Pick Pony Tip Sheet – Consensus Expert Picks for Turf Paradise, February 23, 2026.


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Race 1 – Allowance – 300Y – Dirt

Win: IMM BEYOND THE STARS (3) – 83% confidence

Place: FAMOUS MOBSTER (7) – 50% confidence

Show: SWEETDISIRE (8) – 33% confidence

Alternative: TELL JOE NO (6) – 33% confidence

Race Notes: The consensus heavily favors IMM BEYOND THE STARS (3), with analysts noting the horse is perfectly placed to win after a strong recent prep. Several analysts suggest using FAMOUS MOBSTER (7) in the place spot as a reliable second-tier option.

Race 2 – Maiden Special Weight – 1210Y – Dirt

Win: WESTERN FEEL (6) – 71% confidence

Place: HIDDEN BEAUTY (4) – 29% confidence

Show: ARIZONA ROSE (5) – 43% confidence

Alternative: MISS MADAME (2) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: Analysts are strongly aligned on WESTERN FEEL (6) following consistent placings in recent efforts. HIDDEN BEAUTY (4) and ARIZONA ROSE (5) are viewed as the primary challengers, though opinion is more fragmented on which will hit the board first.

Race 3 – Maiden Claiming – 1430Y – Dirt

Win: LUCKY TIGER (5) – 86% confidence

Place: RAPPORTEUR (4) – 29% confidence

Show: ANOTHER LIFER (6) – 43% confidence

Alternative: TAKE A CHANCE INDY (3) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: LUCKY TIGER (5) is the standout selection for most analysts, particularly due to a significant drop in class. First-time starters like RAPPORTEUR (4) and ANOTHER LIFER (6) are flagged as potential exotic inclusions despite limited form.

Race 4 – Allowance Optional Claiming – 8F – Turf

Win: PLATINUM DIVA (3) – 86% confidence

Place: PEAK EARNINGS (5) – 29% confidence

Show: KITTY HOUSE (1) – 29% confidence

Alternative: LOVEABOVEANDBEYOND (2) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: PLATINUM DIVA (3) commands strong backing from the analyst community due to recent performance over the course and distance. The remaining positions show a highly even split, suggesting a competitive race for the minor awards.

Race 5 – Maiden Optional Claiming – 1210Y – Dirt

Win: INTO MY SUNSET (4) – 100% confidence

Place: KELBELA (1) – 29% confidence

Show: DISTORTED LOUV (7) – 43% confidence

Alternative: RAFFINA (3) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: This race features the strongest consensus of the day, with every analyst selecting INTO MY SUNSET (4) as the top choice. Analysts suggest vertical wagering strategies should focus on finding value in the place and show positions behind this dominant favorite.

Race 6 – Maiden Special Weight – 990Y – Dirt

Win: LITTLEYELLOWJACKET (8) – 86% confidence

Place: COZMIC BROWNIE (10) – 29% confidence

Show: HAPPY RANCH (5) – 29% confidence

Alternative: DOWNPOUR (7) – 14% confidence

Race Notes: Analysts favor LITTLEYELLOWJACKET (8) following a narrow defeat last time out. COZMIC BROWNIE (10) is also respected as a primary contender, while several analysts recommend watching for newcomers like DOWNPOUR (7) to impact the exotics.

Race 7 – Allowance – 1320Y – Dirt

Win: LONESOME BOY (5) – 57% confidence

Place: JIN TONG (3) – 29% confidence

Show: RIVERSIDE (4) – 43% confidence

Alternative: WOOD CEILING (6) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: Opinion is somewhat divided in this allowance heat, though LONESOME BOY (5) holds a slight edge in analyst polling. JIN TONG (3) and RIVERSIDE (4) are viewed as near-equals for the underneath positions, indicating a likely competitive finish.

