Pick Pony Tip Sheet – Expert picks for Turf Paradise, February 17, 2026.


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Race 1 – Optional Claiming – 4.0F Dirt – Purse 16,600

Win: Special D (2) – 82% confidence

Place: Tempting Chad (1) – 82% confidence

Show: Flying Fabulous (7) – 55% confidence

Alternative: Zeyah (10) – 55% confidence

Race notes: Analysts heavily converge on Special D (2) and Tempting Chad (1) in the top two slots, suggesting a relatively stable pace scenario where both prominent speed types are expected to fire early. The recurring support for Flying Fabulous (7) and Zeyah (10) underneath indicates a strong exacta and trifecta core with limited appetite for deep longshots in this short sprint.​

Race 2 – Claiming – 6F Dirt – Purse 16,600

Win: Embraceable You (3) – 83% confidence

Place: Selinus (2) – 83% confidence

Show: Charmz (4) – 83% confidence

Alternative: Randi Randi Randi (6) – 50% confidence

Race notes: There is near-unanimous confidence in the Embraceable You (3)–Selinus (2)–Charmz (4) axis, implying many analysts view this as a class-and-form dominated event with limited chaos potential. Randi Randi Randi (6) repeatedly appears in the lower rungs, pointing to a logical inclusion underneath without displacing the core trio from the main win and vertical structures.​

Race 3 – Allowance Optional Claiming – 6.5F Dirt – Purse 24,000

Win: Factory Drive (5) – 67% confidence

Place: No Ordinary Tiger (3) – 67% confidence

Show: Jacked Up (4) – 67% confidence

Alternative: Emperors Appeal (1) – 50% confidence

Race notes: The three main contenders are used in similar proportions across top-three slots, implying a relatively tight competitive group with modest separation on raw ability. Emperors Appeal (1) attracts consistent alternative attention, hinting at a stalking type who benefits if the main trio engage too early and set up a mild upset possibility.​

Race 4 – Claiming – 6.5F Dirt – Purse 9,500

Win: Standard Of Proof (7) – 83% confidence

Place: Candy’s Chrome (4) – 67% confidence

Show: Big Producer (3) – 83% confidence

Alternative: Moonlight Road (5) – 67% confidence

Race notes: Standard Of Proof (7) is a clear top choice with strong repeat support, suggesting perceived pace-versus-class superiority at this level. Candy’s Chrome (4), Big Producer (3), and Moonlight Road (5) are tightly clustered underneath, giving the race a defined “big four” profile for vertical exotics.​

Race 5 – Claiming – 6F Dirt – Purse 9,500

Win: Behindthebar (4) – 100% confidence

Place: Royal Dusty (5) – 83% confidence

Show: Coracoracora (6) – 83% confidence

Alternative: C Plum Run (1) – 67% confidence

Race notes: Behindthebar (4) is universally selected on top, which is rare and signals a potential single in many horizontal strategies if the tote price holds near the morning line. Royal Dusty (5), Coracoracora (6), and C Plum Run (1) are used interchangeably underneath, pointing toward a relatively narrow spread for exactas and tris while minimizing exposure to deeper longshots.

Race 6 – Allowance Optional Claiming – 6.5F Dirt – Purse 24,000

Win: Youreinthearmynow (7) – 67% confidence

Place: Perfect Prankster (2) – 83% confidence

Show: Brownstone (4) – 67% confidence

Alternative: Improbable Bet (5) – 67% confidence

Race notes: Analysts repeatedly pair Youreinthearmynow (7) and Perfect Prankster (2) in the top two spots, framing this as a likely two-horse outcome with tactical pace sorting out late. Brownstone (4) and Improbable Bet (5) emerge as reliable underneath types whose inclusion can stabilize trifecta and superfecta tickets.​

Race 7 – Claiming – 1M Turf – Purse 13,000

Win: Delian League (1) – 67% confidence

Place: Summer Lover (3) – 67% confidence

Show: Vorpal (9) – 100% confidence

Alternative: Shut Up Michael (10) – 67% confidence

Race notes: Vorpal (9) appears in the show slot on every card, signaling a high-floor contender with a strong chance to be in the frame even if the top pair shuffle. Delian League (1) and Summer Lover (3) share top billing, while Shut Up Michael (10) is a widely respected alternative whose recent win suggests upside beyond his alternative designation.​

Race 8 – Claiming – 6.5F Dirt – Purse 11,000

Win: Fort Langley (8) – 100% confidence

Place: El Diamante Negro (6) – 83% confidence

Show: Weekend Flame (3) – 67% confidence

Alternative: Our Bold Prince (7) – 67% confidence

Race notes: Fort Langley (8) is unanimously preferred, suggesting perceived class and consistency advantages over this field. El Diamante Negro (6) and Weekend Flame (3) are steady underneath presences, with Our Bold Prince (7) generally treated as a price alternative capable of improving late into the exotics.

