Keeler Johnson's picks and plays of May 30

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Tuesday, May 30 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Presque Isle Downs, in addition to analyzing carryovers at Presque Isle and Finger Lakes.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Trifecta Tuesday: Receive a 15% bonus on trifecta winnings excluding stake amount; up to $25 per day.
• Assiniboia Downs $1,000 Late Pick 4 Hit It & Split It: Hit the Late Pick 4 at Assiniboia Downs to split an additional $1,000 jackpot.

Picks and Plays

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 2: $62,500 Allowance Optional Claiming (one mile, 3:01 p.m. ET)

#6 Corningstone (7-2) boasts two wins and a second from three starts at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Last fall, she dominated the Miss Indiana S. by 4 1/2 lengths, and she recently returned to this oval to smash a one-mile allowance by 12 1/4 lengths.

With hot jockey Joe Talamo named to ride, Corningstone is a logical choice to upset fellow stakes winners #2 Climber (9-5) and #4 Bumble of Love (5-2). We’ll bet her to win and key her on top of exacta and trifecta tickets, playing the latter to capitalize on the Trifecta Tuesday promotion.

Selections

• #6 Corningstone (7-2)
• #2 Climber (9-5)
• #4 Bumble of Love (5-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 Corningstone
• $7 Exacta: 6 with 2
• $3 Trifecta: 6 with 2 with 4
  Total: $30

Presque Isle Downs: Race 3: Allowance (one mile on Tapeta, 3:54 p.m. ET)

#3 Brumba Waffle Toes (7-2) recently unleashed a strong rally to finish second in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance over this track and class level. Stretching out over one mile should only help Brumba Waffle Toes, who broke his maiden over this track and distance last summer.

Morning line favorite #4 Night Time Ruler (7-5) hasn’t cracked the trifecta in two starts on synthetic, so let’s bet Brumba Waffle Toes to win and key him over #1 Cesar (8-1) and #6 Dawgmentality (3-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #3 Brumba Waffle Toes (7-2)
• #1 Cesar (8-1)
• #6 Dawgmentality (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Brumba Waffle Toes
• $5 Exacta: 3 with 1,6 ($10)
  Total: $30

Presque Isle Downs: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on Tapeta, 4:21 p.m. ET)

#4 Lady Areion (12-1) enters off sharp workouts for red-hot trainer Teresa Connelly, who has gone 3-for-6 (50%) to start the Presque Isle meet. After clocking half a mile from the Presque Isle starting gate in :47 4/5, Lady Areion returned to breeze five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.

Since morning line favorite #1 Zip Code Envy (9-5) tends to settle for minor awards, we’ll take a shot betting Lady Areion to win and key her over Zip Code Envy and #2 Magic Life (5-2) in the exacta.

Selections

• #4 Lady Areion (12-1)
• #2 Magic Life (5-2)
• #1 Zip Code Envy (9-5)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #4 Lady Areion
• $5 Exacta: 4 with 1,2 ($10)
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Finger Lakes: Race 3: $8,848 Pick 6 carryover (2:13 p.m. ET)

Tuesday’s non-jackpot Pick 6 at Finger Lakes has tossed up an $8,848 carryover.

Looking for a single to build tickets around? Check out Race 7, an $8,000 starter optional claimer taking place over six furlongs on dirt. Seven horses have entered, and #5 Old Man Winter (3-1) looks tough to beat at a decent price.

Old Man Winter hasn’t missed the exacta in his last seven starts and has won three of his last four tries. He wrapped up 2022 with a 1 3/4-length score in an $11,000-$9,000 claimer sprinting six furlongs at Finger Lakes, and last month he returned from a five-month layoff to wire an $8,000 starter optional claimer dashing 4 1/2 furlongs over this track.

Old Man Winter brings strong Brisnet Speed ratings to the table and has recently defeated morning line favorite #6 Number One Dillon (5-2). Some bettors will opt to include both Old Man Winter and Number One Dillon in the Pick 6, but budget-conscious bettors looking to take a stand can single Old Man Winter and feel confident he’ll fire a strong shot and maintain his advantage over the favorite.

Presque Isle Downs: Race 4: $334 Pick 5 carryover (4:21 p.m. ET)

If you’re playing Presque Isle Downs this Tuesday, you’ll be happy to hear the 50-cent Late Pick 5 features a $334 carryover. It’s not a huge prize pool, but it’s a non-jackpot offering, so all winning bettors will split the carryover—no unique winning ticket necessary.

The carryover gets underway in the above-mentioned Race 4. Many bettors figure to use #1 Zip Code Envy (9-5), but we’ve already outlined our skepticism of the morning line favorite, whose 6-0-3-1 lifetime record suggests a tendency to settle for minor awards.

What if we exclude Zip Code Envy from the Pick 5? If we can beat her, we’ll be well on our way to cashing a nice payoff. The first-time starter #4 Lady Areion (12-1) is a must-use contender for reasons described previously, but we’ll also use #2 Magic Life (5-2). Runner-up in her debut dashing 4 1/2 furlongs at Presque Isle nearly one year ago, Magic Life hasn’t run since, but enters off a decent half-mile workout for red-hot trainer Adam Rice, who has gone 2-for-2 at Presque Isle this meet. If Magic Life has improved with maturity, she can vie for victory on Tuesday.

Good luck!