Keeler Johnson's picks and plays of Aug. 8

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares picks and plays for Tuesday, Aug. 8 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with horses to play in a carryover at Mountaineer.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• Trifecta Tuesday: Receive a 15% bonus on trifecta winnings excluding stake amount; up to $25 per day.

Picks and Plays

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs, 3:32 p.m. ET)

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has compiled a 45-12-9-10 (27%) record at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet, which includes a 4-2-2-0 (50%) tally with juveniles. These stats bode well for Asmussen’s unraced #8 Castille (4-1), a two-year-old son of early-maturing graded stakes winner Maximus Mischief, who is siring 28% winners from first-time starters.

The stats suggest Castille is a viable win contender at a nice price, so let’s bet him to win and key him over #1 Indian Creed (7-2) and #12 Heart of Oscar (8-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #8 Castille (4-1)
• #1 Indian Creed (7-2)
• #12 Heart of Oscar (8-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #8 Castille
• $5 Exacta: 8 with 1,12 ($10)
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on turf, 4:34 p.m. ET)

Trainer Robert Gorham rarely debuts juveniles in turf sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but when he does, it’s wise to pay attention. Since 2018, Gorham has recorded one win and two thirds from three such starters.

Gorham can pick up another strong finish courtesy of #10 Bozaano (9-2), a son of multiple Grade 1-winning turf star Bal a Bali. A half-brother to the Grade 1-placed sprinter/miler Livingmybestlife, Bozaano enters off a couple of sub-:48 half-mile workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis and looks ready to challenge under jockey Eduardo Perez, a 20% winner teaming up with Gorham over the last two months.

At 9-2, Bozaano is worth betting to win and keying over #4 Finster (8-5) and #1 Wednesday At Shady (20-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #10 Bozaano (9-2)
• #4 Finster (8-5)
• #1 Wednesday at Shady (20-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #10 Bozaano
• $8 Exacta: 10 with 4
• $2 Exacta: 10 with 1
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs, 6:07 p.m. ET)

Since 2021, trainer Brad Cox has gone 7-for-29 (24%) debuting juveniles in dirt sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis. This bodes well for #10 Gin Gin (3-1), a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail, who sires a respectable 14% winners from first-time starters.

Gin Gin clocked a bullet five furlongs in :59 3/5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis on July 28 and should have every chance to prevail on debut.

We’ll bet Gin Gin to win and play her over #9 Peggy’s Way (6-1) and #1 Lemorian (12-1) in small exactas.

Selections

• #10 Gin Gin (3-1)
• #9 Peggy’s Way (6-1)
• #1 Lemorian (12-1)

Wagers

• $24 to win on #10 Gin Gin
• $4 Exacta: 10 with 9
• $2 Exacta: 10 with 1
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Mountaineer: Race 8: $747 Super High 5 carryover (9:55 p.m. ET)

Do you have what it takes to decipher the Super High 5 in Tuesday’s eighth race at Mountaineer, a $4,000 claimer for fillies and mares who have never won two races? If you can correctly select the top five finishers in order, you’ll win a share of a $747 carryover.

Race 8 is a six-furlong dirt sprint with eight entries, so there are 6,720 possible outcomes to consider—not an unmanageable number by any means. And if you’re willing to key morning line favorite #4 Undercover Lady (7-5) on top, the wager becomes even more manageable.

Undercover Lady hasn’t missed the trifecta in four consecutive starts against $5,000 claiming competition at Thistledown. She was particularly sharp in a six-furlong sprint two starts back, carving out the pace before weakening in the final furlong to finish second by three-quarters of a length.

With four straight Brisnet Speed ratings in the 60-67 range under her belt, Undercover Lady is fast enough to win while descending to the $4,000 level. The fact she’s racing for the hot jockey/trainer duo of Angel Diaz and Gary Johnson (28% winners together over the last two months) adds to the appeal.

Underneath Undercover Lady, #5 Maysville Miss (3-1) warrants strong support. She’s hit the board in each of her last three starts over this track and class level, most recently coming home second in a six-furlong sprint while earning a 63 Brisnet Speed rating. Jockey Edgar Paucar and trainer Eddie Clouston have won at a 20% rate teaming up together over the last two months.

#8 Nyssa (6-1) is another logical contender after dominating a $4,000 maiden claimer at Mountaineer by 9 1/4 lengths, earning a 69 Brisnet Speed rating. Nor can we dismiss #1 West Coast Wildcat (5-1), the gate-to-wire winner of a $5,000 maiden claimer at Charles Town last month. She’s trained by Clouston and will be ridden by Luis Batista, a team that has struck at a 29% rate during the last two months.

Mix in #6 Myra Fleener (6-1), third in a $4,000 claimer racing one mile at Mountaineer last month, and we should be able to assemble solid tickets on a modest budget:

• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 5 with 1,6,8 with 1,6,8 with 1,2,3,6,8 ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 1,2,3,6,8 with 5 with 1,6,8 with 1,6,8 ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 1,2,3,6,8 with 1,6,8 with 5 with 1,6,8 ($18)
  Total: $54

Good luck!