Player Quick Pick: Saratoga Late Pick Four for 8/28/14
August 28th, 2014
By Andrew Champagne
The last Thursday card of the Saratoga meet is upon us, and it boasts a tough late Pick Four sequence. In order, we have a 2-year-old maiden race, a $50,000 claimer, a tough turf sprint, and a wide-open maiden claimer featuring a field that is a combined 0-for-100. Here's my $60 stab:
RACE #7: This is the baby race, run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. I'm using four of the field's 10 entrants: #1 Momma Giovanna (3-1), #5 Smilingsundae (4-1), #8 Moondance Joy (5-1), and #10 Battle Axe (7/2).
Smilingsundae is my top pick here. She's eligible to improve off her debut, where she had a terrible trip from the moment the gates were sprung. She was bet pretty heavily that day, and Javier Castellano stays aboard the Mike Maker trainee.
RACE #8: Eight will go postward for the second leg of the sequence. I'm going two-deep, using #7 Lady's Lunar Luck (3-1) and #9 Edie (5/2).
Edie has never been better. She's 2-for-2 this year since going to the Chris Englehart barn, and she won at this level two back at Belmont Park. The daughter of Eddington ran two good races here last year, and this field could have come up much stronger.
RACE #9: This race could double as the day's feature. It's loaded with talent, and I'm going three-deep, using #1 Chart Topper (5/2), #3 Golden Rifle (2-1), and #8 Stormy Rush (7/2).
I like Golden Rifle a lot here. He's been a great claim since moving to the Chad Brown barn, and his race last out was scintillating. He ran six furlongs in 1:07 and change while recording a 95 Beyer Speed Figure, and even if he regresses, he's probably the horse to beat.
RACE #10: This race serves as the monkey wrench in the sequence. None of these horses have ever really shown an interest in winning, but one of them has to. As such, I'm going five-deep, using #1 King Gettigan (4-1), #3 Party On (8-1), #4 Mineral Water (8-1), #6 Hampden Fiveone (7/2), and #10 Hardwired (5-1).
This has been a formful ticket so far, but I think Mineral Water has a chance here at a decent price. Toss the turf races, and his starts since a brief winter layoff really haven't been bad. He's eligible to improve off a bad trip in his last start, and I like the rider switch to Rajiv Maragh. In a field full of horses that haven't really shown an interest in winning, I'll go with a horse that has several positive angles going for him, and hopefully, he makes this bet pay.
This is a $60 ticket for a 50-cent bet. It's not an easy sequence, but hopefully we can make some money heading into the weekend. Best of luck!
RACE #7: This is the baby race, run at 1 1/16 miles on the main track. I'm using four of the field's 10 entrants: #1 Momma Giovanna (3-1), #5 Smilingsundae (4-1), #8 Moondance Joy (5-1), and #10 Battle Axe (7/2).
Smilingsundae is my top pick here. She's eligible to improve off her debut, where she had a terrible trip from the moment the gates were sprung. She was bet pretty heavily that day, and Javier Castellano stays aboard the Mike Maker trainee.
RACE #8: Eight will go postward for the second leg of the sequence. I'm going two-deep, using #7 Lady's Lunar Luck (3-1) and #9 Edie (5/2).
Edie has never been better. She's 2-for-2 this year since going to the Chris Englehart barn, and she won at this level two back at Belmont Park. The daughter of Eddington ran two good races here last year, and this field could have come up much stronger.
RACE #9: This race could double as the day's feature. It's loaded with talent, and I'm going three-deep, using #1 Chart Topper (5/2), #3 Golden Rifle (2-1), and #8 Stormy Rush (7/2).
I like Golden Rifle a lot here. He's been a great claim since moving to the Chad Brown barn, and his race last out was scintillating. He ran six furlongs in 1:07 and change while recording a 95 Beyer Speed Figure, and even if he regresses, he's probably the horse to beat.
RACE #10: This race serves as the monkey wrench in the sequence. None of these horses have ever really shown an interest in winning, but one of them has to. As such, I'm going five-deep, using #1 King Gettigan (4-1), #3 Party On (8-1), #4 Mineral Water (8-1), #6 Hampden Fiveone (7/2), and #10 Hardwired (5-1).
This has been a formful ticket so far, but I think Mineral Water has a chance here at a decent price. Toss the turf races, and his starts since a brief winter layoff really haven't been bad. He's eligible to improve off a bad trip in his last start, and I like the rider switch to Rajiv Maragh. In a field full of horses that haven't really shown an interest in winning, I'll go with a horse that has several positive angles going for him, and hopefully, he makes this bet pay.
This is a $60 ticket for a 50-cent bet. It's not an easy sequence, but hopefully we can make some money heading into the weekend. Best of luck!
ADVERTISEMENT
