Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Daily double at Keeneland

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, April 16 at Keeneland and Gulfstream Park, including a first-time starter at 9-2 odds.

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.
• $2,000 Win Ladder at Keeneland: Hit $10+ single-horse win wagers at Keeneland to climb the Win Ladder and compete for your share of a $2,000 prize pool each racing Thursday and Friday in April.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $68 Keeneland Bet and Set Feeder to 5/1 Kentucky Oaks Betting Challenge
• $100 Keeneland Feeder to 4/18 Preakness Preview Day Handicapping Challenge
• $250 Keeneland Feeder to 4/18 Keeneland KDBC Qualifier
• $40 Keeneland Challenge
• $100 Keeneland Challenge
• $200 Oaklawn Feeder to 4/25 Churchill Downs KDBC Qualifier
• $80 Charles Town Feeder to 4/17 Keeneland Bonus Feeder
• $40 Charles Town Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Keeneland: Race 1: $16,000 Claiming (six furlongs on dirt, 1:00 p.m. ET)

#1 Emirates Affair (3-5) brings a bevy of sharp Brisnet Speed ratings to the table, and she’s competed well against tougher competition. In November, she won a $20,000 claimer sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar with a flashy 87 Brisnet Speed rating.

If Emirates Affair brings her A game to Keeneland, she’ll be tough to catch under five-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. Let’s bet her over #6 Coastline Hottie (4-1) in a cold exacta, then single her to start a double wager.

Selections

• #1 Emirates Affair (3-5)
• #6 Coastline Hottie (4-1)
• #4 Sunset Harbour (8-1)

Wagers

• $24 Exacta: 1 with 6
• $6 Double: 1 with 2
  Total: $30

Gulfstream Park: Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (4 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 1:21 p.m. ET)

Trainer Patrick Biancone has done well debuting juveniles early in the year at Gulfstream Park, so we’ll count on him to score a win with #2 Celtic Dispute (7-2), a daughter of accomplished sprinter Leinster.

Celtic Dispute has put together a promising work tab highlighted by a bullet three furlongs from the Palm Meadows starting gate in :35 3/5. Let’s place a win bet on the bay filly.

Selections

• #2 Celtic Dispute (7-2)
• #4 Silver Magic (3-1)
• #1 Dorothy (5-2)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #2 Celtic Dispute

Keeneland: Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (4 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 1:32 p.m. ET)

#2 Arctic Wolf (9-2) has posted five timed workouts for trainer Philip Antonacci, including a bullet three furlongs from the Keeneland starting gate in :35 2/5. His work tab is identical to the one posted by Pot’s Right, an Antonacci-trained filly who won her debut on Wednesday at Keeneland, suggesting the two have been working in company.

Pot’s Right was ridden to victory by Tyler Gaffalione, who has the mount on Arctic Wolf as well. Let’s try a win bet on Arctic Wolf.

Selections

• #2 Arctic Wolf (9-2)
• #1 Ruiva (8-5)
• #5 Grandes Suenos (10-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #2 Arctic Wolf

Good luck!