Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Finger Lakes $23,170 Pick 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Nov. 9 at Zia Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis, along horses to play in the $23,170 Pick 5 carryover at Finger Lakes.

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.
• 10x Rewards Points at Woodbine Mohawk: Opt in and receive 10x rewards points on all wagers at Woodbine Mohawk each racing day in November.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $80 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 11/13 Churchill Downs NHC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $80 Mountaineer Feeder to 11/20 Churchill Downs CBC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Zia Park: Race 1: $10,000 Maiden Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2:05 p.m. ET)

#6 Wicked Belle (5-1), an unraced four-year-old filly, has posted a few bullet workouts this year, including three furlongs from the starting gate in :36 3/5 last month. She’s facing a largely unremarkable field at Zia Park and may be quick enough to strike on debut.

Let’s place a win bet on Wicked Belle and key her over fellow first-time starter #4 Fair Ithaca (3-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #6 Wicked Belle (5-1)
• #4 Fair Ithaca (3-1)
• #3 List My Biz (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 Wicked Belle
• $5 Exacta: 6 with 4
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on dirt, 3:00 p.m. ET)

#8 Rocksie Girl (3-1) debuted in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. She stayed within 2 1/2 lengths of quick pace fractions before weakening to finish fourth, 7 1/2 lengths behind a runaway winner.

Trainer William Walden wins at a 23% rate with horses running long for the first time, and at a 29% rate with second-time starters, so Rocksie Girl is eligible to move forward at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Let’s key her over first-time starters #4 Conga (3-1) and #6 Run Kiki Run (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #8 Rocksie Girl (3-1)
• #4 Conga (3-1)
• #6 Run Kiki Run (7-2)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta: 8 with 4,6 ($30)

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: $40,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on turf, 3:30 p.m. ET)

#6 El Gran Ruchacha (12-1) is dropping in class and switching from dirt to turf after finishing eighth and sixth in his first two starts against maiden special weight competition at Keeneland.

As a son of Nashville (who is siring 19% winners from first-time turf starters) out of a mare by Ghostzapper, El Gran Ruchacha has the potential to handle grass, and picking up apprentice jockey Micah Meeks (who rides with a seven-pound weight allowance) could also help his chances.

At 12-1, El Gran Ruchacha is worthy of a win bet.

Selections

• #6 El Gran Ruchacha (12-1)
• #4 Dyna Run (5-1)
• #9 Magnus Crown (6-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 El Gran Ruchacha

Carryover Watch

Finger Lakes: Race 5: $23,170 Pick 5 carryover (2:03 p.m. ET)

If you’re betting Thoroughbred racing on Monday, you’ll want to check out the Finger Lakes card, which features an enticing $23,170 carryover in the 50-cent Late Pick 5.

After analyzing the entries, we’ve identified a couple of non-favored runners you’ll want to include on your tickets:

Race 6: #2 Sir Kartrite (7-2)

There’s a lot of speed entered in Race 6, a $10,000 allowance optional claimer for New York-breds sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt. Six of the seven entrants have raced forwardly in recent starts, including morning-line favorite #4 Lord King (2-1), who has set the pace in eight of his last 10 starts.

The group of speed horses includes Sir Kartrite, but he isn’t a need-the-lead type. True, he wired a six-furlong allowance on Sept. 15 at Finger Lakes, but he’s also proven effective rallying from off the pace. He fell 7 1/2 lengths behind a fast pace in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance on June 16 at Finger Lakes, but successfully rallied in the homestretch to defeat Lord King by half a length.

If Sir Kartrite employs rating tactics on Monday, he’ll have every chance to capitalize on a hot tempo and conquer Lord King once again.

Race 7: #4 Good Vintage (5-1)

The middle leg of the Pick 5 is the $45,000 Shesastonecoldfox S., a six-furlong dirt dash for two-year-old fillies. Seven of the eight entrants have raced at Finger Lakes, and the lone exception—Good Vintage—is eligible to strike in her local debut.

Good Vintage has only raced once, debuting in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park. She finished a distant fifth, but earned a 72 Brisnet Speed rating that fits well against the Shesastonecoldfox field. None of the other entrants have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 76.

Good Vintage is trained by Amelia Green, who has compiled a strong 7-4-2-0 (57%) record at Finger Lakes this meet, and she’s slated to be ridden by Reylu Gutierrez, whose strike rate at Finger Lakes this meet stands at 22%. There’s a lot to like about Good Vintage, so in addition to using her in the Pick 5, we recommend placing a win bet on the bay filly.

• $15 to win on #4 Good Vintage

Good luck!