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, June 2

Longshot Play

Gulfstream Park, Race 4, 2:15 p.m. ET

#6 Timmy M: I always like to look for trainers who have had success with 2-year-olds as well as success debuting in the maiden special weight category. Luckily for this colt, he has both of those numbers working to his advantage and a sire, Morning Line (by Tiznow), clicking at 18% with first time starters. He’s well bred and the price is generous to take a shot.

Best Bet

Penn National, Race 6, Penn Ladies Dash Stakes, 6:10 p.m. ET

#6 Morticia: The larger field should help inflate the price a bit at post time, which is great as this filly looks like a clear standout. She’s done really well throughout the stakes ranks and certainly seems to excel at the shorter sprint distances. With as much success as she’s found on the major circuit tracks, she should appreciate facing off against substantially easier competition at Penn National.

Best Bet

Santa Anita Park, Race 9, Beholder Mile Stakes, 7:30 p.m. ET

#6 Unique Bella: She’s had an exceptional career thus far winning seven of 10 races, all varying in distance and mostly within the graded stakes ranks. She hasn’t lost after leading when entering the stretch and, luckily for her, she should be on the front or forwardly placed once again. With a clean break and a dry, fast surface, she will be incredibly hard to beat.

Longshot Play

Churchill Downs, Race 8, 9:39 p.m. ET

#2 Beau Belle: She hasn’t really been close to breaking her maiden yet, however she’s had repeated trouble in her starts that I believe really affected her chances late. Having racing experience is often invaluable when it comes to maidens as most improve after each start. Her speed figures rate up there with the rest and she should be sharper in her third start off a layoff.