Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Play Chayton at 6-1

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Oct. 29 at Churchill Downs, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Mountaineer, including a second-time starter at 6-1 odds.

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Best Bets and Quick Picks

Churchill Downs: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (seven furlongs on dirt, 3:55 p.m. ET)

#10 Chayton (6-1) failed to show much speed in his debut sprinting six furlongs at Churchill Downs, dropping nearly 10 lengths off the pace. However, he gained ground nicely down the homestretch to finish second.

Trainer William Morey wins at a solid 17% rate with second-time starters, suggesting Chayton can improve in his second try. If he shows more tactical speed while stretching out over seven furlongs, he can surprise at a bit of a price.

Let’s bet Chayton to win and key him over #11 Patriot Moon (4-1) and #7 Fatguyinlittlecoat (7-2) in an exacta.

Selections

• #10 Chayton (6-1)
• #11 Patrior Moon (4-1)
• #7 Fatguyinlittlecoat (7-2)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #10 Chayton
• $5 Exacta: 10 with 7,11 ($10)
  Total: $30

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (5 1/2 furlongs on dirt, 4:45 p.m. ET)

Since 2020, trainer Cipriano Contreras has compiled a sharp 6-for-30 (20%) record debuting juveniles in dirt sprints at Horseshoe Indianapolis, which includes a 2-for-5 (40%) tally this year.

These stats identify Cipriano’s two-year-old filly #6 Cyber Girl (8-5) as a logical threat to win on debut. She enters off an encouraging series of half-mile workouts at Horseshoe Indianapolis and is slated to be ridden by jockey Jose Gutierrez, a 35% winner teaming up with Contreras over the last two months.

Let’s place a large win bet on Cyber Girl, then add a small exacta using fellow first-time starter #5 Sompatra (8-1) for second place.

Selections

• #6 Cyber Girl (8-5)
• #5 Sompatra (8-1)
• #1 Justiceontherail (10-1)

Wagers

• $35 to win on #6 Cyber Girl
• $5 Exacta: 6 with 5
  Total: $40

Mountaineer: Race 1: $7,500 Claiming (2 furlongs on dirt, 7:00 p.m. ET)

Unsurprisingly, 60% of two-furlong sprints at Mountaineer this meet have been won in gate-to-wire fashion. Speed excels when you’re sprinting a mere quarter-mile.

#7 Castle Lights (9-5) won three straight two-furlong sprints at Mountaineer to wrap up 2024, leading all the way in each one. She’s 0-for-4 this year, but is slowly rounding back into form. On Oct. 14, she was bumped around repeatedly in a two-furlong $10,000 claimer before closing resolutely to finish second by a head.

Let’s place a win bet on Castle Lights, then bet her over speedy Oct. 14 winner #4 Devin On Earth (4-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #7 Castle Lights (9-5)
• #4 Devin On Earth (4-1)
• #2 Miss Nuckols (2-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #7 Castle Lights
• $5 Exacta: 7 with 4
  Total: $30

Good luck!