Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: 8-1 from a hot trainer

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, June 2 at Finger Lakes and Thistledown, including an 8-1 shot from a red-hot trainer.

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 Points at Woodbine Mohawk: Receive 8x reward points on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Woodbine Mohawk each Monday in June.
• 8x Points at Presque Isle Downs: Receive 8x reward points on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Presque Isle Downs each Monday and Tuesday in June.
• 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.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $30 Parx Challenge
• $50 Presque Isle Downs Challenge
• $100 Presque Isle Downs Feeder to 6/14 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $100 Mountaineer Feeder to 6/21 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Finger Lakes: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2:56 p.m. ET)

Trainer Anthony Ferraro has been on fire at Finger Lakes this meet, going 17-for-44 (39%). Also, since 2022, Ferraro has gone 5-for-14 (36%) debuting three-year-olds in dirt sprints at Finger Lakes.

These stats bode well for #3 Heart Collector (8-1), an unraced three-year-old filly conditioned by Ferraro. While her work tab isn’t overly flashy, she’s slated to be ridden by hot jockey Luis Perez, a 28% winner at Finger Lakes this meet and a 56% winner teaming up with Ferraro over the last two months.

At 8-1, a win bet on Heart Collector is warranted.

Selections

• #3 Heart Collector (8-1)
• #6 Signifying Nothing (4-1)
• #9 Miss C Banker (3-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Heart Collector

Thistledown: Race 6: Allowance (six furlongs on dirt, 3:20 p.m. ET)

#4 Drury Lane (2-1) is 2-for-2 at Thistledown this year. First he smashed a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight by 10 1/2 lengths, earning an 85 Brisnet Speed rating. Then he posted an 88 Speed rating when wiring a six-furlong allowance by 2 3/4 lengths.

None of Drury Lane’s Monday rivals have posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 86, so let’s count on this four-year-old gelding to deliver a third straight win for the hot jockey/trainer duo of Luis Rivera and Jeffrey Radosevich.

Florida shipper #3 Tapirs Valor (9-5) can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #4 Drury Lane (2-1)
• #3 Tapirs Valor (9-5)
• #2 Express Cruiser (3-1)

Wagers

• $22 to win on #4 Drury Lane
• $8 Exacta: 4 with 3
  Total: $30

Finger Lakes: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 3:25 p.m. ET)

#6 Fazaro (15-1) hasn’t competed since the end of 2022, and the 2 1/2-year layoff is obviously a question mark. But back in 2022 he was earning sharp Brisnet Speed ratings at Aqueduct, Saratoga, and Belmont Park, and on his best day he’s the fastest horse in this Finger Lakes maiden special weight.

Fazaro has been gelded since his last race and breezed a bullet half-mile in :47 1/5 on April 29 at Finger Lakes. That’s a quick enough exercise to suggest Fazaro can factor in his comeback, so at 15-1 he’s worth betting to win.

Selections

• #6 Fazaro (15-1)
• #4 But Now Am Found (7-2)
• #2 Fast Amendment (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 Fazaro

Good luck!