Tuesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Parx’s $295,843 Pick 5 mandatory payout

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Tuesday, May 20 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Presque Isle Downs, along with a ticket for the mandatory-payout $295,843 Pick 5 carryover at Parx Racing.

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 every Tuesday and Wednesday in May.
• 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:

• $50 Parx Challenge
• $100 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 5/24 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $30 Presque Isle Downs Challenge
• $160 Mountaineer Feeder to 5/26 Churchill Downs BCBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 2: $15,000 Claiming (six furlongs on dirt, 2:41 p.m. ET)

#6 Shaggy Kitty (6-5) is the fastest horse on paper, but she hasn’t run in nearly a year. With only one timed exercise (three furlongs in :39 2/5) on her work tab this year, it’s possible she’ll need a race before returning to peak form.

Let’s try to beat Shaggy Kitty with #3 Sweet Saint (6-1). The three-year-old filly won her Oct. 7 debut in a $30,000 maiden claimer at Horseshoe Indianapolis and has posted 10 timed workouts in preparation for her 2025 bow. She can use her early speed to spring a surprise for the red-hot jockey/trainer duo of Samuel Bermudez and Aaron West.

Selections

• #3 Sweet Saint (6-1)
• #6 Shaggy Kitty (6-5)
• #4 Peter’s Dream (5-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Sweet Saint

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Allowance (five furlongs on turf, 5:16 p.m. ET)

Former British campaigner #3 Miss Bodacious (5-2) has finished third in her first two U.S. starts. Both were $25,000 allowance optional claimers sprinting five furlongs over the Gulfstream Park turf course, and she earned 80 Brisnet Speed ratings on both occasions.

Miss Bodacious may find the competition a bit easier at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where trainer Brian Lynch has gone 8-for-24 (33%) since 2023. Let’s bet Miss Bodacious to win and key her over #9 Best Cupcake (5-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #3 Miss Bodacious (5-2)
• #9 Best Cupcake (5-1)
• #8 Dala (9-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Miss Bodacious
• $5 Exacta: 3 with 9
  Total: $30

Presque Isle Downs: Race 8: $5,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs on Tapeta, 6:39 p.m. ET)

#5 Magic Life (5-2) was in sharp form sprinting at Presque Isle Downs last year, cracking the trifecta in three straight $6,250 and $5,000 claimers while earning Brisnet Speed ratings of 75, 70, 74, and 79.

The par winning Brisnet Speed rating for Tuesday’s conditions is 71, so Magic Life should be tough to beat in her 2025 debut for trainer Louis Ruberto, a respectable 17% winner with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more. A large win bet is in order.

Selections

• #5 Magic Life (5-2)
• #6 Down to Earth (5-1)
• #1 La Tourista (3-1)

Wagers

• $35 to win on #5 Magic Life

Carryover Watch

Parx Racing: Race 4: $295,843 Pick 5 mandatory payout (2:01 p.m. ET)

The Tuesday card at Parx is highlighted by the mandatory payout of a $295,843 jackpot carryover in the 50-cent “Philly Big 5” Pick 5.

Let’s take a race-by-race look at the sequence and assemble a ticket for under $100:

Race 4: $5,000 claiming (one mile and 70 yards on dirt)

#7 Makabim (8-5) is the favorite after hitting the board in his last two starts over this track and class level, but as a stretch runner in a field without much pace, he doesn’t look unbeatable. We’ll use #1 Empire’s Score (6-1) and #2 Olympic Romp (5-1) as backup.

Race 5: $5,000 Claiming (one mile and 70 yards on dirt)

In two starts since being claimed by high-percentage trainer Jamie Ness, #2 Kick Startness (8-5) has finished third and fifth in $7,500 claimers at Laurel Park, earning Brisnet Speed ratings of 79 and 75 that stack up well at Parx. Dropping in class for a $5,000 claimer should make Kick Startness tough to beat, though #6 Jacohare (5-1) is fast enough to challenge on his best day.

Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (seven furlongs on dirt)

None of the fillies and mares in this field have run especially fast, but #3 Leilauni Sue (7-2), #5 Champagne Mischief (2-1), and #6 Dadoo (5-2) look like the best of the lot, so we’ll use all three.

Race 7: $16,000 Starter Optional Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs on dirt)

#3 J D Factor (9-5) has cracked the top five in his last four starts against $50,000 starter allowance company at Aqueduct. #6 No No Joe (2-1) exits a close third-place finish in a $30,000 claimer at Aqueduct. These two have a strong chance to run 1-2 while taking on easier competition at Parx.

Race 8: $15,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs on dirt)

In a wide-open finale, #3 Master of Tweets (7-2), #5 Byrde of War (9-2), #6 Stonecold Reaction (3-1), and #7 Sweet Winner (6-1) look like the best of the experienced runners, but first-time starter #8 Midnight Dreamer (6-1) won’t have to be a superstar to visit the winner’s circle for red-hot trainer Michael Pino.

• 50-cent Pick 5: 1,2,7 with 2,6 with 3,5,6 with 3,6 with 3,5,6,7,8 ($90)

Good luck!