America’s Best Racing and handicapper (and avid gambler) Monique Vág team up to provide horseplayers with their best bets of the weekend in a regular feature blog that will run on Fridays.

For some posts, Vág will try to identify a longshot play of the weekend, a nice opportunity to swing for the fences on a win bet or to take a shot with a show bet. She also will look for strong exacta plays for the weekend or occasionally try to spot a nice opportunity for other wagers.

This Weekend’s Bets

Saturday, Feb. 24

Longshot Play

Gulfstream Park, Race 6, Texas Glitter Stakes, 2:30 p m. ET

#1 Salmanazar: He’s a huge question mark as all of his career starts have been on the dirt and he’s returning from an eight-month layoff. His racing debut was super-impressive, but his second career start was a disappointment as he got into a pace duel early. I think he will appreciate being entered back at a sprint distance, and the odds are enticing enough to take a shot.

Exacta Box

Aqueduct, Race 8, 4:25 p.m. ET

#5 Belleville Spring: This is a great distance for a gelding who finally got in the win column last time out after being super-close in his prior three efforts. He’s speedy enough and I really like how he’s familiarized himself with the Aqueduct dirt track already. I expect him to be in the mix early.

#10 What a Catch: Very generous 5-1 morning-line odds on a colt taking a drop out of stakes company. I like how, similarly to the gelding above, both will very likely be forwardly placed. With not a lot of speed entered, it may well prove too tough for closers to track down a slower pace set early.

Best Bet

Gulfstream Park, Race 12, Hal’s Hope Stakes, 5:35 p.m. ET

#1 Irish War Cry: He should appreciate the drop out of Grade 1 competition to face easier. The jockey improvement today to Jose Ortiz should also be felt, which only adds to the appeal. He’s been close since winning the Grade 2 Wood Memorial but could certainly use a feel-good win here as his 2017 campaign didn’t quite live up to this colt’s potential.

Best Bet

Oaklawn Park, Race 8, Gazebo Stakes, 5:38 p.m. ET

#3 Mitole: Unfortunately, the price is exceptionally low on this colt. On the bright side, this race falls right in the middle of a Pick 4 sequence where he looks like a very easy single. Although I don’t expect a romp like his last effort against maiden company, I do think he will be forwardly placed and open up comfortably in deep stretch.