Keeler Johnson’s picks and plays of Oct. 31, 2023

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Tuesday, Oct. 31 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a cold Pick 3.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Trifecta Tuesday: Receive a 15% bonus on trifecta winnings excluding stake amount; up to $25 per day.

Picks and Plays

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 3: $10,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs, 3:32 p.m. ET)

#6 Metallic Man (7-5) enters in red-hot form. The speedy four-year-old wired a six-furlong sprint over this track and class level by 6 3/4 lengths on Sept. 20, then followed up with a gate-to-wire two-length triumph in a $10,000 starter optional claimer sprinting six furlongs at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Those victories yielded sharp Brisnet Speed ratings of 89 and 80. Metallic Man has already beaten many of the rivals he’ll face on Tuesday, so we’ll single him to start a Pick 3 wager.

Selections

• #6 Metallic Man (7-5)
• #7 Azzaro Steel (7-2)
• #8 Barefootbootlegger (10-1)

Wagers

• $20 Pick 3: 6 with 5 with 1

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 4: $25,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile, 4:03 p.m. ET)

In a race without much pace on paper, #5 Mitole’s Baytown (3-1) can take home top honors. Even though she’s a filly facing colts, the two-year-old daughter of champion sprinter Mitole fits well after finishing a pacesetting third in a one-mile and 70-yard maiden special weight for fillies at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Mitole’s Baytown has cracked the trifecta in three of her four starts, and her lone miss came with a troubled trip. Let’s bet her to win and single her in double and Pick 3 wagers.

Selections

• #5 Mitole’s Baytown (3-1)
• #7 Revenge Tour (7-2)
• #1 Threewhitesoldiers (9-2)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #5 Mitole’s Baytown
• $10 Double: 5 with 1
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: Allowance (1 1/16 miles, 4:34 p.m. ET)

#1 Sand and Sea (3-5) has done her best work on turf and synthetic, most notably winning a one-mile grass allowance at Ellis Park. But the speedy mare also ran reasonably well in a 1 1/16 dirt allowance at Oaklawn Park last spring, finishing fourth with an 81 Brisnet Speed rating after setting the pace.

None of Sand and Sea’s Tuesday rivals have ever posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 79, so Sand and Sea is easily the fastest entrant on paper. Furthermore, her early speed should help her avoid kickback while returning to dirt. For all these reasons, we view Sand and Sea as a viable single to conclude our double and Pick 3 wagers.

For good measure, we’ll add an exacta using longshot #5 Amazingness (10-1) for second place.

Selections

• #1 Sand and Sea (3-5)
• #5 Amazingness (10-1)
• #7 Single Her (9-2)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 1 with 5

Good luck!