Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: 15-1 maiden at Saratoga

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, June 4 at Saratoga and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a 15-1 longshot with promising credentials.

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 June 26.
• Assiniboia Downs 25% Double Down: Hit two double wagers in a single day at Assiniboia Downs to receive a 25% boost on all winning double wagers at Assiniboia (up to $25 for the day) every Tuesday and Wednesday in June.
• Belmont Stakes Racing Festival 15% Odds Boost: Receive a 15% odds boost (up to $50 per day) on your winning single-horse win wagers at Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival on Wednesday and Thursday.
• Churchill Downs Triple Rewards Points: Receive triple rewards point on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Churchill Downs from Wednesday through Friday.
• 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:

• $200 Churchill Downs Feeder to 6/14 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $50 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $40 Presque Isle Downs Challenge
• $30 Assiniboia Downs Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Saratoga: Race 2: Mike Lee S. (seven furlongs on dirt, 1:13 p.m. ET)

There are many proven stakes horses in this field of New York-breds, but up-and-coming maiden winner #5 Train the Trainer (3-1) might be the horse to beat.

Train the Trainer debuted in a non-state-restricted maiden special weight on April 6 at Santa Anita, finishing second against next-out winner and future Preakness (G1) fourth-place finisher Goal Oriented. One month later, Train the Trainer wired a maiden special weight for New York-breds at Aqueduct by five lengths, earning a powerful 102 Brisnet Speed rating.

None of the other Mike Lee entrants have posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 94, so a repeat of his maiden performance will make Train the Trainer tough to catch. A win bet is in order, along with an exacta using #6 Mo Plex (2-1) and #3 Prince Valiant (5-2) for second place.

Selections

• #5 Train the Trainer (3-1)
• #6 Mo Plex (2-1)
• #3 Prince Valiant (5-2)

Wagers

• $18 to win on #5 Train the Trainer
• $6 Exacta: 5 with 3,6
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 3:12 p.m. ET)

In 2024, trainer William Morey compiled a stellar 4-for-9 (44%) record saddling first-time starters on dirt at Horseshoe Indianapolis. His first such starter in 2025, #5 Seven Emmys (8-1), is worthy of a win bet.

A well-bred three-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro out of a Distorted Humor mare, Seven Emmys sold for $325,000 as a two-year-old in training. She’s put together a lengthy work tab and should be fit for a winning debut under jockey Joseph Ramos, a 50% winner teaming up with Morey over the last two months.

#4 Electrifying Lady (3-5) can complete the exacta.

Selections

• #5 Seven Emmys (8-1)
• #4 Electrifying Lady (3-5)
• #1 Rockaway Reef (3-1)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #5 Seven Emmys
• $15 Exacta: 5 with 4
  Total: $30

Saratoga: Race 10: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles on turf, 5:47 p.m. ET)

#3 Shakeitforthebird (15-1) made her turf debut over this course, distance, and class level last summer. After setting a slow pace, she weakened slightly to finish third behind next-out winners Scythian and Real Savvy. The quality of competition was deep, as Scythian’s subsequent win came in the Miss Grillo (G2).

Shakeitforthebird hasn’t run since, but trainer Anthony Ferraro strikes at a lofty 26% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more. Sticking to the New York-bred ranks and adding Lasix cements Shakeitforthebird as a live longshot worth betting.

Selections

• #3 Shakeitforthebird (15-1)
• #4 Coach Case (5-2)
• #11 Sir Lawrence (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Shakeitforthebird

Good luck!