Pick Pony Tip Sheet – Expert picks for Turf Paradise, December 22, 2025.


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Race 1 Aqra Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Futurity Consolidation Stakes 400 yards Dirt 2:15 PM Purse 22,800 (approx)

Win: Rue (6) – consensus confidence 70%
Place: Bm Candi Wish (9) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: I Am All The Way Up (7) – consensus confidence 40%
Alternative: Hiclass Famous One (10) – consensus confidence 35%

Analysts expect Rue to control the race near the lead with a strong prior figure edge and favorable draw. Bm Candi Wish is projected to stalk and finish strongly, making the race shape particularly friendly to exacta constructions featuring both runners. Trial form for I Am All The Way Up and the late kick from Hiclass Famous One reinforce a likelihood that closers can fill out the bottom of vertical tickets even if the winner comes from near the pace.


Race 2 Aqra Turf Paradise Open Quarter Horse Futurity 400 yards Dirt 2:43 PM Purse 40,000 (approx)

Win: London Bridge (3) – consensus confidence 75%
Place: Cant Be Swayed (5) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: Bf Dulce Sin Rage (8) – consensus confidence 45%
Alternative: You Got Litt Up (2) – consensus confidence 30%

London Bridge's trial and debut win have created a strong consensus that he is the most likely winner if he breaks cleanly. Cant Be Swayed and Bf Dulce Sin Rage are consistently treated as the primary threats, suggesting a tightly bunched group of top juveniles. You Got Litt Up is given a realistic chance by several analysts to improve off trial efforts and inject value into trifectas if the top pair over-commit early.


Race 3 Claiming 1 mile Dirt 3:11 PM Purse 8,500 (approx)

Win: Battle Cruiser (3) – consensus confidence 60%
Place: Riding By (7) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: Knockout Guy (5) – consensus confidence 40%
Alternative: Pure Cane Sugar (2) – consensus confidence 30%

Battle Cruiser is expected to be sharper than usual off the layoff and benefits from a favorable pace scenario that should allow a comfortable stalking trip. Riding By owns the recency and tactical versatility to pressure or track the pace, making the 3–7 combination a common key pair in analysts' structures. Knockout Guy and Pure Cane Sugar are repeatedly used for underneath spots, reflecting confidence that the race form is relatively narrow and that the main four should dominate outcomes.


Race 4 Claiming 1 mile Turf 3:39 PM Purse 8,500 (approx)

Win: Derrygoolin (8) – consensus confidence 65%
Place: Sharp Attitude (7) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: In Open Court (6) – consensus confidence 45%
Alternative: Dontmesswithtess (4) – consensus confidence 35%

Derrygoolin's course-and-distance record anchors analysts' projections, with most expecting a repeat of prior strong turf efforts at this level. Sharp Attitude rates as the main pace-adjacent rival, and the projected flow points toward both being involved from early on. In Open Court is treated as a reliable late-running player who can pick up pieces if any of the main forward types tire. Dontmesswithtess introduces tactical versatility and should be monitored closely on the tote board for clues about stable confidence.


Race 5 Maiden Claiming 4.5 furlongs Dirt 4:08 PM Purse 8,500

Win: Street Gun (2) – consensus confidence 55%
Place: Colonel Horton (9) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: River's Benchmark (1) – consensus confidence 50%
Alternative: Hugh Glass (7) – consensus confidence 40%

Analysts broadly project a tight three-way battle among Street Gun, Colonel Horton, and River's Benchmark, with the early foot of Street Gun and the consistency of Colonel Horton and River's Benchmark keeping confidence spread across the trio. Street Gun's recent sharp work pattern and prior pace figures make him attractive as a forwardly placed type on this short sprint configuration. Hugh Glass offers the most intriguing upside as a less exposed runner, making him a natural candidate to spice up trifectas and superfectas if he runs to debut potential.


