Beer: How I'd Play the Belmont Park early pick four on May 27, 2019

A stacked Big Apple Showcase card on Memorial Day offers plenty of races to get interested in at Belmont. Since there are some horses at prices that I want to fool around with early in the day let's look at the early pick four, which begins with Race 2.

2nd: I prefer #1 More Mischief making her 3-year-old debut off the layoff for Chad Brown as she looked good breaking her maiden in her second start at Saratoga last summer, then had an impossible trip behind a slow pace in stakes company last September and actually did very well to get up for second. I'm leaning on her and using #8 Kept True as the main backup.

A: 1
B: 8

3rd: #3 Elektronic makes sense as the favorite as he needed his debut while racing greenly and then improved noticeably second time out, as expected from runners out of this barn. The horse I prefer is #6 Veterans Beach, who is making his 3-year-old debut off the layoff. He looked good winning his debut and then ran well again in his second start, before getting in tough in the Futurity here. #9 Bydawnsearlylight is an interesting longshot getting back to turf off the layoff with a chance to improve significantly.

A: 6,9
B: 3

4th: The horses to beat are #2 Newly Minted and #7 Espresso Shot. To me, it's difficult to play this sequence without using both of them in some fashion, but I also want to use #4 Elegant Zip at a price. She may have a tough time beating both of the favorites, but she is better than she looks on paper and I think she is really going to appreciate getting to sprint again in this spot. As a price in a sequence with short prices used prominently, I'll make her a main use and will press some tickets using her alone.

A: 2, 4, 7

5th: #1 Fifty Five is a clear horse to beat at a short price and will be the anchor of this pick four. Her best race is simply too good for these horses and she shows up every time. If I use anyone else it will be longshots #10 War Canoe and #11 Vortex Road.

A: 1
B: 10, 11