Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Aqueduct’s $139,950 Pick 6 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, June 25 at Colonial Downs and Churchill Downs, along with horses to play in Aqueduct’s $139,950 Pick 6 carryover and Churchill’s $6,451 Super High 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.
• $2,000 Early Pick 4 Hit It and Split It at Churchill Downs: Hit the Early Pick 4 at Churchill Downs for a chance to split a $2,000 prize pool each racing Thursday in June.
• 8x Rewards Points at Charlottetown - Red Shores: Receive 8x rewards points on all wagers at Charlottetown Red Shores each racing day until June 27.
• $250,000 Minimum Guarantee Jackpot 8: Play the Jackpot 8 at Churchill Downs on TwinSpires for a chance to win a guaranteed payout of $250,000 for any single winner of the entire Jackpot 8.
• $3,000 Turf Trial at Colonial Downs: Place $10+ single-horse win wagers in selected turf races at Colonial Downs on Thursday to compete for your share of a $3,000 prize pool.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $120 Belmont at the Big A Feeder to 7/4 Saratoga SSBC Qualifier
• $50 Belmont at the Big A Challenge
• $280 Churchill Downs Bonus Feeder to 6/26 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $40 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $100 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $88 Churchill Downs Feeder to 7/3 Saratoga SSBC Bonus Feeder

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Colonial Downs: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 12:30 p.m. ET)

During the 2025 summer meet at Colonial Downs, trainer Michael Trombetta compiled a strong 8-for-22 (36%) record saddling two-year-olds. This bodes well for #2 Fission (5-2), an unraced juvenile from Trombetta’s barn.

Fission is a son of Great Notion, who sires a lofty 18% winners from first-time starters. And Fission’s dam is Split It, who previously foaled the debut-winning juvenile and eventual Jameela S. winner Alla Breve. Thus, Fission has the pedigree to shine from an early age.

Throw in the fact Fission recently breezed a bullet half-mile from the Fair Hill starting gate in :48.80, and he’s worthy of a large win bet.

Selections

• #2 Fission (5-2)
• #3 X G Man (7-5)
• #1 The Gabe Digger (3-1)

Wagers

• $40 to win on #2 Fission

Colonial Downs: Race 6: $50,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (one mile on dirt, 2:54 p.m. ET)

#6 Caldera (6-5), runner-up in the 2025 Sunland Park Derby, recently ended a one-year layoff in a $25,000 allowance optional claimer at Gulfstream Park. He led all the way through quick pace fractions to dominate the one-mile contest by 6 1/4 lengths.

With this strong comeback effort under his belt, Caldera should be tough to beat at Colonial Downs. #1 Who’s the King (9-2) can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #6 Caldera (6-5)
• #1 Who’s the King (9-2)
• #5 Statesman (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 Caldera
• $20 Exacta: 6 with 1
  Total: $40

Churchill Downs: Race 7: $125,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 7:54 p.m. ET)

#1 It’s Our Time (5-2) was spectacular when debuting in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga last summer. He won by 17 3/4 lengths over a field including future Kentucky Derby (G1) runner-up Renegade.

It’s Our Time faltered in two subsequent starts racing one mile, but he’s been freshened since November and should appreciate cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs for his 2026 debut. Let’s bet him to win and key him over #7 Munnings Challenge (7-2) and #10 Lincoln’s Law (6-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #1 It’s Our Time (5-2)
• #7 Munnings Challenge (7-2)
• #10 Lincoln’s Law (6-1)

Wagers

• $24 to win on #1 It’s Our Time
• $8 Exacta: 1 with 7,10 ($16)
  Total: $40

Carryover Watch

Aqueduct: Race 3: $139,950 Pick 6 carryover (2:12 p.m. ET)

The highlight of the Thursday card at Aqueduct is a massive $139,950 Pick 6 carryover.

If you’re looking for a single to build tickets around, our best recommendation is #2 No Need to Panic (3-1) in Race 3, a $50,000 maiden claimer for New York-bred fillies and mares racing 1 1/16 miles on turf.

No Need to Panic is dropping in class after spending her first four starts competing against maiden special weight competition. Last time out, she made a nice midrace move in a 1 1/16-mile contest at Saratoga before flattening out to finish ninth by 6 1/4 lengths.

No Need to Panic should find the competition easier while tackling a $50,000 maiden claimer at Aqueduct. Her sharp and consistent Brisnet Speed ratings in the 70-73 range cement the daughter of McKinzie as a compelling win choice.

Churchill Downs: Race 1: $6,451 Super High 5 carryover (5:00 p.m. ET)

If you want to win a share of Thursday’s $6,451 Super High 5 carryover at Churchill Downs, you’ll have to solve Race 1, a $12,500 maiden claimer for fillies and mares sprinting six furlongs on dirt.

A dozen horses have entered, so before scratches there are 95,040 possible Super High 5 outcomes to analyze.

Here are four horses worth including on your tickets:

#4 Imminent Risk (3-1): The morning-line favorite is dropping in class and distance after finishing sixth in a $50,000 maiden claimer racing one mile on turf. Her pedigree suggests she can handle dirt, and red-hot jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. is named to ride.

#7 Beauxbatons (7-2): Troubled starts didn’t help Beauxbatons’ chances in a pair of maiden special weights at Laurel Park and Churchill Downs; she finished sixth and eighth. A clean break while dropping in class could trigger a turnaround. Keep in mind, trainer Whit Beckman wins at a 31% rate with horses tackling the maiden claiming ranks for the first time.

#9 Spotted (9-2): After breaking slowly in a recent 5 1/2-furlong $30,000 maiden claimer at Churchill, Spotted closed some ground to finish sixth by 7 3/4 lengths. Trainer Alexis Claire strikes at a 35% rate with horses dropping multiple levels down the class ladder, so facing easier competition should help Spotted’s chances.

#12 Don’tmindifido (15-1): If you draw a line through Don’tmindifido’s last two starts on Tapeta, her form is encouraging. In her last dirt race, she finished fourth by 1 3/4 lengths in a $20,000 maiden claimer sprinting six furlongs at Churchill. Returning to dirt and tackling a $12,500 maiden claimer could make Don’tmindifido dangerous at a price.

Good luck!