Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Ace of Cats can win second start

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Aug. 7, at Delaware Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with horses to play in Super High 5 carryovers at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Louisiana Downs.

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 every Wednesday in July.

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Delaware Park: Race 4: maiden special weight (six furlongs on dirt, 2 p.m. ET)

#1 Sacred Thunder (7-5) has matched or exceeded the par winning Brisnet Speed rating for these conditions (78) in both of his starts sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Delaware Park. On July 3, he finished second by 1 1/4 lengths in a $25,000 maiden claimer, earning a 78 Brisnet Speed rating. On July 24, he ran second by a nose in a maiden special weight, earning an 81.

The third time can be the charm for Sacred Thunder, who is conditioned by red-hot trainer Gary Capuano, a 36% winner at Delaware Park this meet. Let’s play him on top of a cold exacta.

For second place, we’ll use #4 Bangkok Bob (9-2), another Capuano trainee adding blinkers off a runner-up finish in a $25,000 maiden claimer over this track and distance.

Selections

• #1 Sacred Thunder (7-5)
• #4 Bangkok Bob (9-2)
• #7 Staygoldponyboy (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 1 with 4

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: maiden special weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:14 p.m. ET)

#8 Ace of Cats (5-1) ran well when debuting in a five-furlong dash over this track and class level on July 17. Racing over a sloppy track, the two-year-old filly showed tactical speed throughout and fought to finish third, only three-quarters of a length behind the more experienced runner-up #4 The Flint Express (3-1).

If Ace of Cats improves at all in her second start, she can turn the tables on The Flint Express and vie for victory at enticing odds. Let’s bet her to win and key her over The Flint Express and #1 Foxy Justice (5-2) in the exacta.

Selections

• #8 Ace of Cats (5-1)
• #4 The Flint Express (3-1)
• #1 Foxy Justice (5-2)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #8 Ace of Cats
• $5 Exacta: 8 with 1,4 ($10)
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: maiden special weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#7 Pacific Standard (9-2) is an unraced two-year-old trained by Brad Cox, a 24% winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet. Since 2021, Cox has gone 8-for-36 (22%) debuting juveniles in dirt sprints over this track.

These stats bode well for Pacific Standard, who has turned in a couple of bullet workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis in recent weeks, including five furlongs in :59 2/5. Under hot jockey Emmanuel Esquivel (a 21% winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet), Pacific Standard looks ready to outrun his odds and challenge for first prize.

A win bet is in order.

Selections

• #7 Pacific Standard (9-2)
• #1 Sell It (4-1)
• #3 Onwatch (10-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #7 Pacific Standard

Carryover Watch

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 9: $5,966 Super High 5 carryover (6:15 p.m. ET)

Feel like handicapping a Quarter Horse race? If you can select the top five finishers in the $35,000 Air Born Leader S. for Indiana-bred Quarter Horses dashing 350 yards, you can win a share of the $5,966 carryover in the 10-cent “Grand High 5” Super High 5.

The morning-line favorites look formidable. #3 High Rolling Seize (5-2) beat Indiana-breds in the 400-yard Born Runner Classic S. over this track two starts back, then ran second against non-state-restricted competition in the 400-yard Bradford S. The latter effort yielded a sharp 93 Brisnet Speed rating.

But #4 Cv Struttinforakiss (7-2) posted an even stronger 94 Brisnet Speed rating when prevailing in the 350-yard Easys Night Beat S. against Indiana-breds at Horseshoe Indianapolis last month. Adding to the appeal is the fact Cv Struttinforakiss has hot connections in his corner; trainer Claudio Barraza has gone 14-for-43 (33%) at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet, while jockey Edgar Diaz has gone 13-for-41 (32%).

We recommend boxing High Rolling Seize and Cv Struttinforakiss in the top two slots of the Super High 5.

Louisiana Downs: Race 7: $558 Super High 5 carryover (7:35 p.m. ET)

Assuming Louisiana Downs races through Wednesday’s heat (the high temperature could exceed 100 degrees), bettors will have a chance to chase a $558 carryover in the 50-cent Super High 5.

The prize pool is up for grabs in race 7, an $8,000 claimer taking place over five furlongs on turf. #5 Southern Horse (8-1) is a live longshot worth playing on top, though we won’t be surprised if his odds drop significantly. He was last seen rallying to finish third by a neck in a $50,000 starter allowance sprinting six furlongs over the Santa Anita turf in April 2023.

The long layoff is a question mark, but Southern Horse is plunging down the class ladder and enters off a decent work tab for trainer Jonathan Wong (a 15% winner with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more), so there are plenty of reasons to believe Southern Horse can prevail in his return. 

It’s worth noting none of his rivals have posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 82 in their last five starts, whereas Southern Horse’s last five ratings are 89, 87, 95, 94, and 85.

Good luck!