Beer: How I'd Play the Belmont Park late pick four on Saturday, June 9, 2018
Race 8: The $1.5 million-guaranteed all-Grade 1 pick four kicks off with the Just a Game. Chad Brown sends out to the two favorites in this race in A Raving Beauty and Off Limits. I strongly prefer Off Limits and will make her the focus of this pick four sequence.
Proctor's Ledge and Lull join A Raving Beauty on the backup tickets.
Main: 3
Backup: 4, 5, 7
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Race 9: The Met Mile is a tough race with a field of 11 expected to start. This is the race I want the most coverage in.
Awesome Slew is starting to run out of chances at this level, but he generally shows up in these one-turn seven- to eight-furlong races, and he fits this race well with his closing style. He's on the main ticket along with the logical Mind Your Biscuits.
I also want to cover the 3-year-old Bolt d'Oro; McCraken, who makes his second start of the year following a closing win over a one-turn mile off the layoff; One Liner, turning back out of longer races with some speed to go along with his upside; and a little Bee Jersey, who is streaking right now for Steve Asmussen and has speed.
Main: 1, 4, 6, 11
Backup: 2, 10
Race 10: The Manhattan is a rare turf route that is projected to be run at a fast pace. That helps the consistent closer Sadler's Joy, and he is the one I prefer. I will also use the undefeated Robert Bruce, Hi Happy, and Spring Quality. Beach Patrol is, in many ways, the horse to beat, but I didn't love his first start back and he will likely have to work hard in this race while close to the pace. He's a backup.
Main: 1, 8, 13
Backup: 3, 10
Race 11: The sequence closes out with Justify's bid for the Triple Crown in the Belmont Stakes. He is not quite invincible exiting a subpar effort in the Preakness, but I think there are legitimate ways to look past that effort, and believe that he is better than these horses. I am leaning on him while also using Vino Rosso.
Main: 1, 8