Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Price plays at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, Aug. 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis and Presque Isle Downs, along with tickets for the $1,024 Super High 5 carryover at Mountaineer.

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 Exacta Hit It and Split It at Horseshoe Indianapolis: Opt in and hit two exactas at Horseshoe Indianapolis for a chance to split a $2,000 prize pool each racing Wednesday in August.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $64 Saratoga Bet and Set Feeder to 8/9 Saratoga NHC Qualifier
• $200 Saratoga Feeder to 8/8 Saratoga KDBC/BCBC Qualifier
• $150 Saratoga Challenge
• $40 Saratoga Challenge
• $80 Mountaineer Feeder to 8/7 Saratoga KDBC/BCBC Bonus Feeder
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 3: $40,000 Maiden Claiming (7 1/2 furlongs on turf, 3:12 p.m. ET)

#3 Hot Dawg (8-1) debuted with a fourth-place finish in an off-the-turf maiden special weight racing one mile at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Trainer Brian Lynch wins at a 23% rate with horses running on turf for the first time, and at a 19% rate with second-time starters, so there’s a good chance Hot Dawg will improve while switching surfaces and dropping in class for his second start.

At 8-1, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #3 Hot Dawg (8-1)
• #5 Ignoring Alana (4-1)
• #1 Gabagold (12-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #3 Hot Dawg

Horseshoe Indianapolis: Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on dirt, 5:16 p.m. ET)

Trainer John Ortiz has historically done well debuting two-year-olds at Horseshoe Indianapolis, so we’re inclined to back Ortiz’s #2 Chenal Valley (12-1) in this maiden sprint for juveniles.

A son of Dialed In (who sired a respectable 13% winners from first-time starters), Chenal Valley has put together an encouraging work tab in Kentucky, highlighted by half a mile from the Keeneland starting gate in :48 4/5. Hot jockey Axel Concepcion (a 21% winner at Horseshoe Indianapolis this meet) is named to ride, cementing Chenal Valley as a compelling contender.

Let’s place a win bet on Chenal Valley.

Selections

• #2 Chenal Valley (12-1)
• #6 Grand Opry (6-1)
• #12 Shai A (10-1)

Wagers

• $25 to win on #2 Chenal Valley

Presque Isle Downs: Race 5: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on Tapeta, 5:18 p.m. ET)

#2 Loan Me a Dime (7-2) showed ability when debuting at this track, distance, and class level on July 20. He pressed the pace in second place before weakening slightly to finish third, beaten 3 1/4 lengths.

Hot trainer Ron Potts (a 29% winner at Presque Isle Downs this meet) strikes at a 26% rate with second-time starters, so there’s a good chance Loan Me a Dime will move forward on Wednesday. Let’s bet him to win and key him over #5 War Profiteer (5-2) in an exacta. 

Selections

• #2 Loan Me a Dime (7-2)
• #5 War Profiteer (5-2)
• #1 Sticktotheplanman (3-1)

Wagers

• $20 to win on #2 Loan Me a Dime
• $5 Exacta: 2 with 5
  Total: $25

Carryover Watch

Mountaineer: Race 8: $1,024 Super High 5 carryover (9:55 p.m. ET)

The final race on Mountaineer’s Wednesday card features a $1,024 Super High 5 carryover.

Race 8 is a $4,000 claimer for three-year-olds and older horses who haven’t won a race in the last year. The 5 1/2-furlong dirt dash has drawn a dozen entries, though a maximum of 10 horses will be allowed to start.

The large field could make playing competitive Super High 5 tickets expensive. But on the bright side, #4 Big Effect (3-2) is a compelling favorite, and keying him on top will reduce the cost and complexity of assembling tickets.

Wagers

• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 5 with 3,6 with 1,3,6,9 with 1,3,6,8,9 ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 3,6 with 5 with 1,3,6,9 with 1,3,6,8,9 ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 4 with 3,6 with 1,3,6,9 with 5 with 1,3,6,8,9 ($18)
  Total: $54

Big Effect displayed a high level of form sprinting six furlongs last year. He won a $32,000 claimer at Churchill Downs, ran second by a head in a $50,000 allowance optional claimer at Ellis Park, and placed fourth (beaten only 2 3/4 lengths) in the David M. Vance S. at Remington Park.

Unfortunately, Big Effect struggled in his next five starts, recording only one top-three finish. But he’s rebounded since dropping in class and switching to the care of trainer Juan Silva, a 22% winner at Mountaineer this meet.

Big Effect made his Mountaineer debut in a six-furlong $4,000 claimer on July 15. He opened up a large early lead, then tired in the final furlong to finish second, beaten only three-quarters of a length by a next-out winner. He earned a 78 Brisnet Speed rating.

Just four days later, Big Effect tackled another $4,000 claimer at Mountaineer, this time sprinting five furlongs. He tracked the pace in third place before advancing to finish second, beaten 2 1/2 lengths while earning an 80 Brisnet Speed rating that marks his best number since posting a 90 in the David M. Vance.

None of the other horses entered in Race 8 have earned a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 74 this year. If Big Effect repeats either of his last two performances, he can cruise to the winner’s circle as a short-priced favorite.

Underneath, we’ll emphasize #5 Red Hurricane (5-1). He earned Brisnet Speed ratings in the 82-90 range when winning three straight 5 1/2-furlong sprints at Mountaineer last year. He subsequently went to the sidelines for 11 months and faltered in his 2026 debut, but he showed signs of rounding back to form when fourth in a $7,500 claimer at Mountaineer on July 15.

Red Hurricane may move forward meaningfully while dropping in class for his third start back.

Good luck!