Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Churchill’s $8,330 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, Sept. 11 at Churchill Downs, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Delaware Park, including horses to play in Churchill’s $8,330 Super High 5 carryover.

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.
• 8x Rewards Points at Woodbine Mohawk: Opt in and receive 8x rewards points on all wagers at Woodbine Mohawk each racing day in September.
• 15% Profit Boost Tokens at Century Mile: Opt in to receive six 15% Profit Boost Tokens (maximum boost of $25 per token) for win wagers at Century Mile on Friday, Sept. 11.
• $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.
• $2,000 Exacta Hit It & Split It at Los Alamitos: Opt in and hit two exactas at Los Alamitos for a chance to split a $2,000 prize pool each racing day in September, from Sept. 11 through Sept. 20.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $98 Churchill Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 9/13 Churchill Downs NHC Qualifier
• $400 Churchill Downs Bonus Feeder Friday to 9/12 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Qualifier
• $40 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $150 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $100 Charles Town Feeder to 9/18 Churchill Downs BCBC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Charles Town Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Churchill Downs: Race 3: Allowance (six furlongs on dirt, 1:43 p.m. ET)

#3 Never a Doubt (9-5) wired his debut sprinting six furlongs at Gulfstream Park, earning a flashy 93 Brisnet Speed rating. Then he stepped up in class and distance for the seven-furlong Ellis Park Juvenile S. and tired to finish fifth.

Cutting back to six furlongs for an allowance should help Never a Doubt bounce back. Let’s bet him to win and key him over #1 Title Worthy (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #3 Never a Doubt (9-5)
• #1 Title Worthy (7-2)
• #4 Sargent Bilko (7-5)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Never a Doubt
• $5 Exacta: 3 with 1
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 3:12 p.m. ET)

#3 Grace Alone (12-1) is an unraced juvenile from the barn of John Ennis, who has compiled a strong 8-for-24 (33%) record at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet. That includes a 2-for-6 (33%) tally with two-year-olds competing on turf.

Grace Alone is a daughter of Greatest Honour, who is siring 20% winners on turf. A bullet half-mile workout from the starting gate in :49 2/5 last week cements Grace Alone as an intriguing longshot worthy of a win bet.

Selections

• #3 Grace Alone (12-1)
• #5 Promised Vow (3-1)
• #6 Cold Justice (4-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Grace Alone

Delaware Park: Race 8: Ogletown H. (one mile and 70 yards on dirt, 4:07 p.m. ET)

#7 Intrepids Fantasy (8-5) is unbeaten in three starts, all at Delaware Park. She’s dominated her last two starts in one-mile $75,000 and $50,000 allowance optional claimers, winning by daylight margins with strong Brisnet Speed ratings of 92 and 96.

Intrepids Fantasy should be tough to beat even while stepping up in class for the Ogletown. Let’s key her over #2 Pink Ruby (3-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #7 Intrepids Fantasy (8-5)
• #2 Pink Ruby (3-1)
• #3 Intrepid Mo (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 7 with 2

Carryover Watch

Churchill Downs: Race 2: $8,330 Super High 5 carryover (1:14 p.m. ET)

The second day of the Churchill Downs meet brings its first non-jackpot carryover: an $8,330 prize pool up for grabs in the $1 Super High 5.

Winning a share will require selecting the top five finishers, in order, in Race 2, a $50,000 maiden claimer for two-year-olds dashing six furlongs over the main track. Nine horses have entered, so there are 15,120 possible Super High 5 outcomes to consider.

Here are five horses you won’t want to leave off your tickets:

#1 Zimomo (15-1): This Kelsey Danner trainee is adding blinkers after finishing third in a pair of maiden special weights on Tapeta and turf. As a son of Twirling Candy out of a mare by Uncle Mo, Zimomo has the pedigree to handle switching to dirt, and dropping in class should help his chances. Take note, Danner wins at a solid 18% rate with horses dropping from maiden special weight into maiden claiming competition. Don’t leave Zimomo off the top of your tickets.

#5 Trixie Barry (3-1): Although Trixie Barry never factored in his debut sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Ellis Park, finishing eighth by a wide margin, that race was a maiden special weight. Trainer Brendan Walsh wins at a 20% rate with horses tackling the maiden claiming ranks for the first time, so Trixie Barry is eligible to fare better while dropping in class for his second start.

#6 Don’t Kick Me (6-1): One of three first-time starters in the field, Don’t Kick Me is a son of talented sprinter Army Mule, who sires a strong 18% winners from first-time starters. Trainer Peter Eurton strikes at a solid 16% rate with horses debuting at the maiden claiming level, and a lengthy series of half-mile workouts suggests Don’t Kick Me can vie for a top-five finish in his first start.

#8 Chasing Em (7-2): Chasing Em debuted in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on turf at Ellis Park, finishing 11th by a wide margin. Switching to dirt, adding blinkers, and dropping in class for his first race as a gelding may unlock a much-improved performance. Keep in mind, trainer Chris Hartman wins at a 22% rate with horses switching from maiden special weight to maiden claiming competition.

#9 King Crusher (4-1): Last time out, in a six-furlong $30,000 maiden claimer at Ellis Park, King Crusher tracked the pace in third place before advancing to finish second by a head. He’s cracked the trifecta in two of his three dirt starts and brings competitive Brisnet Speed ratings to the table, so a top-three finish appears well within reach.

Good luck!