Grrreat (7-2)
• #5 Street Colors (9-2)

Wagers

• $25 Double: 4 with 7

Sunland Park: Race 2: $6,250 Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2:51 p.m. ET)

#7 Gone Grey (2-1) has been competing respectably against tougher allowance foes. He brings sharp Brisnet Speed ratings to Sunland and should appreciate dropping in class. Last spring, he won a $30,000 maiden optional claimer at Turf Paradise by 3 1/2 lengths over a next-out winner, so tackling a $6,250 claimer should suit Gone Grey well.

We’ll single Gone Grey in our double wager, then key him over #2 Held for Ransom (9-5) in an exacta.

Selections

• #7 Gone Grey (2-1)
• #2 Held for Ransom (9-5)
• #4 Tiger by the Tail (10-1)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta: 7 with 2

Sunland Park: Race 3: $10,000 Maiden Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 3:17 p.m. ET)

#4 Bye Bye Russ (7-5) exits a fourth-place finish in a non-state-restricted $10,000 maiden claimer at Zia Park. Now he’s entered in a $10,000 maiden claimer for horses bred in New Mexico. Three starts back, he finished second over this distance and class level at Albuquerque.

Bye Bye Russ has the hot jockey/trainer duo of Luis Valenzuela and Todd Fincher in his corner, so let’s bet him over #1 Speedy Money (9-5) in an exacta.

Selections

• #4 Bye Bye Russ (7-5)
• #1 Speedy Money (9-5)
• #5 Brother Ben (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 4 with 1

Carryover Watch

Sunland Park: Race 5: $2,612 Pick 5 carryover (4:09 p.m. ET)
Sunland Park: Race 9: $886 Super High 5 carryover (6:00 p.m. ET)

Sunland Park is kicking off the new week with a pair of carryovers to chase. Monday’s 50-cent Pick 5 boasts a $2,612 prize pool, while the 50-cent Super High 5 carryover stands at $886.

Both carryovers involve Race 9, a $7,500 claimer for New Mexico-breds who have never won two races. The 5 1/2-furlong dirt dash is the final leg of the Pick 5 and the race in which the Super High 5 carryover is up for grabs.

Solving Race 9 won’t be easy since it’s drawn a dozen entries. Pick 5 bettors will have to use #2 Running Bear (3-1), who has finished second twice sprinting five furlongs over this class level at Zia Park in recent months. But it’s worth noting Running Bear finished last by huge margins in both of his starts at Sunland Park last year, and while those runs came against tougher competition, the return to Sunland is at least a small question mark.

The same applies to #5 Call Me Hollywood (4-1), who was last seen finishing two lengths behind Running Bear when third over this class level at Zia Park. Two starts back, Call Me Hollywood wired a $7,500 maiden claimer for New Mexico-breds at Zia, so his recent form is respectable. But Call Me Hollywood has been beaten by double-digit margins in all three of his starts at Sunland, so again, the switch back to this track is a question mark.

As a result, the filly #12 Sapello Sweetee (10-1) is an intriguing alternative. She’s yet to race at Sunland, so there’s a chance she’ll relish this track.

Last time out at Zia Park, Sapello Sweetee won a $7,500 maiden claimer for New Mexico-bred fillies and mares by three-quarters of a length. The third-place finisher, Your Money, returned to break her maiden for a $10,000 tag, flattering Sapello Sweetee’s form.

Sapello Sweetee’s maiden win earned a 73 Brisnet Speed rating, higher than the numbers Running Bear put forth (69 and 60) in his runner-up finishes at Zia.

We suggest Pick 5 bettors include Running Bear, Call Me Hollywood, and Sapello Sweetee on their tickets. Super High 5 bettors should emphasize these three and strongly consider playing Sapello Sweetee on top at a price.

Good luck!