Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Exactas at Churchill

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a pair of exactas.

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.
• 2,000 WIN Ladder at Churchill Downs: Opt in and place $10+ single-horse win wagers in all eligible races at Churchill Downs each racing Wednesday in November. Winning wagers move you up the Win Ladder; the more races you win, the bigger your share of the $2,000 prize pool.
• 15% Profit Boost Tokens at Happy Valley: Opt in to receive five 15% Profit Boost Tokens (maximum boost of $25 per token) for win, exacta, trifecta, and superfecta wagers at Happy Valley on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $90 Churchill Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 11/14 Churchill Downs Claiming Crown NHC Qualifier
• $120 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $200 Churchill Downs Feeder to 11/7 Churchill Downs CBC Qualifier
• $40 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge
• $80 Mountaineer Feeder to 11/6 Churchill Downs CBC Bonus Feeder

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Churchill Downs: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles on dirt, 3:26 p.m. ET)

#2 Barrel Roll (9-2) has finished fifth and third in his first two starts against maiden special weight competition. The winners of those races, American History and Damavand, later finished second and fifth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1).

Barrel Roll’s third-place finish came in his first route race. He was compromised by a slow pace, but rallied to finish third and earned a promising 100 Brisnet Late Pace rating.

Trainer Chad Brown wins at a strong 31% rate with horses running long for the second time, so Barrel Roll has potential to improve on Wednesday, especially if he gets a better pace setup. Let’s bet him to win and key him over #4 Gun for Glory (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #2 Barrel Roll (9-2)
• #4 Gun for Glory (7-2)
• #6 Lithos (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #2 Barrel Roll
• $5 Exacta: 2 with 4
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: $20,000 Maiden Claiming (five furlongs on turf, 3:38 p.m. ET)

#8 Yalina (3-1) is dropping in class after finishing second by a head in a $40,000 maiden claimer sprinting five furlongs over the Horseshoe Indianapolis turf. In the process, she earned a 70 Brisnet Speed rating three points higher than the par winning number for Wednesday’s conditions.

Tackling the $20,000 level while sticking to the same course and distance should make Yalina tough to beat. Let’s bet her to win.

Selections

• #8 Yalina (3-1)
• #6 Ptichka (3-1)
• #4 Newport Lady (8-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #8 Yalina

Churchill Downs: Race 10: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles on dirt, 5:24 p.m. ET)

#4 Belzoni (3-1) has knocked heads with some quality rivals in his first three starts against maiden special weight competition. Last time out, he finished second by a head against Damavand. Two starts back, he ran fifth against a field containing next-out Champagne (G1) winner U. S. S. Valor and future Street Sense (G3) third-place finisher Mystik Bayou.

Chances are, Belzoni will meet a more manageable field on Wednesday, setting the stage for a victory over second-time starter #10 Frozenknife (4-1). We’ll place a win bet and an exacta bet accordingly.

Selections

• #4 Belzoni (3-1)
• #10 Frozenknife (4-1)
• #9 Ferrous (5-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #4 Belzoni
• $5 Exacta: 4 with 10
  Total: $25

Good luck!