Saturday picks: Lucrative carryovers, Lecomte KDBC Qualifier

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks for the $600 Lecomte KDBC Qualifier at Fair Grounds and carryovers at Santa Anita and Turfway Park.

Fair Grounds: $600 Lecomte KDBC Qualifier tournament

The Saturday card at Fair Grounds is the focus of the $600 Lecomte KDBC Qualifier tournament on TwinSpires.com.

Players must wager their entire $300 bankroll across at least five races (minimum $30 per race) at Fair Grounds. At least two entries into the 2026 Kentucky Derby Betting Challenge (KDBC) will be awarded to the top finishers.

Daily double wagers are eligible for tournament play, so we recommend betting a $30 double starting in Race 12, the Louisiana (G3). #8 Just a Touch (8-5) looks like a standout in the 1 1/16-mile dirt contest. He’s placed multiple times at the Grade 1 level and is 2-for-2 at Fair Grounds, where he dominated a 1 1/16-mile allowance off a long layoff last winter.

Just a Touch comes into the Louisiana off another lengthy break, but he’s been turning in sharp workouts for red-hot trainer Brad Cox and should be tough to beat in his return.

In Race 13, the Lecomte (G3) for three-year-olds racing 1 1/16 miles over the main track, we’ll take a stand with #5 Golden Tempo (8-1). The stoutly bred colt debuted in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Fair Ground last month, in which he rocketed his final quarter-mile in a terrific :23.67 to rally from last place and win comfortably. He may improve dramatically while stretching out around two turns under hot jockey Jose Ortiz.

• Race 12: $30 Double: 8 with 5

Santa Anita: Race 4: $78,330 Pick 6 carryover

The $2 Pick 6 at Santa Anita has tossed up a lucrative $78,330 carryover for Saturday’s card.

Need a single to build tickets around? We suggest #8 Vodka Vodka (9-5) in Race 5, the Unusual Heat Turf Classic S. for California-breds racing 1 1/8 miles on turf.

Vodka Vodka is dropping in class and switching surfaces after finishing fourth to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Nysos in the Laffit Pincay Jr. (G2) on dirt. Vodka Vodka has prevailed in two of his last three turf starts, including a $20,000 allowance optional claimer against California-breds, so he looks like a great fit for the Unusual Heat field.

Turfway Park: Race 9: $3,167 Super High 5 carryover

The final race on Saturday night at Turfway Park features a $3,167 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

Race 9 is a $30,000 maiden claimer taking place over 6 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta. It looks ripe for conquest by #13 Shallus (7-2). The five-year-old gelding might be 0-for-25, but 24 of his starts have come against maiden special weight competition, and 22 have come on dirt and turf.

Shallus performed respectably in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Turfway Park last month. After dropping off the pace, he closed ground to finish fifth out of 10, beaten only 4 1/4 lengths while earning an 83 Brisnet Speed rating higher than the par winning number (81) for Saturday’s conditions.

Dropping into a $30,000 maiden claimer should send Shallus to the winner’s circle. We recommend keying him on top in the Super High 5.

Good luck!