Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Rise Again can win again

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, July 15 at Presque Isle Downs, Horseshoe Indianapolis, and Assiniboia Downs, along with horses to bet in the $1,191 Super High 5 carryover at Thistledown.

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.
• $1,500 Late Pick 5 Hit It & Split It at Horseshoe Indianapolis: Opt in and hit the Late Pick 5 at Horseshoe Indianapolis for a chance to split a $1,500 prize pool each racing Wednesday in July.
• 25% Double Down at Assiniboia Downs: Opt in and hit two double wagers to receive a 25% boost on all winning double wagers at Assiniboia Downs each racing Tuesday and Wednesday until July 29.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $60 Presque Isle Downs Bet and Set Feeder to 7/26 Saratoga NHC Qualifier
• $120 Horseshoe Indianapolis Feeder to 7/19 Saratoga SSBC Qualifier
• $40 Horseshoe Indianapolis Challenge
• $40 Mountaineer Challenge
• $80 Mountaineer Feeder to 7/17 Ellis Park Haskell Challenge Bonus Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Presque Isle Downs: Race 1: $7,500 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs on Tapeta, 3:30 p.m. ET)

Many of the entrants in this field have already lost at the maiden claiming level. An exception is #6 Ipledthefifth (5-2). He’s competed exclusively against maiden special weight competition at Presque Isle Downs and showed ability with a third-place finish sprinting six furlongs on May 20.

Dropping down in class can send Ipledthefifth to the winner’s circle under hot jockey Antonio Gallardo. Let’s bet him to win and key him over longshot #4 Alabama Sleeper (10-1) in an exacta.

Selections

• #6 Ipledthefifth (5-2)
• #4 Alabama Sleeper (10-1)
• #2 Tinseltown (3-1)

Wagers

• $24 to win on #6 Ipledthefifth
• $6 Exacta: 6 with 4
  Total: $30

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

#11 Bigtimejustice (5-1) debuted with a third-place finish over this track, distance, and class level on June 25. She’s since breezed a bullet half-mile at Horseshoe Indianapolis in :47 1/5, suggesting she can move forward in her second start.

Let’s try betting Bigtimejustice on top of logical favorite #5 Forever Release (9-5) in an exacta.

Selections

• #11 Bigtimejustice (5-1)
• #5 Forever Release (9-5)
• #6 J’s Alley Cat (20-1)

Wagers

• $15 Exacta: 11 with 5

Assiniboia Downs: Race 3: Hazel Wright Sire S. (six furlongs on dirt, 9:25 p.m. ET)

#1 Rise Again (6-5) has launched sustained rallies to win her last two starts sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Assiniboia Downs, including an allowance in which she defeated most of the rivals she’ll face in the Hazel Wright Sire S.

Stretching out over six furlongs should only help Rise Again, so let’s key her on top of a trifecta using #3 Silvercreek Annie (6-1) and #6 Clippity Cop (8-5) underneath.

Selections

• #1 Rise Again (6-5)
• #3 Silvercreek Annie (6-1)
• #6 Clippity Cop (8-5)

Wagers

• $10 Trifecta: 1 with 3,6 with 3,6 ($20)

Carryover Watch

Thistledown: Race 8: $1,191 Super High 5 carryover (4:20 p.m. ET)

If you tried, and failed, to win a share of Tuesday’s $341 carryover in the 20-cent “Buckeye 5” Super High 5 at Thistledown, rest assured, you weren’t alone. No one had the winning combination, which means the carryover has jumped to $1,191 for Wednesday’s card.

The prize pool is up for grabs in Race 8, an $8,000 starter optional claimer taking place over one mile on dirt. With eight horses in the entries, there are 6,720 possible Super High 5 outcomes before scratches.

Here are three horses you won’t want to leave off your tickets:

#2 Carillo (5-2): The morning-line favorite enters in hot form. The eight-year-old gelding faltered in his first start of 2026 (in a $12,500 claimer), but has since gone 2-for-2, launching last-to-first rallies to win a $5,000 claimer and an $8,000 starter optional claimer. Both of those wins came racing one mile at Thistledown. Carillo brings sharp Brisnet Speed ratings to the table and is slated to be ridden by Luis Gonzalez (27% winner at Thistledown this meet), so he has a strong chance to pick up a third straight win.

#3 Puff’smagicdragon (3-1): This five-year-old gelding is a picture of consistency. He’s recorded top-four finishes in 17 of his last 18 starts, and he’s cracked the trifecta in four straight races leading up to Wednesday. He finished 1 3/4 lengths behind Carillo when third in a recent $8,000 starter optional claimer at Thistledown, but overall Puff’smagicdragon boasts a strong series of Brisnet Speed ratings, and he looks like a reliable candidate to finish in the top three or four on Wednesday.

#4 Strike Appeal (10-1): Although Strike Appeal’s recent Brisnet Speed ratings are a bit light, he ran fast on numerous occasions in 2025, peaking with a 92 when he won a $10,000 starter optional claimer at Mountaineer. Strike Appeal never factored in his first start of 2026, but he bounced back in his second run of the season, finishing second in a $12,500 claimer. If Strike Appeal moves forward again in his third start off the layoff, he can challenge for a strong finish at enticing odds.

Good luck!