Race 6 Allowance Optional Claiming 6.5 furlongs Dirt 4:38 PM Purse 20,000

Win: Positivity (3) – consensus confidence 40%
Place: Redline (6) – consensus confidence 40%
Show: Diamond Rim (1) – consensus confidence 35%
Alternative: Perfect Prankster (2) – consensus confidence 35%

Analysts see this event as one of the most evenly matched races of the card, with Positivity, Redline, and Diamond Rim all drawing comparable levels of support. Positivity's recent narrow defeat as a favorite provides a recency edge, but Redline's class drop from stakes company introduces significant upside. Diamond Rim and Perfect Prankster are repeatedly incorporated in exacta and trifecta positions, reflecting the expectation of a compact finish among the top four.


Race 7 Claiming 1 mile Turf 5:10 PM Purse 6,250

Win: For A Laugh (10) – consensus confidence 80%
Place: Sarge's Sermon (9) – consensus confidence 55%
Show: Pacific Theater (6) – consensus confidence 45%
Alternative: Cross The Causeway (5) – consensus confidence 35%

For A Laugh is the most dominant consensus choice on the card, combining superior recent speed figures with a significant class drop and positive rider-trainer statistics. Sarge's Sermon and Pacific Theater are widely viewed as the logical candidates to follow the favorite home, with both possessing enough tactical speed to secure advantageous midpack stalking trips. Cross The Causeway consistently appears as a late-running exotics enhancer, especially where analysts look to guard against a pace collapse scenario.


Race 8 Starter Optional Claiming 6.5 furlongs Dirt 6:05 PM Purse 12,500

Win: Candy's Wildcat (2) – consensus confidence 75%
Place: Major Tom (7) – consensus confidence 65%
Show: Anniversaire D'or (4) – consensus confidence 40%
Alternative: Stop And A Tres (9) – consensus confidence 35%

Candy's Wildcat is projected to maintain strong recent form and has broad analyst support as the likeliest winner in a race where recency and track affinity matter. Major Tom is consistently rated second-best and is expected to secure a stalking spot that puts him in the ideal position to capitalize if the favorite underperforms. Anniversaire D'or and Stop And A Tres provide logical coverage for deeper exotics, with their profiles fitting well into third and fourth positions given their tactical speed and prior efforts.

Recommended Exotic Plays by Race

Race 1
Exacta structures emphasizing Rue over Bm Candi Wish and I Am All The Way Up align strongly with the consensus profile. Trifecta combinations that key Rue in first, Bm Candi Wish in second, and rotate I Am All The Way Up and Hiclass Famous One in third and fourth are consistent with analysts' preference for these four to dominate. For players seeking coverage, reversing Rue and Bm Candi Wish in a small backup exacta helps protect against a minor upset.

Race 2
Analysts' concentration on London Bridge suggests using this runner as a strong key in exactas and trifectas, focusing on Cant Be Swayed and Bf Dulce Sin Rage underneath. You Got Litt Up functions well as a third or fourth slot addition, adding value if the race develops into a late-running finish. Layered trifecta tickets that fix London Bridge on top while spreading with three to four underneath runners correctly reflect the consolidated nature of the expert opinions.

Race 3
Consensus supports focusing exacta and trifecta tickets around the pairing of Battle Cruiser and Riding By in the top two slots. Trifectas that fix one of them on top, keep the other in second, and then use Knockout Guy and Pure Cane Sugar in third fit the widespread analyst patterns. A small superfecta that adds Dinero De La Casa underneath uses the limited but notable support that runner receives without diluting the primary opinions.

Race 4
Derrygoolin is the natural key in exactas with Sharp Attitude and In Open Court used prominently as second and third choices. Trifecta structures that employ Derrygoolin on top, keep Sharp Attitude or In Open Court in second, and introduce Dontmesswithtess and Church Pew in third maximize coverage while respecting consensus. Players emphasizing multi-race bets should consider spreading among Derrygoolin, Sharp Attitude, and In Open Court rather than singling, given the depth of turf experience in this group.

Race 5
Street Gun, Colonel Horton, and River's Benchmark form an excellent base for exactas and trifectas, with multiple analysts suggesting that at least two of the three land in the top positions. Straight exactas or boxes involving those three and a trifecta wheel that keys Street Gun or Colonel Horton on top while using the others underneath mirror the expert structures closely. Including Hugh Glass in the third and fourth positions introduces important upside, especially where bettors look to leverage debut improvement and trainer patterns.

