Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Cox juveniles at Indianapolis
Racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis (Photo by Coady Photography/Horseshoe Indianapolis)
Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, Aug. 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Assiniboia Downs, including a pair of first-time starters trained by Brad Cox.
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.
- Assiniboia Downs 25% Double Down: Hit two double wagers at Assiniboia Downs to receive a 25% boost (maximum $25 in total) on all winning double wagers for the day at Assiniboia Downs each Tuesday in August.
- Presque Isle Downs $1,000 Win Hit It & Split It: Hit three winning $10+ win wagers at Presque Isle Downs each Tuesday in August for a chance to split a $1,000 prize pool each promotional day.
Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:
- $150 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 8/9 Saratoga/Arlington Million MMBC Qualifier
- $30 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
- $160 Mountaineer Feeder to 8/16 Saratoga/King's Plate KDBC/NHC Qualifier
It can be tricky for inexperienced horseplayers to bet on maiden races filled with unraced horses. How is it possible to predict the performances of horses who have never run?@J_Keelerman is here to help ⤵️ https://t.co/9wjSr6vjBK
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) October 6, 2022
Best Bets and Quick Picks
Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on dirt, 2:10 p.m. ET)
Since 2022, trainer Brad Cox has compiled a stellar 9-for-22 (41%) record debuting juveniles in dirt routes at Horseshoe Indianapolis. That’s a 41% win rate and a 73% in-the-money rate.
Cox has two unraced juveniles entered in Tuesday’s opener. #2 Horse of the Sea (5-1), a son of champion two-year-old male Classic Empire, has put together a sharp work tab at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Meanwhile, #6 Arabia Wild (4-1)—sired by Horse of the Year Gun Runner—has posted four straight five-furlong workouts at Keeneland.
Let’s box Horse of the Sea and Arabia Wild in the exacta.
Selections
- #6 Arabia Wild (4-1)
- #2 Horse of the Sea (5-1)
- #3 Inordinary (7-5)
Wagers
- $10 Exacta: box 2,6 ($20)
Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on turf, 5:16 p.m. ET)
#6 Collective Beauty (3-1) is an unraced two-year-old from the barn of Brad Cox, who has gone 6-for-15 (40%) debuting juveniles in turf sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis since 2022.
A series of sharp workouts at Churchill Downs (including a bullet five furlongs in 1:00 3/5) suggest Collective Beauty has talent. Throw in the presence of hot jockey Fernando De La Cruz (a 50% winner teaming up with Cox over the last two months), and Collective Beauty is worthy of a win bet.
Selections
- #6 Collective Beauty (3-1)
- #4 Al Muheerah (5-1)
- #9 Charcoal Queen (6-1)
Wagers
- $30 to win on #6 Collective Beauty
Assiniboia Downs: Race 1: Maiden Special Weight (4 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 8:30 p.m. ET)
#5 Areunotentertained (9-2) has posted a bevy of bullet workouts at Assiniboia Downs for trainer Jared Brown, who wins at a 23% winner with horses debuting in maiden special weights.
A son of Thousand Words, who won the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) as a juvenile, Areunotentertained is slated to be ridden by Neville Stephenson, who has gone 3-for-6 (50%) teaming up with Brown over the last two months.
Let’s bet Areunotentertained to win and play him over stablemate #2 Omaha Warrior (8-5) in a small exacta.
Selections
- #5 Areunotentertained (9-2)
- #2 Omaha Warrior (8-5)
- #1 Ranger Town (7-2)
Wagers
- $20 to win on #5 Areunotentertained
- $5 Exacta: 5 with 2
Total: $25
Good luck!
Expert handicapper @James_Scully111 shares his top tips to consider when watching replays for your handicapping.
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) April 20, 2025
TwinSpires offers historical replays for over 300 tracks worldwide.
Learn more with TwinSpires Training to Win ⤵️ https://t.co/BdYIiRjGYd pic.twitter.com/vPVxALvinR
ADVERTISEMENT