Horseshoe Indianapolis spot plays for Oct. 5

The Miss Indiana S. for two-year-old fillies will kick off a stretch of four straight stakes races on Wednesday's 12-race card at Horseshoe Indianapolis, which includes the Cardinal S., Indiana Futurity, and To Much Coffee S.

Below we provide our best picks for each stakes race and build a Pick 4 ticket covering races 6 through 9.

Race 6: Miss Indiana S., one mile and 70 yards, Indiana-bred two-year-old fillies

#11 Hot Little Thing (8-5) is not one of the three in this field of 12 who have tried a route distance, but the Army Mule filly opened as a heavy morning line favorite after romping to a 14-length win in the six-furlong Back Home Again S. at this track on Sept. 7.

The Rodolphe Brisset pupil out of an Uncle Mo dam is bred for today's distance and flashed a 95 Late Pace figure last out to earn her second straight dominant win at Horseshoe. Alex Achard, who is 9-for-14 paired with Brisset over the last two months and 2-for-2 over the last 14 days, will retain the mount.

Hot Little Thing is a worthy single to kick off the stakes slate.

Race 7: Cardinal S., 1 1/16 miles, Indiana-bred fillies and mares

#1 Bumble of Love (6-1) drew the inside post among the 11-horse field and will make the transition to dirt after back-to-back victories on turf at today's distance, including a win in the Peony S. at Horseshoe on Aug. 24. Trainer Brian Michael is a 27% winner in non-graded stakes and an 18% winner with horses that won their last race, while regular rider Rodney Prescott has finished no worse than second with Bumble of Love in their last four rides together at 1 1/16 miles.

The five-year-old mare is a solid value play if she goes off close to her 6-1 morning line odds.

Hoosier Heartland S. winner #2 Fireball Baby (5-2) and #7 Climber (9-2) are also worth considering in your horizontal wagers. Climber moves up in class for Genaro Garcia after defeating a number of today's race rivals in a one-mile, 70-yard allowance at this track on Sept. 15, and she's 2-for-3 with a second at today's distance.

Race 8: Indiana Futurity, one mile and 70 yards, Indiana-bred two-year-olds

#8 Good Forever (7-2) is the slight morning line favorite in his first attempt at a route distance and will face a number of rivals from his last outing, a 2 3/4-length win in the six-furlong Circle City S. The Medaglia d'Oro grandson has the highest last race speed rating among the field and may enjoy the stretch out in distance, but we'll look to beat him with #5 Healing Waters (9-2), who finished second in the Circle City after hitting the gate and bumping a rival at the start.

Healing Water's trainer, Tom Amoss, is winning at a 25% rate this meet and is a 19% winner with horses making their first start at a route. Jockey Edgar Morales has also been hot this meet (22% winner), and Healing Waters' pedigree suggests he'll relish the one-mile, 70-yard distance.

We'll add #4 King Ice (4-1), who's coming off a win at one mile in a maiden special weight, and #9 Fierce Justice (6-1), who beat Good Forever two back, on our Pick 4 ticket.

Race 9: To Much Coffee S., 1 1/16 miles, Indiana-bred three-year-olds and older

#1 Flowerpecker (12-1) has been sprinting 5 1/2 to six furlongs all season and will stretch out to today's distance for the fifth time in his career. The Cipriano Contreras pupil had been racing with jockey Emmanuel Esquivel, a 16% winner this meet, but will switch to Francisco Arrieta, an 18% winner with routes who is 3-for-7 paired with Contreras over the last two months.

Contreras is an 18% winner with horses going from back-to-back sprints to a route distance and an 18% winner in non-graded stakes. We'll play the longshot to win and add #2 Nobody Listens (6-1), #8 Max Express (4-1), and #10 Starspangledxpress (6-1) in the Pick 4.

50-cent Pick 4 ticket: 11 with 1,2,7 with 4,5,9 with 1,2,8,10 ($18)