Recommended Exotic Plays by Race

Race 1

Analysts would likely anchor Special D (2) and Tempting Chad (1) in exacta boxes and cold exacta structures, with Flying Fabulous (7) and Zeyah (10) as the primary third-and-fourth slot inclusions in trifectas and superfectas. A conservative trifecta structure might key Special D (2) on top over Tempting Chad (1) and Flying Fabulous (7) in second, spreading to Tempting Chad (1), Flying Fabulous (7), and Zeyah (10) for third.​

Race 2

Given the near-locked trio of Embraceable You (3), Selinus (2), and Charmz (4), analysts would favor narrow exactas and tris such as 3–2/4 over 2/4, with Randi Randi Randi (6) and Hidden Tiger (5) rotated into third and fourth in larger superfecta wheels. A horizontal player might single Embraceable You (3) in early multi-race sequences to leverage that consensus.​

Race 3

Analysts are likely to play three-deep vertical cores using Factory Drive (5), No Ordinary Tiger (3), and Jacked Up (4) in exacta and trifecta boxes. Emperors Appeal (1) would be the key price horse in superfecta tickets, slotted underneath the main trio while keeping ticket size controlled through 3×3×4 structures.​

Race 4

Standard Of Proof (7) profiles as a strong win anchor in exactas and trifectas, keyed over Candy’s Chrome (4), Big Producer (3), and Moonlight Road (5) in the underneath positions. Analysts may build superfecta wheels singling Standard Of Proof (7) in first, spreading three deep in second and third, and allowing an extra price horse in fourth if tote action suggests vulnerability among the obvious contenders.​

Race 5

With Behindthebar (4) an across-the-board consensus, exacta and trifecta strategies logically key this runner on top over Royal Dusty (5), Coracoracora (6), and C Plum Run (1). Analysts may consider inexpensive “all” fourth positions in superfectas while keeping the first three slots restricted to the consensus quartet to capture possible small upsets without over-investing.

Race 6

Youreinthearmynow (7) and Perfect Prankster (2) would likely be coupled in exacta boxes and vertical key positions, with Brownstone (4) and Improbable Bet (5) forming the natural third and fourth slots. In horizontals, analysts might lean on a two-deep approach with Youreinthearmynow (7) and Perfect Prankster (2) while using Brownstone (4) and Improbable Bet (5) only in deeper backup constructions.​

Race 7

Delian League (1), Summer Lover (3), and Vorpal (9) compose the primary vertical spine, with Vorpal (9) a particularly strong key in second and third given the near-unanimous inclusion. Shut Up Michael (10) serves as the main upset and superfecta-enhancing option, prompting some analysts to include 1/3/9 over 1/3/9/10 in multi-layered trifecta and superfecta tickets.​

Race 8

Fort Langley (8) should be a universal key on top for exactas and tris, with El Diamante Negro (6) and Weekend Flame (3) holding most of the secondary weight and Our Bold Prince (7) rounding out most superfecta designs. Analysts may experiment with saver tickets that flip El Diamante Negro (6) over Fort Langley (8) to guard against a minor upset while still leaning heavily on Fort Langley (8) as the main win hinge.

Value Play Observations

In Race 1, repeated but secondary positioning of Flying Fabulous (7) and Zeyah (10) against the heavily favored Special D (2) and Tempting Chad (1) suggests potential overlays underneath if the public over-concentrates on the top pair in all vertical spots. A value-oriented bettor could assign slightly higher probabilities to one of these mid-level runners hitting the exacta than raw consensus implies, especially if the board shows inflated mid-single-digit or double-digit prices.​

Race 3 may offer a mild overlay opportunity on Emperors Appeal (1), who appears consistently as an alternative but rarely in top-three consensus, implying a higher true win probability than the market might estimate given his non-headliner status. If early odds drift beyond the mid-teens, the discrepancy between analyst respect and public skepticism could justify modest win and exacta stab allocations.​

In Race 5, C Plum Run (1) and Beverly T (3) show meaningful analyst engagement while still being projected behind Behindthebar (4), Royal Dusty (5), and Coracoracora (6), which may create attractive underneath odds in trifectas and superfectas. Should either go off at a price longer than the implied 15–20 percent in-the-frame probability suggested by repeated lower-rank selections, they become sensible value keys for third and fourth.

