Friday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Longshots at Churchill, Saratoga

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Friday, June 5 at Saratoga and Churchill Downs, including a pair of double-digit longshots.

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.
• 4x Rewards Points at Churchill Downs: Receive 4x rewards points on all wagers at Churchill Downs each racing Friday in June.
• Woodbine Mohawk 15% Odds Boost: Receive a 15% odds boost (up to $25 per day) on your winning single-horse win wagers at Woodbine Mohawk each racing Friday in May and June.
• Belmont Stakes Racing Festival $10 Bet Back: Receive a Bonus Bet up to $10 back on your first single-horse win wager if your horses run second or third in all eligible races at Saratoga from Wednesday through Sunday.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $104 Belmont at Saratoga Bet and Set Feeder to 6/12 Churchill Downs Bonus Feeder
• $40 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $100 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $120 Churchill Downs Feeder to 6/13 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $400 Belmont at Saratoga Bonus Feeder Friday to 6/7 Churchill Downs BCBC Qualifier
• $40 Belmont at Saratoga Challenge
• $100 Belmont at Saratoga Challenge
• $50 Charles Town Bet and Set Feeder to 6/14 Churchill Downs NHC Qualifier
• $40 Charles Town Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Saratoga: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 12:54 p.m. ET)

#5 Holding Power (15-1) is an unraced son of champion juvenile Good Magic, who sires a sharp 15% winners from first-time starters. This Triple Crown nominee has put together a promising work tab highlighted by a couple of bullet five-furlong workouts, and he’s trained by Miguel Clement, who wins at a lofty 31% rate with horses debuting in maiden special weights.

Holding Power’s 15-1 morning-line odds are enticing, so let’s bet him to win and see if he can spring a surprise against this large and competitive field.

Selections

• #5 Holding Power (15-1)
• #6 Criteria (7-2)
• #10 Dark Moon (8-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #5 Holding Power

Churchill Downs: Race 5: $50,000 Maiden Claiming (five furlongs on dirt, 2:45 p.m. ET)

#6 Mo Town Foxy Brown (3-1) debuted in the Royal Palm Juvenile Fillies S. on turf at Gulfstream Park. She finished last of six, but was beaten only 7 1/2 lengths.

Switching to dirt and dropping in class offers potential for improvement. It helps that trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. wins at a 28% rate with second-time starters, and at a 29% rate with horses tackling the maiden claiming ranks for the first time.

A win bet is in order, along with an exacta using #1 Texas Dandelion (7-2) for second place.

Selections

• #6 Mo Town Foxy Brown (3-1)
• #1 Texas Dandelion (7-2)
• #2 Speech and Drama (9-5)

Wagers

• $24 to win on #6 Mo Town Foxy Brown
• $6 Exacta: 6 with 1
  Total: $30

Churchill Downs: Race 9: $80,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (1 1/16 miles on turf, 4:55 p.m. ET)

#2 Daisy Flyer (12-1) showed talent against graded stakes company last year, winning the Lake George (G3) and finishing third by a neck in the Herecomesthebride (G3). She wrapped up the year with a sixth-place finish in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (G1).

Daisy Flyer faltered in her 2026 debut, finishing eighth in a turf allowance at Keeneland. But that was two months ago. She’s regrouped for her second start back, and a rebound to her best form from 2025 could put Daisy Flyer in the hunt for victory at enticing odds.

At 12-1, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #2 Daisy Flyer (12-1)
• #5 Cliffs (5-2)
• #10 Temptable (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #2 Daisy Flyer

Good luck!