Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Three juveniles at two tracks

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Aug. 26 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Presque Isle Downs, including a first-time starter at 8-1 odds.

Today’s special offers from TwinSpires include:

• New Players $200 Sign-Up Bonus: Open your TwinSpires.com account using the offer code BET200 to start earning a $200 bonus.
• Assiniboia Downs 25% Double Down: Hit two double wagers at Assiniboia Downs to receive a 25% boost (maximum $25 in total) on all winning double wagers for the day at Assiniboia Downs each Tuesday in August.
• Presque Isle Downs $1,000 Win Hit It & Split It: Hit three winning $10+ win wagers at Presque Isle Downs each Tuesday in August for a chance to split a $1,000 prize pool each promotional day.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $200 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 8/30 Saratoga/Kentucky Downs MMBC Qualifier
• $150 Mountaineer Feeder to 9/4 Kentucky Downs MMBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on turf, 3:43 p.m. ET)

This field of juveniles doesn’t appear overly tough on paper, so let’s try betting first-time starter #8 Stevie Chick’s (8-1) at a price.

The daughter of Connect enters off an encouraging series of eight workouts for trainer William Morey, a 33% winner with horses debuting on turf.

A win bet is in order.

Selections

• #8 Stevie Chick’s (8-1)
• #1 Gigabit (3-1)
• #4 Little Sam’s (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #8 Stevie Chick’s

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#6 Geole (9-5) failed to factor when debuting in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, breaking slowly and racing off the pace on his way to sixth place. But he did pass a couple of rivals.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen has compiled a strong 13-for-43 (30%) record saddling experienced juveniles in dirt sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis since 2022, so Geole is a logical choice to win his second start, especially while dropping in class from a non-state-restricted maiden special weight into one for horses bred in Indiana.

Let’s place a large win bet on Geole.

Selections

• #6 Geole (9-5)
• #5 Airdrop (5-1)
• #9 Rosso Fuoco (10-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #6 Geole

Presque Isle Downs: Race 5: $62,500 Allowance Optional Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 5:18 p.m. ET)

#5 Smooch Up (8-5) earned a strong 82 Brisnet Speed rating when wiring a five-furlong maiden special weight at Presque Isle Downs by six lengths over a next-out winner. She then tried dirt in the Keswick S. at Colonial Downs, finishing third with a 77 Brisnet Speed rating.

None of the other fillies entered in this $62,500 allowance optional claimer have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 80, so returning to Tapeta should make Smooch Up tough to beat. Let’s bet her to win and key her over #1 Ashkenazi (6-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #5 Smooch Up (8-5)
• #1 Ashkenazi (6-1)
• #4 Name Dropper (4-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #5 Smooch Up
• $10 Exacta: 5 with 1
  Total: $40

Good luck!