Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: $12,729 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Oct. 12 at Finger Lakes, Presque Isle Downs, and Santa Anita, along with tickets for the $12,729 Super High 5 carryover at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

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 October.
• 4% Cash Back on Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge: Opt in and receive 4% cash back on your Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge (BCBC) entry purchased through TwinSpires when you have previously competed in any BCBC qualifier, hosted by TwinSpires or any other operator.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $72 Presque Isle Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 10/16 Keeneland KDBC/BCBC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $200 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 10/17 Keeneland KDBC/BCBC Qualifier
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge
• $80 Mountaineer Feeder to 10/24 Keeneland BCBC Bonus Feeder

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Finger Lakes: Race 4: New York Breeders’ Futurity (six furlongs on dirt, 2:22 p.m. ET)

#3 D I Wire (4-5) is 2-for-3, with his lone defeat coming in the Funny Cide S. at Saratoga. He made his Finger Lakes debut in the 5 1/2-furlong Aspirant S. last month and led by daylight at every call to triumph by 2 1/4 lengths.

That victory yielded a flashy 90 Brisnet Speed rating, stamping D I Wire as the horse to beat in the New York Breeders’ Futurity. Let’s key him over runaway Finger Lakes maiden winner #4 Silver Knight (5-2) in a cold exacta.

Selections

• #3 D I Wire (4-5)
• #4 Silver Knight (5-2)
• #1 Big Poppy (4-1)

Wagers

• $30 Exacta: 3 with 4

Presque Isle Downs: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on Tapeta, 4:51 p.m. ET)

#5 All About Soul (10-1) hasn’t factored in two starts against New York-bred maiden special weight company at Saratoga and Belmont Park. But even in defeat, he’s earned Brisnet Speed ratings of 61 and 60 that generally stack up well against Monday’s field.

All About Soul may find the competition easier at Presque Isle Downs, and his pedigree suggests he’ll be at his best running long, so let’s place a win bet on All About Soul.

Selections

• #5 All About Soul (10-1)
• #4 Aloha East (5-2)
• #2 Hide N Watch (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #5 All About Soul

Santa Anita: Race 10: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on dirt, 8:30 p.m. ET)

#8 Moonflight (9-2) broke slowly when debuting in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Del Mar, but he rallied in the homestretch to finish third with a respectable 82 Brisnet Speed rating.

As a son of Flightline out of the Uncle Mo mare Harvest Moon, Moonflight has the pedigree to relish stretching out over one mile, so we anticipate he’ll vie for victory on Monday.

A win bet is in order, along with a small exacta using #10 Domenici (5-1) for second place.

Selections

• #8 Moonflight (9-2)
• #10 Domenici (5-1)
• #5 Articulation (5-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #8 Moonflight
• $5 Exacta: 8 with 10
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: $12,729 Super High 5 carryover (4:45 p.m. ET)

It’s a grand day when there’s a carryover in the 10-cent “Grand High 5” Super High 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The non-jackpot wager is quite affordable compared to typical $1 Super High 5 wagers, and the carryover for Monday’s card is hefty at $12,729.

The prize pool is up for grabs in Race 6, a maiden special weight for Indiana-bred juveniles sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt. #8 Captain Shagaf (8-5) is a logical favorite, and we recommend keying him on top of your tickets.

Wagers

• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with 1,2 with 1,2 with ALL with ALL ($6)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with 1,2 with ALL with 1,2 with ALL ($6)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with 1,2 with ALL with ALL with 1,2 ($6)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with ALL with 1,2 with 1,2 with ALL ($6)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with ALL with 1,2 with ALL with 1,2 ($6)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 8 with ALL with ALL with 1,2 with 1,2 ($6)
  Total: $36

Captain Shagaf has started three times in sprints at this track and class level. He’s finished second twice, earning Brisnet Speed ratings of 61 and 68. In his most recent race on Sept. 21, he started as the 4-5 favorite and was beaten only 1 1/4 lengths.

Trainer Genaro Garcia wins at a 28% rate with horses beaten as the favorite in their previous start, so there’s a good chance Captain Shagaf will graduate on Monday. Take note, none of the other experienced horses entered in Race 6 have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 57.

The second-fastest of the experienced runners is #1 Jaguar Justice (12-1), who earned his 57 rating when debuting with a third-place finish at this track, distance, and class level on Sept. 21. In that race, he came home 6 1/4 lengths behind Captain Shagaf. We don’t anticipate Jaguar Justice will defeat Captain Shagaf, but a top-five finish is well within reach.

#2 Ephesian Cat (9-2) is another obvious candidate to crack the top five. He’s finished fifth, second, and third in his first three tries sprinting at this track and class level.

We’ll count on both Jaguar Justice and Ephesian Cat to finish somewhere in the top five.

For the remaining slots of our tickets, we’ll hit the “ALL” button. Four of the other six entrants are first-time starters without any proven form to analyze, and any of them could get involved for a top-five finish.

The last two experienced runners, #3 Whiskey Storm (10-1) and #9 Primal Roar (15-1), have finished behind Ephesian Cat in the past, but neither would need a huge step forward to turn the tables.

Good luck!