Race 6
Analysts' divided views recommend multi-horse keys rather than narrow singles in this race. Exacta and trifecta combinations that include Positivity, Redline, and Diamond Rim in all top-three slots provide the most representative coverage of expert opinion. Perfect Prankster is a natural third and fourth slot addition, especially in superfectas, as the consensus consistently places this runner just behind the main trio.

Race 7
For A Laugh is a strong key for exacta and trifecta structures, with Sarge's Sermon and Pacific Theater representing the most reliable companions in underneath slots. Exactas that single For A Laugh on top and use Sarge's Sermon and Pacific Theater in second, with Cross The Causeway and Fast Chaz reserved for third and fourth in trifectas and superfectas, match the prevailing patterns. Given the strength of consensus, some players may opt for a cold exacta using For A Laugh over Sarge's Sermon as a focused opinion play.

Race 8
Candy's Wildcat over Major Tom is the central consensus exacta and should anchor most vertical wagering strategies. Trifectas that lock Candy's Wildcat on top, Major Tom in second, and spread among Anniversaire D'or, Stop And A Tres, and El Mucho in third and fourth capture the expert distribution while allowing for modest price surprises. For players emphasizing horizontals, leaning heavily on Candy's Wildcat and Major Tom as the main coverage aligns with the strong convergence of analyst views.

Value Play Observations

Race 1
Hiclass Famous One tends to be under-emphasized relative to Rue and Bm Candi Wish despite showing up in multiple analysts' minor slots; this runner can be a value key in third and fourth for trifectas and superfectas, especially if pace pressure softens the leaders late. Chillaxxin similarly offers price appeal where included and fits well as a contrarian substitute when spreading underneath.

Race 2
Bf Dulce Sin Rage is priced attractively in several offerings and appears frequently enough in second and third to qualify as a legitimate value play, particularly in exacta boxes with London Bridge. You Got Litt Up's inclusion in selective top-two projections also identifies that runner as a useful overlay candidate in trifectas when line odds drift above the consensus view.

Race 3
Knockout Guy rarely tops expert lists but is repeatedly slotted into second and third, which can translate into overlay opportunities in verticals, particularly if market focus stays primarily on Battle Cruiser and Riding By. Pure Cane Sugar has a similar exotics profile, with enough analyst support to justify inclusion at double-digit prices.

Race 4
Dontmesswithtess occasionally appears as a win selection while not commanding the same market attention as Derrygoolin, making this runner a potential value pivot for bettors who want to leverage a tactical stalking trip at a better price. Church Pew and Ribbons And Lace can also outrun their likely odds when the pace scenario becomes more chaotic than expected.

Race 5
Hugh Glass carries consistent third-slot support among analysts while projected to go off at a relatively generous price, positioning this runner as a high-upside value play in trifectas and superfectas. Poco Yo and Bear Encounter may be overlooked by the public but show enough isolated endorsement to serve as deep exotics stabs that can exponentially increase payouts when they grab a minor share.

Race 6
Perfect Prankster is consistently favored underneath but may not receive the same public attention as the better-known names Redline and Positivity, which can make him a valuable inclusion on all trifecta and superfecta tickets. Diamond Rim's combination of rail draw and repeated analyst support also hints that this runner could be mispriced if market perception focuses mainly on the class drop of Redline.

Race 7
Cross The Causeway and Fast Chaz each draw meaningful but not dominant support, suggesting they may be more capable than their likely prices indicate. Using these runners in exacta and trifecta structures underneath For A Laugh and Sarge's Sermon provides good value coverage in a race where a single strong favorite will attract most of the pool.

Race 8
Anniversaire D'or and Stop And A Tres both offer value potential as they appear repeatedly in top-three expert lists but will likely sit behind Candy's Wildcat and Major Tom on the tote. Their presence in the third and fourth positions of trifectas and superfectas can materially increase returns without straying far from consensus expectations.

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