Thursday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Mo Grey can win debut

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Thursday, May 8 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Churchill Downs, including a first-time starter at 8-1.

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 May 29.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $200 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 5/24 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $160 Churchill Downs Feeder to 5/18 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $50 Churchill Downs Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on dirt, 4:53 p.m. ET)

Trainer Aaron West doesn’t often debut juveniles in May or earlier at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but when he does, watch out. From two such starters since 2020, West has saddled one winner and one runner-up.

This bodes well for #6 Mo Grey (8-1), a son of Grade 1-winning sprinter Yaopon. A pair of recent half-mile workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis (including one from the starting gate in :48 3/5) should have Mo Grey fit for a winning debut under jockey Samuel Bermudez, a 26% winner teaming up with West over the last two months.

A win bet is in order.

Selections

• #6 Mo Grey (8-1)
• #3 Mr. Sensei (6-5)
• #8 Cat’s Spirit (5-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #6 Mo Grey

Churchill Downs: Race 1: $20,000 Claiming (one mile on dirt, 5:00 p.m. ET)

#4 Wits and Wagers (3-1) earned some sharp Brisnet Speed ratings competing on dirt last year. Most notably, she posted an 84 when rallying to dominate a one-mile $50,000 claimer at Ellis Park by 3 3/4 lengths.

The par winning Brisnet Speed rating for Thursday’s conditions is only 79, so Wits and Wagers is a logical win threat while dropping down to the $20,000 level.

Let’s try betting Wits and Wagers to start a small double wager.

Selections

• #4 Wits and Wagers (3-1)
• #5 Sweet Chablis (2-1)
• #3 Jackie’s Love (15-1)

Wagers

• $10 Double: 4 with 10

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

Over the past few years, trainer John Ennis has compiled a modest 1-for-98 (1%) record saddling first-time starters in maiden special weights. His record with second-time starters during the same timeframe is dramatically better: 13-for-92 (14%).

With this in mind, we must back #10 Chambourcin (7-2) on Thursday. A second-time starter from the Ennis barn, Chambourcin ran evenly to finish third in her debut sprinting 4 1/2 furlongs at Keeneland, a race from which the runner-up returned to win.

We’ll keep our strategy simple with a win bet on Chambourcin. We’ll also single her to end our double wager.

Selections

• #10 Chambourcin (7-2)
• #8 Gorrono Ranch (8-5)
• #7 Soundmischievous (10-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #10 Chambourcin

Good luck!