Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Racing returns to Turfway Park

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Feb. 4 at Tampa Bay Downs and Turfway Park, including horses to play in Turfway’s $6,738 Super High 5 carryover.

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.
• Double Rewards Points at Miami Valley: Receive double rewards points on all wagers at Miami Valley each racing Sunday through Wednesday in February.
• 3 for $3,000 Exacta Hit It & Split It at Turfway Park: Hit three exactas (in different races) at Turfway Park for a chance to split a $3,000 prize pool each racing Wednesday in February.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $200 Tampa Bay Downs Feeder to 2/7 Sam F. Davis KDBC/NHC Qualifier
• $40 Tampa Bay Downs Challenge
• $500 Aqueduct Feeder to 2/7 Oaklawn Horseplayers Championship
• $40 Turfway Park Challenge
• $160 Turfway Park Feeder to 2/14 Risen Star KDBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Tampa Bay Downs: Race 6: $16,000 Maiden Claiming (1 1/16 miles on turf, 3:25 p.m. ET)

#8 Gideon (4-5) nearly won his debut over this course, distance, and class level on Jan. 2. He finished second by a head while earning a 72 Brisnet Speed rating higher than the par winning number (71) for Wednesday’s conditions.

Trainer Wesley Ward wins at a 38% rate with horses running long for the second time, so Gideon should be tough to beat while sticking to the same conditions. Let’s key him over #2 Roscommon (4-1) in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #8 Gideon (4-5)
• #2 Roscommon (4-1)
• #11 Giulio Cesare (2-1)

Wagers

• $25 Exacta: 8 with 2

Turfway Park: Race 5: $15,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on Tapeta, 3:55 p.m. ET)

#8 Stoic Sage (6-1) is a first-time starter from the red-hot barn of Will Walden, who has gone 4-for-10 (40%) at Turfway since December.

Walden wins at a strong 22% rate with horses debuting over one mile or farther, and a lengthy work tab should have Stoic Sage fit for a competitive debut. At 6-1, he’s worthy of a win bet.

Selections

• #8 Stoic Sage (6-1)
• #2 Jorge’s Ace (3-1)
• #9 Chuck’s Law (7-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on 8 Stoic Sage

Turfway Park: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on Tapeta, 4:25 p.m. ET)

#9 High Honors (3-1) is a compelling new face at Turfway. He’s spent his first five starts competing in tough maiden special weights on turf at Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs, Keeneland, and Churchill Downs, recording a trio of top-five finishes.

Adding blinkers and Lasix while switching to Tapeta opens the door for a winning run from High Honors. Let’s bet him to win.

Selections

• #9 High Honors (3-1)
• #7 Jolted (7-2)
• #6 Section (4-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #9 High Honors

Carryover Watch

Turfway Park: Race 10: $6,738 Super High 5 carryover (6:25 p.m. ET)

No one solved the $1 Super High 5 on Jan. 22 at Turfway. Now, after nearly two weeks of racing cancelations due to winter weather, the $6,738 Super High 5 carryover is up for grabs when racing resumes at Turfway on Wednesday.

To win a share, you’ll have to solve Race 10, a $15,000 maiden claimer for three-year-old fillies racing one mile on Tapeta. The overflow 14-horse field includes two also-eligible entrants.

Here are five horses you’ll want to include on your tickets:

#1 Gio Linh (4-1): Gio Linh never factored when debuting in a $50,000 maiden claimer over this track and class level, finishing ninth. But now she’s adding Lasix and dropping in class for hot trainer Brad Cox, who wins at a 27% rate with second-time starters. Don’t count her out of the mix.

#4 Always in Vogue (12-1): Although Always in Vogue finished last in her first two starts, those were maiden special weights. Adding Lasix and plunging in class for a $15,000 maiden claimer could potentially trigger a big step forward.

#10 Denise Says No (8-1): After finishing sixth in back-to-back $30,000 maiden claimers racing around two turns at Turfway, Denise Says No is a logical contender to crack the top five at the $15,000 level. It helps that she’s dropping blinkers (a 23% winning move for trainer Ed Moger Jr.) and picking up apprentice jockey Summer Pauly, who rides with a five-pound weight allowance.

#11 Golexgo (10-1): It’s hard to knock Golexgo’s first try over the Turfway Tapeta. She closed ground into a slow pace to finish fourth by 4 3/4 lengths in a $30,000 maiden claimer. The $15,000 level should prove more suitable.

#12 Lady Faye (3-1): Walter Rodriguez, the leading jockey at Turfway this meet, is picking up the mount on Lady Faye. The daughter of Mendelssohn exits a runner-up finish in a one-mile $15,000 maiden claimer at Turfway, for which she earned a respectable 65 Brisnet Speed rating. Another top-two finish appears well within reach.

Good luck!