Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Churchill’s $4,082 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, Sept. 25 at Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Santa Anita, including horses to use in Churchill’s $4,082 Super High 5 carryover.

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• $5,000 Late Pick 5 Hit It & Split It at Churchill Downs: Opt in and hit the Late Pick 5 at Churchill Downs for a chance to split a $5,000 prize pool each racing Friday in September.
• 8x Rewards Points at Century Mile: Opt in and receive 8x rewards points on all wagers at Century Mile on Friday, Sept. 25 and Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $110 Churchill Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 10/3 Keeneland KFC Qualifier
• $400 Churchill Downs Bonus Feeder Friday to 9/26 Churchill Downs KFC/BCBC Qualifier
• $150 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $40 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $200 Belmont Park Bonus Feeder to 9/26 Laurel Park Autumn Challenge
• $50 Belmont Park Challenge
• $40 Charles Town Challenge
• $80 Charles Town Feeder to 10/3 Keeneland BCBC/NHC Bonus Feeder

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Belmont Park: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 1:10 p.m. ET)

Trainer Chad Brown has entered a pair of promising two-year-old fillies in this maiden sprint.

#2 Harumi (2-1), a daughter of hot young sire Life Is Good, has put together a lengthy work tab and is slated to be ridden by two-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Flavien Prat.

#6 Beauty Truth Good (9-2), a daughter of perennial leading sire Into Mischief, recently breezed a quick half-mile from the Belmont Park starting gate in :47 4/5. She’ll be ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., a 25% winner teaming up with Brown over the last two months.

Let’s box Harumi and Beauty Truth Good in an exacta.

Selections

• #2 Harumi (2-1)
• #6 Beauty Truth Good (9-2)
• #5 Tia Melanie (4-1)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: box 2,6 ($20)

Churchill Downs: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles on turf, 3:50 p.m. ET)

#6 Olympic Belle (6-1) has shown some talent sprinting on turf. She ran second in her debut at Ellis Park (beaten only by next-out stakes winner Seneca Park), then finished seventh by three lengths over the European-style turf course at Kentucky Downs.

As a daughter of Olympiad out of a mare by Curlin, Olympic Belle is bred to improve while stretching out over 1 1/16 miles. It helps that trainer Brendan Walsh wins at a 21% rate with horses running long for the first time.

Let’s place a win bet on Olympic Belle.

Selections

• #6 Olympic Belle (6-1)
• #8 Anywhere With You (9-2)
• #4 Qdoro (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #6 Olympic Belle

Santa Anita: Race 8: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on turf, 7:41 p.m. ET)

#1 Goldenlynn (5-2) has put together a flashy series of fast workouts for trainer Blaine Wright, who wins at a 20% rate with first-time starters.

As a daughter of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) and Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner Golden Pal, Goldenlynn has the potential to shine from an early age and excel sprinting on grass. Let’s bet her to win and key her over #8 Thebeachisback (6-5) in an exacta.

Selections

• #1 Goldenlynn (5-2)
• #8 Thebeachisback (6-5)
• #5 Vallendar (5-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #1 Goldenlynn
• $15 Exacta: 1 with 8
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Churchill Downs: Race 4: $4,082 Super High 5 carryover (2:13 p.m. ET)

Selecting the top five finishers, in order, in Friday’s fourth race at Churchill Downs could win you a share of a $4,082 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

Pulling it off won’t be easy. Race 4 is a $100,000 maiden claimer in which 11 three-year-olds and older horses will sprint six furlongs over the main track. Separating the contenders isn’t easy—you can make a case for plenty of horses to finish somewhere in the top five.

Here are five horses you’ll want to include on your tickets:

#4 Native Brew (8-1): After finishing fifth, fifth, and fourth in his first three starts against maiden special weight competition at Ellis Park, Native Brew should appreciate dropping in class for a $100,000 maiden claimer. Take note, trainer Steve Asmussen wins at a 20% rate with horses tackling the maiden claiming ranks for the first time.

#5 Dontworryboutnothn (6-1): Dontworryboutnothn likewise exits a trio of maiden special weights at Ellis Park, in which he finished second, fourth, and third with solid Brisnet Speed ratings in the 83-89 range. In two of those races, he came home ahead of Native Brew. A top-three finish while dropping in class appears likely, especially since trainer David Jacobson wins at a 31% rate with horses dropping from maiden special weight to maiden claiming company.

#6 Elvis Tony (10-1): An unraced three-year-old, Elvis Tony hails from the barn of Brian Lynch, who wins at a 29% rate with horses debuting at the maiden claiming level. A lengthy work tab with a few reasonably quick times could have Elvis Tony set for a competitive debut at enticing odds.

#7 Gadget Play (5-1): Gadget Play misfired in his latest start over one mile, finishing last of seven in a Saratoga maiden special weight. But two starts back, he ran second in a seven-furlong maiden special weight over the same track, earning an eye-catching 94 Brisnet Speed rating that tops Friday’s field. A rebound to that level of form while dropping down in class and distance could send Gadget Play to the winner’s circle.

#10 Quentin B (7-2): Quentin B raced twice in maiden special weights against fellow three-year-olds during the winter at Gulfstream Park. In his second start, he took runner-up honors with a sharp 91 Brisnet Speed rating. Quentin B hasn’t raced since February, but if he picks up where he left off, he can potentially challenge for victory.

Good luck!