Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: A 47% winning angle

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, June 25 at Presque Isle Downs and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a well-bred first-time starter.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Assiniboia Downs 15% Win Bonus: Receive a 15% bonus (up to 25% per day) on winning single-horse win bets at Assiniboia Downs every Monday through Wednesday in June.

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Presque Isle Downs: Race 2: $15,000 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 3:27 p.m. ET)

#1 Speranzas Will (7-2) has finished third and fifth in his last two starts competing against $30,000 maiden claiming competition on dirt and turf. Trainer Eduardo Rojas wins at a 31% rate with horses dropping multiple levels down the class ladder, so descending into a $15,000 maiden claimer while switching to Tapeta can open the door for Speranzas Will to win.

At 7-2, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #1 Speranzas Will (7-2)
• #4 Last Post (9-2)
• #7 Imposter Syndrome (5-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #1 Speranzas Will

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on dirt, 4:45 p.m. ET)

Since 2019, trainer John Ortiz has compiled a stellar 7-for-15 (47%) record debuting juveniles in dirt sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis. With this in mind, how can we oppose Ortiz’s unraced two-year-old #3 Vekomancer (5-2)?

A daughter of the multiple Grade 1-winning sprinter/miler Vekoma out of Smileforamile (the dam of two stakes winners), Vekomancer boasts a win-early pedigree and enters off a quick half-mile workout from the Keeneland starting gate in :35 3/5. Let’s bet her to win and play her with the fast-working #6 Studio Hall (9-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #3 Vekomancer (5-2)
• #6 Studio Hall (9-2)
• #1 Streaking (8-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Vekomancer
• $5 Exacta: 3 with 6
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#4 Mishka (5-2) hasn’t fared especially well in her last two starts on dirt at Churchill Downs, finishing fifth and fourth by wide margins. But in her debut racing one mile over the Keeneland turf course last fall, Mishka rallied to finish fourth by only 2 1/2 lengths.

Returning to turf for her second run of 2024 can send Mishka to the winner’s circle for hot trainer Brad Cox, a 23% winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet. It helps that Mishka is a daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, who sires a solid 14% winners on turf.

Selections

• #4 Mishka (5-2)
• #6 One Life Live It (6-1)
• #10 My Version (5-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #4 Mishka

Good luck!