Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Militant can win return

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, May 28 at Delaware Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis, including a 9-2 shot returning from a layoff.

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• 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 Assiniboia Downs Feeder to 6/14 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

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

#3 Great Quality (4-1) won a $25,000 maiden claimer dashing five furlongs at Delaware Park last year, then finished second in a six-furlong $30,000 starter optional claimer over the same track. Those efforts yielded respectable Brisnet Speed ratings of 78 and 77.

Trainer Gary Capuano wins at a 30% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so Great Quality figures to produce a competitive run in his three-year-old debut. Let’s bet him to win and key him over Florida raider #5 Grim Reaper (2-1) in the exacta.

Selections

• #3 Great Quality (4-1)
• #5 Grim Reaper (2-1)
• #4 Ben’s Hero (3-1)

Wagers

• $22 to win on #3 Great Quality
• $8 Exacta: 3 with 5
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 4: $25,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (one mile and 70 yards on dirt, 3:43 p.m. ET)

#4 Militant (9-2) showed some ability when winning a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight at Oaklawn Park last year, but he disappeared from the work tab following a seventh-place finish in the Bath House Row S. and hasn’t run since.

Fortunately, trainer Brad Cox wins at a 27% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so Militant is eligible to bounce back in his four-year-old debut. A win bet is in order.

Selections

• #4 Militant (9-2)
• #3 Transcendental (8-1)
• #5 Rebelious (7-2)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #4 Militant

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

#8 Decree and Declare (5-2) is dropping in class out of a 6 1/2-furlong division of the New York Stallion Series S. at Aqueduct, in which she finished fourth by 4 1/2 lengths while earning a respectable 80 Brisnet Speed rating.

Decree and Declare had previously launched a big late rally to finish second by a neck in a six-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct, earning a 78 Brisnet Speed rating. Since the par winning Brisnet Speed rating for Wednesday’s conditions at Horseshoe Indianapolis is only 76, Decree and Declare is a logical choice to graduate for trainer Brad Cox.

Let’s place a win bet on this three-year-old filly.

Selections

• #8 Decree and Declare (5-2)
• #1 Greely’s Gold (7-2)
• #5 Proud Words (10-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #8 Decree and Declare

Good luck!