Later today marks another chance for horseplayers to take advantage of one of 1/ST BET and Xpressbet’s new October promotions. “Bonus Boonanza” for those who missed it on Tuesday or last Thursday gives our customers an opportunity to bet $100+ at a select track and earn a 10% bonus for doing so. We move from Indiana on Tuesday to Ohio and Thistledown for an 11-race card headlined by the $75k Emerald Necklace. For those yet to do so, remember to register for the new promotion before diving into the slate that gets rolling at 11:30 AM eastern. Here are a few horses I like most, including my top choice in the feature.


Race 2:
My first play comes in this state-bred $50k claimer at six-furlongs where the pace should be highly contentious given the number of runners signed on that like to be prominent in the early stages. The three ML favorites all stand a chance to get the right trip, but #1 Red Chips and #8 Momma K’s Boy are coming back on very short rest to get one last chance to compete over this surface before the meet concludes. Perhaps, they fire big on the two-week return, but I give the edge to the more rested #4 Excitement. The Tim Hamm trainee finished second beaten a neck to Momma K’s Boy on September 1, but moved wide into the lane while the eventual winner rode the rail to a tight victory. Hamm goes to jockey Luis Rivera this time on the seven-time winner over this racetrack.

Play: #4 Excitement (3-1 ML)
Picks: 4-8-7


Race 5: Emerald Necklace
The featured event for Ohio-bred 2YO fillies at six furlongs over the main track appears wide open. I landed on #3 Miss Middle. The daughter of Corfu debuted in a race in late August won by #4 Bee Boppin and it was not a friendly experience for a first-time starter. The Robert Cline trainee was caught between rivals when attempting to find a quality forward position early and was shuffled back before making a wide move into the lane and tiring in the end. Cline wheeled her back quickly on September 9 where she got the job done by three-quarters of length. The favorites in here can win, but are underlays at their morning line prices, so I will try one of two runners entered with more than one start under their belt.

Play: #3 Miss Middle (6-1 ML)
Picks: 3-6-4


Race 11:
My final play of the day comes in the finale where I will try to wire the field with #1 Gottomakeithappen. The son of Cowtown Cat had a day to forget after being bumped at the start back on September 22, but prior to that almost stole a race against better in late August. There is not much speed at all signed on in this conditional state-bred claimer at six-panels, so I will take veteran jockey Deshawn Parker and the inside draw at a very fair ML offering to close the day in the Buckeye State.

Play: #1 Gottomakeithappen (8-1 ML)
Picks: 1-3-7