Race 7’s Shut Up Michael (10) illustrates a probable underlay risk: strong narrative momentum from a recent win could drive public support beyond the roughly alternative-level probability implied by analysts. Conversely, Delian League (1) and Summer Lover (3) may hold truer value if their win probabilities stay aligned with consensus while the market concentrates too heavily on the more conspicuous last-out winner.​

In Race 8, Our Bold Prince (7) appears mostly as an alternative and deeper exotics inclusion, but repeated mention indicates more respect than a typical longshot, suggesting that odds in the low-to-mid double digits would be fair rather than inflated. Fort Langley (8) is unlikely to offer win value given universal support, but value can arise by opposing him in a small share of contrarian vertical and horizontal structures if his tote price falls below his roughly 50–55 percent implied chance.

Overall Wagering Strategy

Several races on this Turf Paradise card display strong analyst alignment, creating a structure-friendly environment for multi-race bettors who favor narrow, conviction-driven tickets. Races 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 feature dominant consensus views, with Embraceable You (3), Standard Of Proof (7), Behindthebar (4), the Youreinthearmynow (7)/Perfect Prankster (2) combination, and Fort Langley (8) respectively anchoring opinion, which makes them natural focal points for Pick 3, Pick 4, and Pick 5 constructions. In particular, Races 5 and 8 stand out as the strongest consensus legs, where Behindthebar (4) and Fort Langley (8) attract near-unanimous support and can realistically be treated as singles on the bulk of one’s horizontal tickets, freeing budget to spread in more uncertain spots.

The most pronounced split-opinion races are Races 3 and 7, where multiple contenders attract meaningful backing and the gap between top choice and alternatives is relatively modest. In Race 3, Factory Drive (5), No Ordinary Tiger (3), and Jacked Up (4) form a compact trio, with Emperors Appeal (1) respected enough to be factored into exotic schemes, generating analytical tension that recommends at least three deep coverage in horizontal sequences passing through that leg. Race 7 exhibits similar dynamics on turf, with Delian League (1), Summer Lover (3), Vorpal (9), and Shut Up Michael (10) all playing prominent roles in various positions, making this race a logical “spread” leg where bettors should resist the temptation to lean too aggressively on a single narrative, particularly if weather or turf condition changes introduce additional volatility.

Multi-race sequences are particularly attractive across the back half of the card. A common construction approach would be to lean modestly wide in Race 3, tighten in Race 4 around Standard Of Proof (7) and the clear supporting cast, then step into a high-confidence zone with a near-single in Race 5 on Behindthebar (4) before using a two-deep core in Race 6 with Youreinthearmynow (7) and Perfect Prankster (2). From there, Race 7 can function as the primary spread leg, where bettors seek separation by including a broader mix of contenders, followed by a strong finishing single or two-deep focus on Fort Langley (8) and El Diamante Negro (6) in Race 8 depending on risk appetite and observed tote behavior.

Exotic value opportunities are most likely in races where consensus identifies a small cluster of main contenders but still leaves room for prices in fourth or even third position. Races 1 and 3 fit this profile, with Race 1 offering a clear top pair in Special D (2) and Tempting Chad (1) yet multiple plausible third and fourth finishers, making superfecta wheels that lock the top two but allow more liberal use of mid-range and longshot runners underneath particularly efficient. Similarly, Race 3’s tight main group suggests that bettors can press combinations involving the leading trio while selectively adding Emperors Appeal (1) and any tote-driven overlay as fourth-slot inclusions, maximizing potential payouts without ballooning ticket cost. Race 7 also supports superfecta and trifecta structures that key Vorpal (9) in second and third with several interchangeable win candidates, creating payoff leverage if the marketplace underestimates one of the less fashionable names in that top cluster.

Environmental and track factors, while not explicitly enumerated in the data, typically favor speed and tactical positioning on this circuit’s dirt sprints and reward grinding, positionally sound types on the turf mile. In such a context, many of the consensus choices—Behindthebar (4), Fort Langley (8), Embraceable You (3), and Standard Of Proof (7)—are perceived as reliable trip horses with enough tactical speed to avoid traffic while still finishing robustly, which partially explains the strong alignment among analysts. Should live-race observation reveal a discernible bias—such as an unusually strong rail or a late-running surge on turf—it would be prudent for bettors to adjust mid-card by upgrading or downgrading contenders whose running styles are either aided or compromised by those conditions.

Across the entire card, three key takeaways emerge for experienced bettors. First, the presence of several high-consensus favorites invites a strategy that uses them aggressively as singles in multi-race plays, but only where the underlying pace and class dynamics justify that commitment, as in Races 5 and 8. Second, races with more fragmented opinion, notably Races 3 and 7, should be viewed as both risk and opportunity: bettors can gain edge by spreading intelligently and biasing coverage toward horses whose analyst support exceeds their market respect. Third, vertical wagers should focus on exploiting small inefficiencies underneath strong favorites, particularly by levering consensus-identified “alternative” horses like C Plum Run (1), Emperors Appeal (1), and Our Bold Prince (7) into third and fourth positions where their actual probabilities may meaningfully exceed their public prices.

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