Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Welder Stakes exacta

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, March 10 at Turf Paradise and Will Rogers Downs, including an exacta in the Welder S.

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.
• 5x Rewards Points at Northfield Park: Receive 5x rewards points on all wagers at Northfield Park each racing Tuesday in March.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $40 Parx Challenge
• $160 Parx Feeder to 3/14 Virginia Derby/Oaklawn KDBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Turf Paradise: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 5:15 p.m. ET)

#3 Rocky Colavito (5-2) is the only horse in this field who has run on turf. In a one-mile maiden special weight for California-breds at Santa Anita, he made a mild to take third place in midstretch before flattening out to finish sixth.

Rocky Colavito should find the competition easier at Turf Paradise, setting the stage for victory in his first start for red-hot trainer Robertino Diodoro. Let’s place a large win bet on the gray gelding.

Selections

• #3 Rocky Colavito (5-2)
• #2 T’s Heater (8-1)
• #7 Another Lifer (7-2)

Wagers

• $40 to win on #3 Rocky Colavito

Will Rogers Downs: Race 8: Welder S. (six furlongs on dirt, 5:29 p.m. ET)

#6 Royalamerican (2-1) has won multiple stakes at Remington Park, and he also finished a solid third in the Remington Springboard Mile S. on the Road to the Kentucky Derby.

Defeating Royalamerican in the Welder won’t be easy. He enters off a win in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance over this track, and trainer C. R. Trout has compiled a fantastic 5-for-9 (56%) record at Will Rogers Downs this meet.

#2 Drewtonian (3-1) can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #6 Royalamerican (2-1)
• #2 Drewtonian (3-1)
• #7 Western Man (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 6 with 2

Turf Paradise: Race 6: $4,000 Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 6:44 p.m. ET)

#8 Pop d’Oro (1-1) has won against stakes competition at Turf Paradise, and while his recent races have been a bit disappointing, he’s gradually rounding back into form. Two starts back, he set a quick pace in a $20,000 claimer before tiring to finish fourth by 3 1/2 lengths.

Dropping in class for a $4,000 claimer should allow Pop d’Oro to return to the winner’s circle. Let’s play him over California shipper #4 Northern Quest (4-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #8 Pop d’Oro (1-1)
• #4 Northern Quest (4-1)
• #2 Goddard (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 8 with 4

Good luck!