Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Horseshoe Indianapolis longshots

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, May 8 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, including longshots at 8-1 and 10-1.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 2:10 p.m. ET)

The experienced runners in this field of Indiana-bred maidens don’t appear overly formidable, so we’ll take a shot backing the first-time starter #3 Ma Louise (8-1).

Even though Ma Louise is five years old, her connections are giving her a chance to race rather than become a broodmare. It may be because she has talent: she’s shown speed in the mornings at Turfway Park, even breezing a bullet five furlongs in 1:00.

As a daughter of Mondavi out of Marigo, Ma Louise is a full-sister to Marilyn Mongo, winner of the six-furlong Swifty Sired Fillies S. at Horseshoe Indianapolis. This combination of sharp workouts and a classy pedigree stamps Ma Louise as an appealing win play at her 8-1 morning line odds.

We’ll also single Ma Louise to start a small double wager.

Selections

• #3 Ma Louise (8-1)
• #2 Shaggy Kitty (1-1)
• #4 C V Scenic Legacu (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Ma Louise
• $5 Double: 3 with 6
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (one mile, 2:41 p.m. ET)

Eclipse Award-winning jockey Jose Ortiz hasn’t ridden at Horseshoe Indianapolis within the last five years, but he’s making a trip to the Indiana oval on Wednesday to ride a couple of horses trained by Ignacio Correas IV.

One of them is #6 Kara and Colleen (7-5). After cracking the trifecta in five of her first seven starts on turf and synthetic, Kara and Colleen switched to dirt for a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Keeneland last month. After carving out the pace, she gave way in the final furlong to finish fourth.

Kara and Colleen figures to find the competition easier at Horseshoe Indianapolis, and she’s the only definite speed horse in the field, so a perfect trip and an easy victory may be in the offing. We’ll single Kara and Colleen to conclude our double wager, then bet her over #3 Jus Evelyn (10-1) and #7 Colormecairo (2-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #6 Kara and Colleen (7-5)
• #7 Colormecairo (2-1)
• #3 Jus Evelyn (10-1)

Wagers

• $14 Exacta: 6 with 7
• $6 Exacta: 6 with 3
  Total: $20

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

#8 Neutron (10-1) didn’t show much in his debut last November, but he fared better when returning from a layoff on April 17. Sent off at 17-1 in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Neutron pressed and set the pace while racing wide, held a one-length lead passing the eighth pole, and weakened late to finish third by 2 1/2 lengths in a large field.

The 68 Brisnet Speed rating Neutron earned is only one point lower than the highest number belonging to any horse in Wednesday’s field, so Neutron is a logical win threat while sticking to the same class level for trainer Robert Gorham, a 26% winner with horses running for the second time following a layoff.

At 10-1, Neutron is worth betting to win. We’ll also play him over logical favorite #10 Little Jake (5-2) in a small exacta.

Selections

• #8 Neutron (10-1)
• #10 Little Jake (5-2)
• #2 Indian Creed (7-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #8 Neutron
• $5 Exacta: 8 with 10
  Total: $30

Good luck!