Monday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Tickets for a $6,998 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Monday, Oct. 19 at Finger Lakes and Presque Isle Downs, along with tickets for the $6,998 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 10/23 Keeneland BCBC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $200 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 10/24 Keeneland BCBC Bonus Qualifier
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge
• $200 Mountaineer Feeder to 10/25 Churchill Downs BCBC Bonus Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Finger Lakes: Race 2: $5,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on dirt, 1:24 p.m. ET)

#4 Bargain Purchase (2-1) is dropping in class after finishing third in a six-furlong $11,000 maiden claimer at Finger Lakes two weeks ago. He has tactical speed and should be difficult to catch while stretching out over one mile and descending to the $5,000 level for trainer Dana Saul, who wins at a 21% rate with horses making the sprint-to-route switch.

#1 Broken Record (3-1), runner-up in three straight $5,000 claimers running long at Finger Lakes, can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #4 Bargain Purchase (2-1)
• #1 Broken Record (3-1)
• #2 Kealybug (10-1)

Wagers

• $18 to win on #4 Bargain Purchase
• $12 Exacta: 4 with 1
  Total: $30

Finger Lakes: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 2:51 p.m. ET)

#3 Nickerson (8-1) is an intriguing price play. He hasn’t shown much in two starts against New York-breds at Aqueduct and Belmont Park, but those races took place on turf, and his pedigree (by Knicks Go out of a mare by Constitution) suggests he could improve while trying dirt.

Let’s take a chance betting Nickerson to win.

Selections

• #3 Nickerson (8-1)
• #7 Gitole (3-1)
• #6 Killybegs Kid (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Nickerson

Presque Isle Downs: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (one mile and 70 yards on Tapeta, 4:24 p.m. ET)

#1 Mr Bobo (3-1) might be an 0-for-10 maiden, but nine of his starts have come in Kentucky, and eight have come on turf. He’s only tried Tapeta twice, finishing fourth in a pair of maiden special weights at Turfway Park.

Mr Bobo brings sharp Brisnet Speed ratings to the table and may find the competition easier at Presque Isle Downs. Let’s place a win bet on the five-year-old gelding and key him over #6 Equator (4-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #1 Mr Bobo (3-1)
• #6 Equator (4-1)
• #5 Minotaur (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #1 Mr Bobo
• $5 Exacta: 1 with 6
  Total: $30

Carryover Watch

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: $6,998 Super High 5 carryover (4:45 p.m. ET)

If you’re in the mood to play a more affordable Super High 5 than the many options carrying $1 minimum bet amounts, check out the “Grand High 5” at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where the minimum wager is a mere 10 cents.

Monday is the perfect time to play the Grand High 5 because there’s a $6,998 carryover up for grabs.

The prize pool is available to chase in Race 6, a $12,500 claimer for Indiana-breds sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on dirt. We believe longshot #7 Estrella Brillante (12-1) has upset potential.

Wagers

• 10-cent Super High 5: 4,7 with 4,7 with 2,5,6,8 with ALL with ALL ($16)
• 10-cent Super High 5: 4,7 with 2 with 4,7 with ALL with ALL ($4)
  Total: $20

Estrella Brillante has spent much of 2026 running long against allowance company at Horseshoe Indianapolis. However, she’s earned her best Brisnet Speed ratings of the season in a pair of recent six-furlong claiming sprints at this track.

On Sept. 9, Estrella Brillante charged from midfield to win a $15,000 claimer for Indiana-breds by one length, earning a career-best 69 Brisnet Speed rating. Then on Oct. 6, she finished fourth in a fast $12,500 claimer for Indiana-breds, earning a 67 Brisnet Speed rating.

None of the other runners entered in Race 6 have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 68 in their last three starts apiece, so if Estrella Brillante brings her A game, victory is well within reach.

Her stiffest competition may come from #4 Starry Eye Justice (3-1), who hasn’t finished worse than second in four starts against non-stakes competition on dirt, all sprinting at Horseshoe Indianapolis. She won an allowance for Indiana-breds during the summer by 2 3/4 lengths, and she recently ran second in a $12,500 claimer. Those efforts yielded matching 68 Brisnet Speed ratings that stack up well against Estrella Brillante.

#2 Imperial Merlot (5-2) is another obvious contender. While not the most consistent performer, the three-year-old filly occasionally fires off a big effort, and she exits a gate-to-wire victory in a $12,500 claimer at Horseshoe Indianapolis. On her best day, she’s a logical candidate to finish in the top three, but there’s also a chance she’ll misfire and finish out of the top five.

Underneath, we’ll use #5 I’malittlethirsty (5-1), #6 Zealous Justice (8-1), and #8 Luna Diva (5-1) for as high as third place before hitting the “ALL” button for the bottom two slots of our tickets.

Good luck!