Keeler Johnson's picks and plays of June 14

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares $90 worth of picks and plays for Wednesday, June 14 at Thistledown, Presque Isle Downs, and Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with horses to single in the $4,286 Pick 6 carryover at Charles Town.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Hoosier Park $10 Money Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in any eligible race at Hoosier Park.
• Rest of the World $10 Money Back: Receive refunds on win bets (up to $10) if your horse finishes second in any eligible race at Happy Valley (HK).

Picks and Plays

Thistledown: Race 7: Allowance (one mile, 3:50 p.m. ET)

#5 Gold N Silver (5-2) hasn’t missed the exacta in five starts since being claimed by high-percentage trainer David Wolochuk, who has gone 9-for-20 (45%) at Thistledown this meet. Gold N Silver brings pacesetting speed to the table and finished second over this track, distance, and class level two starts back, earning a sharp 82 Brisnet Speed rating.

Gold N Silver enters off a bullet half-mile workout at Thistledown and should be tough to catch under hot jockey Chelsey Keiser, a 27% winner this meet who has gone 7-for-16 (44%) teaming up with Wolochuk over the last two months. Let’s bet Gold N Silver to win and key him over #3 My Brother Cam (7-2) in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #5 Gold N Silver (5-2)
• #3 My Brother Cam (7-2)
• #1 Patio Party (3-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #5 Gold N Silver
• $15 Exacta: 5 with 3
  Total: $30

Presque Isle Downs: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (4 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 4:48 p.m. ET)

#7 Classic Richie (4-1) is a son of champion two-year-old male Classic Empire, so he has the pedigree to win from an early age. The unraced colt is conditioned by high-percentage trainer Larry Rivelli, whose perfect 3-for-3 record at Presque Isle this meet includes a win from the debuting juvenile Foxxy Cleopatra on Monday.

The other intriguing first-time starter in this field is #6 Ramming Speed (5-1), whose sharp work tab at Presque Isle includes a bullet half-mile from the starting gate in :46 3/5. Trainer Kevin Rice rarely wins with first-time starters, but it’s worth noting his fast-working juvenile She’s Fire finished second by half a length against Foxxy Cleopatra.

Let’s box Classic Richie and Ramming Speed in the exacta.

Selections

• #7 Classic Richie (4-1)
• #6 Ramming Speed (5-1)
• #1 Face Down (7-2)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: box 6,7 ($20)

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 5:05 p.m. ET)

Since 2020, trainer Brad Cox has gone 4-for-16 (25%) debuting three-year-olds in turf routes at Horseshoe Indianapolis. This bodes well for Cox’s first-time starter #11 Havildar (5-1), a son of Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) winner Arrogate out of a mare by three-time leading North American sire Tapit.

Havildar is bred top and bottom to thrive running long, and he enters off decent workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Throw in leading jockey Marcelino Pedroza Jr. (a 44% winner teaming up with Cox over the last two months), and Havildar looks like a fair win bet at his 5-1 morning line odds.

#7 Smokey Mandate (7-2) and #1 Quiet Ride (4-1) can battle for a spot in the exacta.

Selections

• #11 Havildar (5-1)
• #7 Smokey Mandate (7-2)
• #1 Quiet Ride (4-1)

Wagers

• $12 to win on #11 Havildar
• $4 Exacta: 11 with 1,7 ($8)
  Total: $20

Carryover Watch

Finger Lakes: Race 3: $4,286 Pick 6 carryover (2:18 p.m. ET)

Fans of non-jackpot carryovers will be served by Finger Lakes this Wednesday. The New York oval has tossed up a $4,286 carryover in the $1 Pick 6.

Looking for singles to build tickets around? We have you covered with a couple of suggestions:

Race 3: Allowance (six furlongs): #4 Gone and Forgotten (2-1)

Gone and Forgotten hasn’t run since last fall, but trainer Michael Ferraro wins at a 21% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so the time off shouldn’t be a concern. And if Gone and Forgotten brings her A-game off the break, her rivals are likely running for second place.

Gone and Forgotten won four of her seven starts in 2022 and five of her seven starts in 2021, so it’s safe to call her a winning machine. The majority of her starts have come at Finger Lakes, where she won the Jack Betta Be Rite S. and Arctic Queen S. last year.

Gone and Forgotten regularly throws down Brisnet Speed ratings in the 81-91 range, giving her an advantage against Wednesday’s field. Throw in the fact Ferraro has gone 5-for-8 (63%) at Finger Lakes this meet, and 3-for-4 (75%) teaming up with jockey Luis Perez over the last 60 days, and Gone and Forgotten is a logical Pick 6 single.

Race 6: $11,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs): #4 Conformist (5-2)

Conformist has won three of his last four starts and enters Wednesday’s contest in red-hot form. He wrapped up 2022 with a gate-to-wire victory in a $5,000 claimer sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Finger Lakes, dominating by 5 1/4 lengths with a career-best 90 Brisnet Speed rating. And he picked up where he left off in a six-furlong $5,000 claimer over this track last month, tracking the early pace before surging away to score by 8 1/2 lengths with an 87 Brisnet Speed rating.

Wednesday’s contest marks a step up in class for Conformist, but last June he finished third by a neck over this track, distance, and class level, and that was before his form improved by leaps and bounds. Trainer Chris Englehart has gone 16-for-46 (35%) at Finger Lakes this meet, while jockey Andre Worrie has gone 21-for-69 (30%), so all signs suggest Conformist is sitting on a winning run in his second start of the season.

Good luck!