Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Asmussen juvenile at 8-1

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, June 12 at Santa Anita and Churchill Downs, along with analysis of carryovers at Hawthorne and 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.
• 5x Points on Harness Racing: Receive 5x points on all wagers at harness tracks (excluding show bets) each Wednesday and Thursday from May 7 through June 26.
• Churchill Downs Triple Rewards Points: Receive triple rewards point on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Churchill Downs from Wednesday through Friday.
• 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:

• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $100 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 6/21 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $200 Churchill Downs Feeder to 6/14 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $50 Churchill Downs Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Santa Anita: Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on dirt, 4:33 p.m. ET)

#1 Himika (7-5) looks ready to win first-time out for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a 32% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights. The two-year-old daughter of Curlin has put together a flashy work tab capped off by a near-bullet half-mile from the Santa Anita starting gate in :46 4/5.

#3 Bottle of Rouge (2-1), a second Baffert trainee, can round out the exacta.

Selections

• #1 Himika (7-5)
• #3 Bottle of Rouge (2-1)
• #2 Glassheart (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 Exacta: 1 with 3

Churchill Downs: Race 1: Allowance (1 3/8 miles on turf, 5:00 p.m. ET)

#1 Stellify (2-1) has a big chance to win this three-turn grass allowance. Last month, the stoutly bred daughter of Justify employed pace-pressing tactics to win a 1 1/8-mile turf maiden special weight at Churchill by two lengths over a next-out winner.

There’s barely any pace entered in Thursday’s field, so Stellify appears poised to shake loose on an uncontested lead and never look back. #5 Tarneema (8-5), exiting a third-place finish in the 1 1/2-mile Keertana S. at Churchill, can take home runner-up honors.

Selections

• #1 Stellify (2-1)
• #5 Tarneema (8-5)
• #2 Wedding Mood (4-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #1 Stellify
• $15 Exacta: 1 with 5
  Total: $30

Churchill Downs: Race 2: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:29 p.m. ET)

#8 Hyperlink (8-1) has put together a sharp work tab highlighted by a couple of half-mile exercises from the Keeneland starting gate in :47 4/5 and :47 1/5.

Hyperlink’s sire, Independence Hall, won the Nashua (G3) during an unblemished 2-for-2 juvenile season, so Hyperlink has the potential to shine from an early age. If his 8-1 morning-line odds hold up, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #8 Hyperlink (8-1)
• #6 She’s On a Roll (2-1)
• #2 Clocker Special (10-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #8 Hyperlink

Carryover Watch

Hawthorne: Race 2: $312 Pick 6 carryover (4:05 p.m. ET)

The $1 Pick 6 at Hawthorne features a modest, but nevertheless value-adding $312 carryover for Thursday’s card.

Looking for a single to build tickets around? Turn your attention to Race 4, a $5,000 claimer for horses who have never won three races. The 5 1/2-furlong dirt dash has drawn only six entries, and morning-line favorite #1 Secession (4-5) is a Brisnet Speed rating standout.

Whereas none of Secession’s rivals have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 76, Secession has earned numbers of 81 and 77 in his last two starts. On April 10, he led by daylight at every call of a 5 1/2-furlong $5,000 claimer for non-winners of two races at Hawthorne, dominating by six lengths over a next-out winner. Then on May 10, Secession finished a pacesetting third in a 5 1/2-furlong $10,000 claimer for non-winners of three races at Fairmount Park.

Dropping back down to the $5,000 level should make Secession mighty tough to beat for red-hot trainer Jose Rodriguez, who has gone 6-for-16 (38%) at Hawthorne this meet. Bettors can feel confident singling Secession in the Pick 6.

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 9: $3,651 Super High 5 carryover (6:14 p.m. ET)

Do you like betting Quarter Horse races? Then you may wish to play Thursday’s ninth race at Horseshoe Indianapolis, a maiden special weight for Quarter Horse fillies and mares sprinting 300 yards on dirt. If you can solve the 20-cent “Grand High 5” Super High 5, you’ll win a share of a $3,651 carryover.

#7 Boujee Blood (8-5) is the filly to beat. On May 12, she finished second in a 350-yard Maiden Stakes Trial at Horseshoe Indianapolis, beaten only a head. Then in the Maiden Stakes final over the same track and distance on May 31, Boujee Blood finished seventh by just three-quarters of a length while posting a sharp time of :17.901.

The field for this maiden special weight looks easier, as Boujee Blood’s rivals have posted considerably slower times in their 350-yard races. We suggest keying the favorite on top of your Super High 5 tickets.

Good luck!