Keeler Johnson's picks and plays for May 18

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Wednesday, May 18 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a trio of win bets capitalizing on the Midweek Bet Back promotion.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Midweek Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in select races at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
• Canterbury Park Opening Day Money Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in eligible races at Canterbury Park.
• Rest of the World Bet Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in eligible races at Happy Valley (Hong Kong).
• Exacta Insurance: Receive refunds on exacta bets (up to $10) if your two selected horses finish in the first three home (but not in the winning order) at Thistledown. Offer applies to straight exacta bets only.

Picks and Plays

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Sagamore Sired S. (5 1/2 furlongs, 5:05 p.m. ET)

#1 Mr Chaos (6-5) is undefeated in three starts, all at Horseshoe Indianapolis. He had no trouble defeating #9 Too Bad Justice (6-1) in the Crown Ambassador S. last fall, and Mr Chaos recently returned from a winter break to win a 5 1/2-furlong allowance by 2 3/4 lengths, earning a career-best 83 Brisnet Speed rating.

Jockey Rodney Prescott and trainer Robert Dobbs have won at a 30% rate teaming up together over the last two months, so we’ll take advantage of the Midweek Bet Back offer and place a $10 win bet on Mr Chaos. Then we’ll bet him over recent maiden winner #6 Pickle Feet (5-1) and Too Bad Justice in the exacta and trifecta.

• $10 to win on #1 Mr Chaos
• $10 Exacta: 1 with 6
• $5 Trifecta: 1 with 6 with 9
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 8: Horseshoe Indianapolis S. (one mile on turf, 6:07 p.m. ET)

#3 Bravo Kitten (3-1) competed with aplomb against allowance company during the Keeneland spring meet, finishing second in a pair of events over 1 1/16 miles and 1 3/16 miles. The daughter of Kitten’s Joy posted competitive Brisnet Speed ratings of 90 and 86 and will add blinkers for her stakes debut, opening the door for a step forward.

Capitalizing on the Midweek Bet Back offer, we’ll place a $10 win bet on Bravo Kitten, then key her over Ginger Brew S. winner #2 Alittleloveandluck (2-1) in the exacta.

• $10 to win on #3 Bravo Kitten
• $10 Exacta: 3 with 2
  Total: $20

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 9: Caesars S. (one mile on turf, 6:38 p.m. ET)

#4 Tommy Bee (2-1) hasn’t missed the exacta in his last six starts, including a couple of stakes on turf and synthetic. Most recently, the Brad Cox trainee beat allowance rivals by two lengths racing 1 1/8 miles over the Keeneland turf course.

Cox has been ultra-hot to start the Horseshoe Indianapolis meet, compiling a 13-6-3-3 (46%) record, and three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz is slated to guide Tommy Bee. All signs suggest Tommy Bee can rally to victory over the speedy #5 Stitched (4-1).

We’ll complete our trio of Midweek Bet Back plays by betting $10 to win on Tommy Bee. Then we’ll key him over Stitched in a cold exacta.

• $10 to win on #4 Tommy Bee
• $10 Exacta: 4 with 5
  Total: $20

Good luck!