BetAmerica’s horse racing pick of the day: Aug. 12, Indiana Grand

Weekday picks and plays for Thoroughbred racing.

Wednesday, Aug. 12

Indiana Grand, Race 8: Caesars S. (1 mile on turf, 5:36 p.m. ET)

There are several proven stakes winners entered in this 1-mile turf test for 3-year-olds, including Mystic Lake Derby winner #6 Summer Assault (9-2 on the morning line), 2019 Bourbon (G3) victor #5 Peace Achieved (3-1), and 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) runner-up #4 Billy Batts (7-2).

But if you want to think outside the box with a longshot, #12 Mo Hawk (30-1) is worth considering at a huge price.

Mo Hawk set the pace and tired in the 1 1/8-mile Peter Pan (G3) on dirt last month, but two starts back he was an impressive allowance winner at a mile on turf at Indiana Grand. After he pressed a modest early pace, Mo Hawk kicked on impressively down the homestretch and sprinted the final quarter in about :22.70 to prevail by 1 1/2 lengths.

Sold for $925,000 as a yearling, Mo Hawk is still a largely unproven commodity on grass, and trainer Rodolphe Brisset has been on fire at Indiana Grand, with a 5-for-12 (42%) record. If we can get Mo Hawk involved for a top-three finish at 30-1, we’ll be rewarded with a hefty payoff.

Let’s bet Mo Hawk to win, then key him underneath the logical favorites in the exacta and trifecta:

$10 to win on #12 Mo Hawk
$2 exacta: 2,3,4,5,6 with 12 ($10)
$0.50 trifecta: 2,3,4,5,6 with 2,3,4,5,6 with 12 ($10)
Total: $30

Good luck!