Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Cox juveniles at 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

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) suggests 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 23% 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!