How to bet the Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes

An overflow field of 13 three-year-old fillies will run one mile on the lawn in Saturday’s $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis S. at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The race offers no shortage of contenders with value in what is among the most challenging handicapping races of the weekend. I lack conviction in the race, so I’m going to key a trio of attractive longshots on top and bottom in exacta plays. And maybe I’ll even hit it twice if two of the three fire big!

Indianapolis Wagers:

• $1 exacta 3,4,6 with all ($33)
• $1 exacta all with 3,4,6 ($33)

Indianapolis Analysis:

#4 Zo Lee (15-1) is the most intriguing price play in the field to me for conditioner Kelsey Danner. The chestnut is winless in six straight following a pair of victories to commence her career, but five of the six came while facing stakes foes, and she is not that far behind the leading contenders in the affair. By Good Samaritan, she has been in the mix turning for home on multiple occasions prior to falling short in the end, and the addition of blinkers might get her over the hump. I liked her prep for this when she ran a good fourth in the Alywow S. going short at Woodbine. She will tuck in behind the pace early on beneath Tyler Conner. 

#6 Pursuit of Liberty (20-1) capped her two-year-old season with a smart allowance win while making her turf debut, and the Brad Cox trainee has every right to improve second off the shelf as well as second on the green. This Constitution filly can run from up close, or from off of the early splits, and her rapid bullet move at Churchill Downs most recently tells me that the Cox pupil will be ready to roll on Saturday. Marcelino Pedroza will pilot the $170,000 auction purchase. 

Conditioner Joe Sharp has two very interesting ones in the field, and I’ll dabble with the stakes-winning #3 Honey Dijon (30-1) at a massive number. The Girvin filly was good enough to break her maiden by more than five lengths at Saratoga last season, and also talented enough to romp over R Harper Rose on the main oval in her lone route race to date in her two-year-old finale. The Florida-bred ran respectably when beaten by 2 3/4 lengths at Kentucky Downs in the $500,000 Untapable S. in her lone prior turf assignment, and she has to be included at a number that seems incredibly generous. Adam Beschizza will take the reins.