Wednesday wagers: Anchor Manne should step up in Indy
Here are my betting picks for Wednesday’s program at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
Best bet: Anchor Manne (race 5)
Best value bet: Betyar Azets (race 9)
Race 3
No. 6 Keen Ice Sight (7-2) rates an upset chance over No. 5 Blue Grass Anna (8-5, morning-line favorite). She ended the 2022 season at Horseshoe Indianapolis with two wins and a runner-up result in dirt sprints (two of which came against tougher foes than she’ll face Wednesday) before flopping on synthetic at Turfway. Keen Ice Sight shook off the rust with a fast-closing third-place result under Fernando De La Cruz (20 percent), who keeps the assignment. Blue Grass Anna is a logical alternative off a daylight victory against slightly lesser, but might not be worth the price. No. 7 Shadow Belle (6-1) merits consideration turning back after a gusty win going longer. She’s 2-for-2 lifetime on fast dirt, but the speed figures could be better.
How I’d bet it (based on a $100 budget): $10 exacta box 5/6
Race 4
No. 8 Music to My Ears (7-2) owns an impressive 23: 11-2-3 record over this course, and two of those victories were earned against open company last fall. After a win and claim out of a Turfway heat back in January by Justin Sherman (15 percent), Music to My Ears appears to be getting undervalued in the morning-line odds. No. 1 Metallic Man (9-5, morning-line favorite) boasts two open-length victories in his last three startsl speed and the rail is always a dangerous combination. No. 9 Danang (15-1) has a good shot at landing a share if he can recapture his form from last summer that saw him win two straight vs. classier. The recent works are encouraging, and Samuel Bermudez (18 percent) has the call.
How I’d bet it: $8 exacta 8/1, $6 exacta 1/8 $3 exacta 1,8/9
Race 5
No. 2 Anchor Manne (5-2, morning-line favorite) outran his odds vs. tougher maiden foes at Keeneland when last seen – a repeat effort should be more than good enough to boss this state-bred group. No. 5 Zipsy Rose Lee (6-1) is 0-for-13 lifetime (0-for-8 on turf) but frequently runs competitive speed figures. No. 12 Prince Shim coughed up a big lead in his lone turf try vs. maiden claiming foes over this course last summer, but at least showed some affinity for the surface. He has seven runner-up results in 15 lifetime tries.
How I’d bet it: $10 exacta 2/5,12
Race 8
No. 5 Unbridled Devine (7-2, morning-line favorite) gets the nod in this fairly wide-open thoroughbred feature. She was far from disgraced on debut, stalking the pace and collaring the leaders before tiring late. The gray daughter of Unbridled Spring should show improvement the second time around. No. 8 Tiz Bayou (8-1) shows encouraging works for her unveiling. She is a half to six winners from six starters for the dam, including two $100,000-plus earners, and lures Bermudez. No. 1 Cierra Empire (6-1) cashed a check in two straight starts vs. similar before hitting the shelf.
How I’d bet it: $10 exacta 5/8, $6 exacta 5/1, $4 win 8
Race 9
No. 2 Betyar Azets (15-1) holds long-shot appeal in the final race for Thoroughbreds on the card. She completed the exacta in two straight starts for a tag and stays at the claiming level while getting back on the turf. The grass could be her preferred surface based on speed figures, and against these softer foes, she’s an attractive price play. No. 8 Schumer (7-2, morning-line favorite) set the pace in an off-the-turf heat at Gulfstream before fading badly. The drop in for a tag already for this $125,000 daughter of Violence is discouraging, but the turf works say there’s a reason she was initially entered on the lawn by Jonathan Thomas (24 percent with first-time turfers, 28 percent with second-time starters). No. 12 Shear (5-1) demonstrated decent ability at Turfway over the winter, consider.
How I’d bet it: $10 win/place 2
Robert Criscola is a free-lance handicapper based in New York.