Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Josefina can win second start

Mahoning Valley Race Course (Photo courtesy of Mahoning Valley)
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Feb. 4 at Mahoning Valley and Turf Paradise, including two cold exactas.
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Best Bets and Quick Picks
Mahoning Valley: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 12:15 p.m. ET)
#2 Josefina (2-1) ran well in her debut over this track, distance, and class level on Dec. 27. After dropping off the early pace, she gained 5 1/4 lengths through the final furlong to finish third, beaten only a neck for second place by #7 Shanghai Delight (5-2).
Trainer Israel Acevedo wins at a strong 31% rate with second-time starters, so Josefina is eligible to move forward and turn the tables on Shanghai Delight in their rematch. Let’s bet a cold exacta accordingly.
Selections
- #2 Josefina (2-1)
- #7 Shanghai Delight (5-2)
- #6 Sunny Lion (6-1)
Wagers
- $20 Exacta: 2 with 7
Turf Paradise: Race 3: $20,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (six furlongs on dirt, 3:21 p.m. ET)
Former Southern California campaigner #5 Joe Don Looney (2-1) has been in improving form since transferring to Turf Paradise under the care of high-percentage trainer Justin Evans.
First, Joe Don Looney rallied to finish second by one length in a six-furlong $16,000 allowance optional claimer, beaten only by next-out winner Run Rudolf. Then he wired a 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the same class level by five lengths.
Joe Don Looney can record a second straight victory even while stepping up to the $20,000 allowance optional claiming level. We’ll bet him to win and play him over #1 Ruggs (5-2) in the exacta.
Selections
- #5 Joe Don Looney (2-1)
- #1 Ruggs (5-2)
- #3 Ultimate (7-2)
Wagers
- $22 to win on #5 Joe Don Looney
- $8 Exacta: 5 with 1
Total: $30
Turf Paradise: Race 5: $4,500 Maiden Claiming (4 1/2 furlongs dirt, 4:19 p.m. ET)
#4 R. A. E.’s Dream (6-1) debuted in a 6 1/2-furlong $20,000 maiden claimer at Turf Paradise. He dueled for the early led before tiring to finish last.
Cutting back to 4 1/2 furlongs and dropping in class for a $4,500 maiden claimer should allow R. A. E.’s Dream to fare much better in his second start. Let’s try a win bet on this four-year-old gelding.
Selections
- #4 R. A. E.’s Dream (6-1)
- #5 Mongolian Ninja (5-2)
- #7 Raider Nation (3-1)
Wagers
- $25 to win on #4 R. A. E.’s Dream
Good luck!
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