Race 8 – Claiming – 1320Y – Dirt

Win: G DAWG (7) – 43% confidence

Place: CANCUN NATIVE (2) – 43% confidence

Show: QUEBRANCHO (9) – 43% confidence

Alternative: BLACKSOD BAY (8) – 29% confidence

Race Notes: This is the most wide-open race of the card. Analysts are split evenly between G DAWG (7) and CANCUN NATIVE (2), with QUEBRANCHO (9) also drawing significant interest. This race is highlighted as a prime opportunity for wide exotic coverage.


Recommended Exotic Plays by Race

Analysts suggest that Turf Paradise today offers several high-confidence anchors that simplify exotic construction. In Race 5, the unanimous backing for INTO MY SUNSET (4) makes it an ideal single for Pick 3 or Pick 4 sequences, or a clear key for Trifecta and Superfecta wheels. Analysts recommend pairing INTO MY SUNSET (4) with DISTORTED LOUV (7) and KELBELA (1) in vertical bets to capture value.

In Race 1 and Race 3, analysts recommend Exacta boxes featuring IMM BEYOND THE STARS (3) and LUCKY TIGER (5) respectively, as both appear significantly better than their fields. For Race 8, the lack of a clear favorite suggests a “spread” approach; analysts propose an Exacta or Trifecta box involving CANCUN NATIVE (2), G DAWG (7), and QUEBRANCHO (9) to cover the likely volatility in the finale.


Value Play Observations

Analysts have identified several potential overlays where the consensus probability exceeds the expected morning line odds. In Race 1, IMM BEYOND THE STARS (3) at 2-1 is viewed as an underlay by some due to its high consensus, but FAMOUS MOBSTER (7) at 5-2 offers fair value as a place alternative. In Race 7, LONESOME BOY (5) at 4-1 is highlighted by analysts as a strong value play compared to the 3-1 odds on JIN TONG (3), despite LONESOME BOY (5) having higher analyst backing.

Conversely, analysts suggest that KATAR (7) in Race 7 and BLACKSOD BAY (8) in Race 8 may be overvalued relative to their frequency of selection across the expert community. Analysts recommend looking toward CANCUN NATIVE (2) at 3-1 as a more mathematically sound choice in the eighth race given its strong place and show consensus.


Overall Wagering Strategy

The racing card at Turf Paradise presents a rare landscape defined by high-conviction favorites in the early and middle stages, followed by significant analytical tension in the closing races. Analysts have identified Race 1, Race 3, Race 4, and Race 5 as the strongest consensus races of the day. Each features a dominant selection—IMM BEYOND THE STARS (3), LUCKY TIGER (5), PLATINUM DIVA (3), and INTO MY SUNSET (4)—with confidence levels exceeding 80 percent. These runners serve as reliable anchors for horizontal sequences, suggesting that bettors can keep their ticket costs low by “singling” these favorites in the first half of the card.

Split-opinion races emerge primarily in the final two events. Race 7 and Race 8 show a breakdown in consensus, with competing 40 to 50 percent confidence picks such as LONESOME BOY (5) and G DAWG (7). Analysts suggest that while the early races are predictable, the late Pick 4 and Pick 5 sequences will likely be decided by the outcomes of these more volatile heats. The analytical tension in the finale, where three horses share identical 43 percent confidence ratings, indicates that the most profitable strategy involves spreading deep in the last leg to avoid being knocked out by an upset.

Multi-race sequences are particularly attractive today due to the strong alignment in Races 3 through 6. This four-race stretch features winners with confidence levels between 86 and 100 percent. Analysts view this as an ideal window for aggressive Pick 4 construction. Because these favorites are likely to be heavily bet by the public, the primary strategic challenge is finding exotic value in the underneath positions. Analysts recommend using “power” trifectas where a single dominant horse is keyed over a wider rotation of longshots to capture price inefficiency.

Environmental factors remain stable with fast dirt and firm turf conditions expected, which should favor the speed figures identified by analysts for horses like PLATINUM DIVA (3). Key takeaways for the day prioritize vertical wagering in the high-confidence races to maximize return on the favorites and using a wide-net approach in the eighth race to capitalize on the lack of consensus. Analysts emphasize that today is a day to be bold with singles in the middle of the card and defensive in the final two races.

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