Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Regarding Harry at 10-1

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Dec. 15 at Zia Park and Turf Paradise, including a 10-1 shot switching from dirt to turf.

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• $40 Parx Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Zia Park: Race 1: Allowance (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 1:45 p.m. ET)

#7 Let Him Be (3-5) boasts a 13-for-17 lifetime record, and he hasn’t lost a dirt sprint in over a year. He brings a sharp series of Brisnet Speed ratings into this allowance for New Mexico-breds and should be tough to beat at a short price.

Let’s single Let Him Be to start a daily double, then key him over #3 Leave Them Behind (9-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #7 Let Him Be (3-5)
• #3 Leave Them Behind (9-2)
• #6 Marking Canyon (5-1)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta: 7 with 3
• $15 Double: 7 with 4
  Total: $30

Zia Park: Race 2: $7,500 Claiming (six furlongs on dirt, 2:12 p.m. ET)

#4 Pudding (9-5) might be 10 years old, but he remains in good form. He’s finished third in his last two starts against $8,000 and $6,250 claiming company at Albuquerque, earning Brisnet Speed ratings of 72 and 76 that stack up well against Monday’s field.

Pudding has enough tactical speed to work out a favorable trip for the hot jockey/trainer duo of Floyd Wethey Jr. and Dick Cappellucci, so let’s single him to conclude our double wager and bet him over #2 Seahawk Cody (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #4 Pudding (9-5)
• #2 Seahawk Cody (7-2)
• #6 Heir to Greatness (5-2)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 4 with 2

Turf Paradise: Race 5: $15,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 5:15 p.m. ET)

#8 Regarding Harry (10-1) might appear overmatched in this spot, given that he exits a narrow win in a $12,500 maiden claimer for California-breds on dirt at Los Alamitos.

But Regarding Harry actually ran quite respectably in a 7 1/2-furlong turf allowance at Turf Paradise during the spring. Facing proven winners as a maiden, Regarding Harry showed tactical speed and was beaten only three-quarters of a length while finishing fourth.

Returning to the Turf Paradise lawn may trigger a big run from Regarding Harry. Let’s try a win bet on this double-digit longshot.

Selections

• #8 Regarding Harry (10-1)
• #4 Seahorse Stampede (5-2)
• #7 Moneyline (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #8 Regarding Harry

Good luck!