Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Opening day at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, April 7 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, along with a ticket for the $19,187 Pick 5 carryover at Mahoning Valley.

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.
• 15% Odds Boost at Horseshoe Indianapolis: Receive a 15% odds boost (up to $25 per day) on your winning single-horse win wagers at Horseshoe Indianapolis each racing Tuesday in April.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $100 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 4/10 Keeneland Bonus Feeder
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt, 4:45 p.m. ET)

#7 Ronilla (8-1) has set the pace in her last two starts sprinting six furlongs against maiden special weight competition on Tapeta at Turfway Park. She tired in both those races, finishing sixth and fifth, but she nevertheless earned respectable Brisnet Speed ratings.

Last year at Horseshoe Indianapolis, 39% of six-furlong dirt sprints were won by pacesetters. Ronilla’s speed may prove more effective over the Horseshoe Indianapolis dirt than the Turfway Tapeta, so let’s take a shot betting Ronilla to win.

Selections

• #7 Ronilla (8-1)
• #3 Presumptuous (7-2)
• #10 Santiana (9-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #7 Ronilla

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Merrill C. Roberts H. (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#6 Ekati Flatter (5-1) only raced twice last year, but in her 2025 debut, she rallied to beat #3 The Kid Pataky (7-2) in the Merrill C. Roberts H.

There’s plenty of pace in the 2026 edition of the Merrill C. Robetrs, which should help set up another winning rally from Ekati Flatter. Sharp recent workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis (including a bullet half-mile in :47) cement Ekati Flatter as a compelling win contender.

Let’s bet Ekati Flatter to win and single her to start a double wager.

Selections

• #6 Ekati Flatter (5-1)
• #3 The Kid Pataky (7-2)
• #1 Don’t Miss Out (4-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #6 Ekati Flatter
• $5 Double: 6 with 3
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 8: Brian Elmore H. (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 5:47 p.m. ET)

#3 Sleepy (9-2) ended his 2025 campaign at Horseshoe Indianapolis on a high note, winning four straight races. He’s posted fast workouts in preparation for his 2026 debut, including a bullet five furlongs in :59 2/5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis, suggest the four-year-old gelding is ready to pick up where he left off with another victory.

Let’s place a $20 win bet on Sleepy and single him to conclude our double wager.

Selections

• #3 Sleepy (9-2)
• #9 Molly’s Town (7-2)
• #6 Latigo (5-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #3 Sleepy

Carryover Watch

Mahoning Valley: Race 1: $19,187 Pick 5 carryover (12:15 p.m. ET)

Tuesday’s card at Mahoning Valley is highlighted by a $19,187 carryover in the 50-cent Early Pick 5.

Here’s how we recommend betting the sequence:

• 50-cent Pick 5: 4,5 with 6 with 1,3,4 with 1,6 with 1,2,4,5 ($24)

Race 1: $7,500 Claiming (six furlongs on dirt)

#4 Credit Check (8-5) is a logical favorite after finishing second over this track, distance, and class level on March 19, beaten only 2 1/4 lengths after tracking the pace and briefly leading. But don’t underestimate #5 Drill Blitz (2-1), runner-up at this class level at Thistledown last fall. She’s been freshened since October by hot trainer Jeffrey Radosevich and has win potential.

Race 2: $7,500 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs on dirt)

This race hasn’t come up all that tough on paper. We’ll take a stand and single #6 Princess Azara (6-5), who is dropping down in class and distance after finishing fifth in a one-mile maiden special weight at Mahoning Valley. In January, she ran second in a $25,000 maiden claimer sprinting six furlongs at Laurel Park, so Princess Azara should be tough to beat in a $7,500 maiden claimer over the same distance.

Race 3: $10,000 Claiming (six furlongs on dirt)

#1 The Miracle Kiut (5-2) has been facing tougher competition, but some of her best recent races have come running one mile. In her last sprint start, she finished behind #3 Cause of Love (2-1). Both mares warrant respect in this $10,000 claimer, and we’ll also use #4 Go Girl (4-1), who exits a fifth-place finish in a $25,000 claimer.

Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt)

#1 Clearly Irish (1-1) has a big win chance after finishing second in five of his last six starts. Three of those runner-up finishes came in maiden special weights at Mahoning. But is Clearly Irish’s tendency to settle for second place concerning? For backup, we’ll use #6 She Grins (5-2), a former Florida campaigner who rallied after a stumbling start to finish second in a recent maiden special weight at Mahoning.

Race 5: $5,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt)

The Early Pick 5 finale has come up competitive on paper. You can make a solid case for #1 Judy Elaine (8-1), #2 Fair Trade (5-2), #4 Scary Proposition (2-1), and #5 Starcourt (7-2) to challenge for victory, so we’ll use all four.

Good luck!