Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Intrepid Mo can win debut

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, May 21 at Delaware Park, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Presque Isle Downs, including a first-time starter at 4-1 odds.

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 May 29.
• 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 May.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $50 Parx Challenge
• $200 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 5/31 Churchill Downs KDBC/BCBC Qualifier
• $40 Presque Isle Downs Challenge
• $100 Evangeline Downs Feeder to 5/24 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Delaware Park: Race 3: $25,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs on dirt, 1:33 p.m. ET)

#1 Intrepid Mo (4-1) is an unraced three-year-old from the barn of Gary Capuano, who wins at a 25% rate with first-time starters. She’s a daughter of Outwork, who sires a sharp 16% winners from first-time starters.

Intrepid Mo has shown speed in the mornings, most notably clocking a near-bullet half-mile from the Delaware Park starting gate in :48. She’s slated to be ridden by apprentice jockey Yedsit Hazlewood, who rides with a seven-pound weight allowance, so let’s try betting Intrepid Mo to win.

Selections

• #1 Intrepid Mo (4-1)
• #2 C. C. Foxii (5-2)
• #4 Padrino’s Gold (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #1 Intrepid Mo

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

#8 Tiger Jumper (5-2) debuted with a sharp performance over this track, distance, and class level on April 30. After tracking the pace in second place, Tiger Jumper advanced to finish second by a nose while pulling 4 1/2 lengths clear of the third-place finisher.

That promising debut yielded a 72 Brisnet Speed rating six points higher than the par winning number for Wednesday’s conditions. It’s also the highest number belonging to any filly in Wednesday’s field by six points.

A large win bet on Tiger Jumper is in order, and we’ll also bet an exacta using #5 Micki Valentine (9-2) for second place.

Selections

• #8 Tiger Jumper (5-2)
• #5 Micki Valentine (9-2)
• #11 Kippy Too (5-1)

Wagers

• $35 to win on #8 Tiger Jumper
• $10 Exacta: 8 with 5
  Total: $45

Presque Isle Downs: Race 8: $15,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on Tapeta, 6:39 p.m. ET)

#5 Nun Gimel Hay Po (5-1) broke slowly in a one-mile $25,000-$20,000 maiden claimer on dirt at Laurel Park last month, then rushed up to seize a 3 1/2-length early lead. She stayed in front for half a mile, but soon tired to finish a distant sixth.

Switching to Tapeta and dropping in class are two changes that could help Nun Gimel Hay Po improve on Wednesday. She’s meeting a field without much pace on paper, which could also help her chances.

Let’s try a win bet on Nun Gimel Hay Po.

Selections

• #5 Nun Gimel Hay Po (5-1)
• #8 Haut Les Coeurs (5-2)
• #7 Dorotea Dream (7-2)

Wagers

• $15 to win on #5 Nun Gimel Hay Po

Good luck!