How to bet Laurel Park's $8,983 Pick 5 carryover

Fans of Laurel Park will be happy to hear the Maryland racetrack has tossed up an $8,983 carryover for Sunday’s 50-cent Late Pick 5.

The sequence looks fairly chalky on paper, so let’s analyze the races and assemble a ticket on a modest $12 budget:

Race 4: $10,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs, 1:55 p.m. ET)

#3 No Money Down (9-5) ran fourth over this track and class level on Jan. 23, earning a solid 67 Brisnet Speed rating. He’s the fastest entrant on paper, but #7 Bowie Two Step (3-1) isn’t far behind and is eligible to challenge while descending from the $25,000 maiden claiming level.

Race 5: $5,000 Starter Allowance (six furlongs, 2:26 p.m. ET)

#6 Beverly Park (1-1) romped in a $5,000 starter allowance sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs at Laurel last month, dominating by 3 1/4 lengths. But #1 Pictor (8-5) is a winning machine with 11 victories from 25 starts, including two fast wins at Penn National this year. One or the other should prevail.

Race 6: $10,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile, 2:56 p.m. ET)

#9 Hummin’ the Funk (9-5) kicked off 2022 with a third-place finish in a $16,000 maiden claimer over this distance at Laurel. The stretch-running filly didn’t get much pace to chase, but still posted a solid 70 Brisnet Speed rating. If anyone can beat her on Saturday, it’s probably #2 Pearlyville (3-1), a trifecta finisher in four straight sprints over this track and class level.

Race 7: Allowance (about 1 1/16 miles, 3:27 p.m. ET)

#3 Ludicrous Mode (3-1) showed sharp improvement in his first start since being claimer by hot trainer Rodolfo Sanchez-Salomon, rallying to win a $12,500 claimer over a muddy track at Laurel. But Ludicrous Mode doesn’t have any early speed, so the much more tactical #4 Ain’t Da Beer Cold (6-5)—third in a $35,000 allowance optional claimer at Laurel last time out—might have a stronger shot at victory. #1 Artistic Reason (4-1) also has the form lines to factor.

Race 8: $10,000 Maiden Claiming (about 1 1/16 miles, 3:55 p.m. ET)

#5 She’s a Tripp (3-5) ran third in a $16,000 maiden claimer at Laurel last time out. The daughter of Mucho Maho Man should be tough to beat while dropping in class and adding Lasix for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, who wins at a 27% rate in maiden claimers.

• 50-cent Pick 5: 3,7 with 1,6 with 2,9 with 1,3,4 with 5 ($12)

Good luck!