Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Keeneland’s $50,245 Super High 5 carryover

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Oct. 8 at Keeneland and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including tickets for Keeneland’s $50,245 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.
• Bet $3,000 Get 5% Back on BCBC Seat: Place at least $3,000 in eligible wagers on races from Oct. 1 through Oct. 26 to receive 5% back on your Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge seat purchase through TwinSpires.
• 5x Points at Keeneland: Receive 5x reward points on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Keeneland each Wednesday in October.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $50 Keeneland Challenge
• $200 Keeneland Feeder to 10/12 Keeneland BCBC/CBC Qualifier
• $200 Mountaineer Feeder to 10/18 Keeneland KDBC/BCBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Keeneland: Race 4: $30,000 Maiden Claiming (1 1/16 miles on dirt, 2:36 p.m. ET)

#12 Psalmist (6-1) debuted in a $40,000 maiden claimer racing one mile over the Horseshoe Indianapolis turf course. After rating toward the rear of the field, he passed a few rivals to finish fourth.

Trainer Rodolphe Brisset wins at a 28% rate with second-time starters, and at a 33% rate with horses running long for the second time, so Psalmist has a clear path to improve at Keeneland. Switching from turf to dirt may help his chances too.

At 6-1, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #12 Psalmist (6-1)
• #6 Gray Is Okay (7-2)
• #7 Tingus Pingus (5-2)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #12 Psalmist

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 5: $40,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile on turf, 4:14 p.m. ET)

#12 Shidoni (5-2) ran gamely in a one-mile maiden special weight at Kentucky Downs last time out. She tracked the pace, advanced to lead with a quarter-mile remaining, and then tired to finish fifth by 5 1/4 lengths.

Two starts back, Shidoni finished second by a head in a 7 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Lone Star Park, earning a 73 Brisnet Speed rating that is tied for the highest number in Wednesday’s field.

Dropping in class for a $40,000 maiden claimer should make Shidoni tough to beat. Let’s bet her to win and key her over #9 It’s Fine (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #12 Shidoni (5-2)
• #9 It’s Fine (7-2)
• #8 Do Not Fear (15-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #12 Shidoni
• $5 Exacta: 12 with 9
  Total: $25

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf, 5:16 p.m. ET)

#11 High Go (15-1) debuted in an off-the-turf maiden special weight racing 1 1/16 miles at Churchill Downs. He failed to factor while finishing seventh over a sloppy track.

Switching to turf may help High Go challenge for victory in his second start for hot trainer Brendan Walsh. Take note, High Go’s dam has produced five turf winners, including Penn Oaks winner Dynatail.

Let’s load up with a win bet on High Go, then play him over #3 West of East Texas (15-1) in a small exacta.

Selections

• #11 High Go (15-1)
• #3 West of East Texas (15-1)
• #8 Hamunaptra (7-2)

Wagers

• $23 to win on #11 High Go
• $2 Exacta: 11 with 3
  Total: $25

Carryover Watch

Keeneland: Race 8: $50,245 Super High 5 carryover (4:44 p.m. ET)

The betting highlight of Keeneland’s Wednesday card is a terrific $50,245 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

The prize pool is available to chase in Race 8, the final event on the card. It’s a 1 1/16-mile grass allowance for three-year-olds and older horses, and #7 Cameo Performance (7-5) is a formidable favorite.

Cameo Performance is dropping in class out of eight straight stakes. During the spring, he finished eighth (beaten only three lengths) in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1). Two starts back, he ran fourth in Saratoga’s Poker (G3). Last time out, he placed third in the Tapit S. at Kentucky Downs.

Along the way, Cameo Performance has posted four straight Brisnet Speed ratings in the 91-95 range. Those numbers stack up well against Wednesday’s field and stamp Cameo Performance as the horse to beat. It’s encouraging to note he’s arriving at Keeneland off back-to-back bullet workouts at Turfway Park, suggesting he remains in strong form.

We recommend keying Cameo Performance on top in the Super High 5. Underneath, give a long look to #8 Mountain Bear (7-2).

In the past, Mountain Bear has proven effective competing at the Grade 1 level. He ran second in the 2023 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1), and last fall he finished third in Keeneland’s Turf Mile (G1). Mountain Bear hasn’t been quite as sharp this season, but he exits a respectable third-place finish in a $500,000 handicap at Kentucky Downs, for which he earned a 93 Brisnet Speed rating. He fits well against Wednesday’s field and has every chance to land a top-two finish.

#6 Gilded Craken (9-2) is another logical contender. He’s finished second by narrow margins in recent $75,000 and $80,0000 allowance optional claimers at Saratoga and Kentucky Downs. A pure speedster, Gilded Craken figures to set the pace and likely hang around for a top-five finish.

#3 Wyoming Bill (12-1), runner-up in the King Edward (G2) at Woodbine, can factor at a price while shipping in from Canada. #10 Naptown (30-1) is likewise a compelling longshot after finishing fourth in the Woodbine Mile (G1). And #1 Elegant Trip (20-1), #2 Beyond Stoked (8-1), #5 Sardis (20-1), and #9 English Chunnel (15-1) are all capable allowance performers with the credentials to factor.

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

• $1 Super High 5: 7 with 8 with 6 with 1,2,3,9,10 with 1,2,3,5,9,10 ($25)
• $1 Super High 5: 7 with 8 with 1,2,3,9,10 with 6 with 1,2,3,5,9,10 ($25)
• $1 Super High 5: 7 with 8 with 1,2,3,9,10 with 1,2,3,5,9,10 with 6 ($25)
  Total: $75

Good luck!