Wednesday’s Best Bets and Quick Picks: Two stakes, two exactas

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares best bets and quick picks for Wednesday, June 25 at Churchill Downs and Assiniboia Downs, including exactas in a pair of stakes.

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.
• 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 June 26.
• 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 June.
• Churchill Downs Triple Rewards Points: Receive triple rewards points on all wagers (excluding show bets) at Churchill Downs from Wednesday through Friday.
• British Racing $10 Money Back: Receive up to $10 back on your first single-horse win wager if your horse runs second in selected British races from May 17 through Aug. 31.

Today’s TwinSpires tournaments include:

• $50 Churchill Downs Challenge
• $200 Churchill Downs Feeder to 6/27 Churchill Downs SFBC Qualifier
• $100 Assiniboia Downs Feeder to 7/5 Indiana Derby KDBC/NHC Qualifier

Best Bets and Quick Picks

Churchill Downs: Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (five furlongs on dirt, 2:13 p.m. ET)

#4 Wakuda (7-2) debuted with a runner-up finish in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Churchill Downs. She was beaten only by Sassy C W, who returned to win the Astoria S. at Saratoga.

We’ll forgive Wakuda’s subsequent misfire when trying turf and assume she’ll rebound while returning to the Churchill Downs main track. If her 7-2 morning-line odds hold up, a win bet is in order.

Selections

• #4 Wakuda (7-2)
• #1 Tiz in Sight (9-2)
• #3 Ames (6-1)

Wagers

• $30 to win on #4 Wakuda

Assiniboia Downs: Race 2: Chantilly S. (six furlongs on dirt, 9:00 p.m. ET)

#4 Ginas Serenade (6-5) is the morning-line favorite after winning the five-furlong Honorable Lady S. by two lengths over #3 Welcometohollywood (7-5). But the latter had to check sharply around the turn and lost many lengths as a result; despite this setback, she re-rallied resiliently to finish second.

With a clean trip over six furlongs in the Chantilly, Welcometohollywood can turn the tables on Ginas Serenade. Let’s bet an exacta accordingly.

Selections

• #3 Welcometohollywood (7-5)
• #4 Ginas Serenade (6-5)
• #2 McGill (6-1)

Wagers

• $25 Exacta: 3 with 4

Assiniboia Downs: Race 3: La Verendrye S. (six furlongs on dirt, 9:25 p.m. ET)

#6 Burrow Down (4-5), with her flashy 9-for-11 record at Assiniboia Downs, is a logical favorite in the La Verendrye. But much of her success has come running one mile or farther, and while Burrow Down exits a victory in the six-furlong RedTail Landing H. at Century Mile, she benefited from chasing a blazing pace (:21.10 and :43.85) and appears unlikely to receive a similar setup at Assiniboia Downs.

Therefore, #4 Sophia’s Storm (8-5) has an upset chance. She’s gone 2-for-2 sprinting at Assiniboia this year, wiring a 5 1/2-furlong $17,500 allowance optional claimer before launching a midfield rally to dominate the five-furlong Red Berry S. If Sophia’s Storm sets or stalks a modest pace, she’ll have every chance to hold off Burrow Down in the homestretch. That’s how we’ll bet the exacta.

Selections

• #4 Sophia’s Storm (8-5)
• #6 Burrow Down (4-5)
• #1 Distinctive Deb (12-1)

Wagers

• $25 Exacta: 4 with 6

Good luck!