Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Churchill’s $12,703 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, June 11 at Churchill Downs and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including tickets for Churchill’s $12,703 Super High 5 carryover.

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.
• Churchill Downs Triple Rewards Points: Receive triple rewards points 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
• $100 Assiniboia Downs Feeder to 6/21 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Churchill Downs: Race 3: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 1:43 p.m. ET)

#6 Smell the Lilies (9-2) has put together a sharp work tab for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Most notably, the daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify clocked half a mile from the Keeneland starting gate in a bullet :46 3/5 on May 14.

Justify sires a solid 14% winners from first-time starters, so let’s place a win bet on Smell the Lilies and hope her enticing 9-2 morning-line odds hold up.

Selections

• #6 Smell the Lilies (9-2)
• #1 Actual (5-1)
• #9 Hylla (4-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #6 Smell the Lilies

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Hoosier Breeders Sophomore H. (six furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#5 Hot Middles (5-2) hasn’t been challenged in two starts this year. On April 24, she trounced a 5 1/2-furlong allowance for Indiana-breds at Horseshoe Indianapolis by 7 1/2 lengths. On May 19, she won a similar race by 5 1/4 lengths, earning a career-best 90 Brisnet Speed rating.

None of the other fillies entered in the Hoosier Breeders Sophomore H. have posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 85, and take note, Hot Middles has already defeated the majority of the rivals she’ll face on Wednesday. Let’s single her to start a double bet.

Selections

• #5 Hot Middles (5-2)
• #7 Wicked Vette (4-1)
• #1 Miss Candela (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 Double: 5 with 1,5 ($40)

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 8: Hoosier Breeders Sophomore H. (six furlongs on dirt, 5:47 p.m. ET)

#5 First Division (9-5) is the morning-line favorite after finishing third against non-state-restricted competition in the 1 1/8-mile Bath House Row S. at Oaklawn Park. First Division figures to find the competition easier while tackling the Indiana-bred ranks, but cutting back to six furlongs (after four straight route races) is a question mark.

#1 Mondavila (5-2) is a logical alternative. He’s excelled sprinting against Indiana-breds in recent starts. After trouncing fellow three-year-olds by 2 3/4 lengths in the Sagamore Sired H., Mondavila finished a close second against older horses in the William Henry Harrison H. Returning to the three-year-old ranks for the Hoosier Breeders Sophomore H. should make Mondavila a win threat.

We’ll use First Division and Mondavila equally to conclude our double bet, then box them in an exacta.

Selections

• #1 Mondavila (5-2)
• #5 First Division (9-5)
• #7 Jazzole (10-1)

Wagers

• $10 Exacta: box 1,5 ($20)

Carryover Watch

Churchill Downs: Race 1: $12,703 Super High 5 carryover (12:45 p.m. ET)

The racing week at Churchill Downs kicks off on Wednesday with a $12,703 Super High 5 carryover up for grabs in Race 1, a $50,000 maiden claimer for fillies and mares dashing 6 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

#1 Purple and Gold (2-1) is hands-down the filly to beat for high-percentage trainer Brad Cox. Last year, she set the pace in a couple of six-furlong maiden special weights at Churchill Downs before tiring to finish seventh and ninth. She kicked off 2025 with a troubled runner-up finish in a $100,000 maiden claimer sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs at Churchill and should be tough to beat while dropping down to the $50,000 level.

We’ll key Purple and Gold on top of our Super High 5 tickets. But which horses should be used underneath?

#3 Trista (5-2) is an obvious contender. She carved out the pace in a one-mile $50,000 maiden claimer at Oaklawn Park two months ago before staying on to finish second, earning an 80 Brisnet Speed rating. That’s the highest number belonging to any filly entered in Race 1. Cutting back to 6 1/2 furlongs is a question mark, which is one reason why we’ll favor Purple and Gold, but fast workouts at Churchill Downs suggest Trista can factor even while dropping down in distance.

We’ll rely on Trista to finish either second or third.

#2 Lindy Can (6-1), #4 Devastating (3-1), and #7 Powerwashed (8-1) are tough fillies to analyze. They haven’t been remotely competitive in two starts apiece, but they’ve competed exclusively against maiden special weight competition. Of the trio, Powerwashed might have the most upside for improvement while adding Lasix and switching from turf to dirt, but any of these three could challenge for a top-five finish.

Rounding out the field are the first-time starters #5 Lady Dixie (15-1), #6 Cowgirl Chic (15-1), and #8 Dream Life (15-1). Their trainers don’t win often with first-time starters, but it won’t take a monstrous performance for one or two of these to finish in the top five.

Here’s how we’ll bet the Super High 5:

• $1 Super High 5: 1 with 3 with 2,4,7 with 2,4,5,7,8 with 2,4,5,6,7,8 ($48)
• $1 Super High 5: 1 with 2,4,7 with 3 with 2,4,5,7,8 with 2,4,5,6,7,8 ($48)
  Total: $96

Good luck!