Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Jersey Shore Stakes plays

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, July 18 at Monmouth Park, Colonial Downs, and Del Mar, including exotic wagers in the Jersey Shore S.

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.
• British Racing $10 Money Back: Receive up to $10 back on your first single-horse win wager if your horse runs second in selected British races from May 17 through Aug. 31.
• 20x Tournament Points Boost: Receive 20x points on all tournament wagers from July 1 through July 31.
• Saratoga $5,000 Friday Pick 4 Hit It & Split It: Play the early, middle, or late Pick 4 at Saratoga for a chance to split a $1,000 prize pool for each Pick 4 sequence. Hit any two Pick 4 sequences on the day and split an additional $2,000.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $320 Woodbine Bonus Feeder to 7/20 Woodbine BCBC Qualifier
• $200 Colonial Downs Feeder to 7/28 Ellis Park MMBC Qualifier
• $50 Colonial Downs Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Monmouth Park: Race 5: Jersey Shore S. (six furlongs on dirt, 3:51 p.m. ET)

#5 Neoequos (8-5) and #1 Gunmetal (3-2) are the favorites after finishing ninth and 10th against tougher competition in the Woody Stephens (G1). But perhaps the undefeated #2 Donut God (5-2) can surprise in his sophomore debut.

The son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief went 2-for-2 last year. He wired a five-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs, then led all the way to win the six-furlong Inaugural S. at Tampa Bay Downs over three-time stakes winner Naughty Rascal.

Donut God enters off fast workouts (including a bullet half-mile in :46 2/5) for trainer Brian Lynch, who wins at a 22% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more. Let’s key Donut God on top of the favorites in the exacta and trifecta.

Selections

• #2 Donut God (5-2)
• #1 Gunmetal (3-2)
• #5 Neoequos (8-5)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: 2 with 1,5 ($20)
• $5 Trifecta: 2 with 1,5 with 1,5 ($10)
  Total: $30

Colonial Downs: Race 1: $40,000 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:00 p.m. ET)

#6 Thirst for Hope (5-1) showed some ability when debuting in a five-furlong $25,000 maiden claimer at Delaware Park earlier this month. After settling 4 1/2 lengths off the pace over a muddy track, she rallied to finish third by three-quarters of a length, earning a respectable 71 Brisnet Speed rating.

Thirst for Hope is eligible to move forward in her second start, and she should fit well in this $40,000 maiden claimer for Virginia-restricted two-year-old fillies. Let’s bet on her to win.

Selections

• #6 Thirst for Hope (5-1)
• #2 Knickoletta (3-1)
• #1 Glancing My Way (5-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #6 Thirst for Hope

Del Mar: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Unraced three-year-old #2 Lannister (5-2) has put together a solid work tab for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, who wins at a powerful 32% rate with horses debuting in maiden special weights. Most notably, the $400,000 yearling acquisition clocked five furlongs in :58 3/5 on July 4 at Santa Anita.

Lannister is a son of Not This Time (who sires an excellent 19% winners from first-time starters), and he’s slated to be ridden by jockey Juan Hernandez, a 42% winner teaming up with Baffert over the last two months. All these stats suggest Lannister is worthy of a win bet.

Selections

• #2 Lannister (5-2)
• #6 Brother Brother (4-1)
• #1 Legal Heir (8-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #2 Lannister

Good luck!