Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Gulfstream’s mandatory-payout $20,985 Pick 6 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Aug. 31 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with horses to play in Gulfstream Park’s $20,985 Pick 6 mandatory payout and Presque Isle Downs’ $2,060 Pick 5 carryover.

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 August.
• 15% Odds Boost at GBI Racing: Opt in to receive a 15% odds boost (up to $25 per day) on your winning single-horse win wagers at select GBI tracks from Monday, Aug. 10 through Monday, Aug. 31.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $52 Presque Isle Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 9/6 Kentucky Downs Bonus Feeder
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $100 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 9/3 King of the Turf Qualifier
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge
• $100 Mountaineer Feeder to 9/11 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Bonus Feeder

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 1: $40,000 Maiden Claiming (five furlongs on dirt, 2:10 p.m. ET)

#1 Windsock (5-1) tired to finish eighth when debuting in a seven-furlong $50,000 maiden optional claimer at Ellis Park. But now he’s dropping down in class and distance for trainer Rodolphe Brisset, who wins at a sharp 22% rate with second-time starters.

Windsock appears poised to move forward in a big way, so let’s bet him to win.

Selections

• #1 Windsock (5-1)
• #3 Shai A (9-5)
• #7 Aizhurek (5-2)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #1 Windsock

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:14 p.m. ET)

None of the experienced runners in this field of Indiana-bred juveniles have earned particularly sharp Brisnet Speed ratings, so let’s take a shot backing the first-time starter #6 Discreet Boy (8-1).

Discreet Boy is trained by Denis Cluley, who has won at a 33% rate with first-time starters in recent years. Just as significantly, Discreet Boy’s dam—Little Miss Chacha—has foaled two winners from two starters, and both of those starters won first-time out against maiden special weight competition at age two.

Given these positive trainer and pedigree stats, Discreet Boy is worthy of a win bet.

Selections

• #6 Discreet Boy (8-1)
• #8 Sleepy Beauty (6-1)
• #3 Jims Promise (5-2)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #6 Discreet Boy

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

Unraced two-year-old #6 Whiskey Storm (10-1) has a chance to outrun expectations. The son of juvenile graded stakes winner Sombeyay is trained by Anthony Cunningham, a 28% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights.

Whiskey Storm enters off a solid half-mile workout from the Horseshoe Indianapolis starting gate in :48 3/5, and he’s slated to be ridden by Joshua Morales, a 33% winner teaming up with Cunningham over the last two months.

Let’s place a win bet on Whiskey Storm and hope his enticing morning-line odds hold up.

Selections

• #6 Whiskey Storm (10-1)
• #1 Kansascityjustice (5-2)
• #7 Captain Shagaf (3-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #6 Whiskey Storm

Carryover Watch

Gulfstream Park: Race 4: $20,985 Pick 6 mandatory payout (1:54 p.m. ET)

Every Monday racing program at Gulfstream Park since July 13 has featured a mandatory payout in the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6. But today is the final Monday program of the season, so if you want to join in on the action, be sure to chase today’s mandatory-payout $20,985 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover.

Gulfstream estimates the final pool will reach the $400,000 range.

If you would like a strong single to build tickets around, look in Race 7, a maiden special weight taking place over one mile on dirt. Only half a dozen horses (most of them three-year-olds) have entered, and #6 Mediterranean Sea (7-5) looms as a formidable favorite.

Mediterranean Sea debuted in a six-furlong maiden special weight on July 19 at Gulfstream Park. He raced in midfield on his way to finishing third with an 83 Brisnet Speed rating. That’s the highest number belonging to any horse entered in Race 7.

Mediterranean Sea is trained by Saffie Joseph Jr., who wins at a 22% rate with horses running long for the first time, and at an excellent 29% rate with second-time starters. These stats suggest Mediterranean Sea will be tough to beat while stretching out in distance for his second race.

Presque Isle Downs: Race 4: $2,060 Pick 5 carryover (4:51 p.m. ET)

Monday’s 50-cent Late Pick 5 at Presque Isle Downs includes a $2,060 carryover.

One of the hardest races in the sequence to decipher is Race 4, a maiden special weight for fillies and mares dashing six furlongs on Tapeta. Although the race has drawn only six entries, the field includes a couple of first-time starters plus two horses trying Tapeta for the first time.

We’ll try to get by using only two horse. #3 Ready Munny (2-1) has finished second in her first two starts sprinting against maiden special weight competition on dirt at Horseshoe Indianapolis, suggesting she’s a good fit for this class level. And first-time starter #2 Explosive Run (4-1) enters off quick workouts for hot trainer Todd Beattie, a respectable 19% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights. 

Good luck!