Bernier: Pick four for Preakness card
The Preakness card at Pimlico is filled with multirace wagers, and I’ll look at the second of three pick-four sequences, beginning with race 6. The middle pick four has a guaranteed pool of $500,000, so hopefully we can make a score and roll it into the final pick four of the day. Admittedly, I’m not offering the most efficient pick-four play you’ll ever see, but that’s why you can use DRF TicketMaker to emphasize your opinions and maximize your profits. For the sake of this write-up, I’m going to dive into my “all A’s” pick-four play.
RACE 6
A wide-open allowance kicks off this sequence, and I’m really hoping the also-eligible runner BARNEY REBEL (15) draws into the field for trainer Mary Eppler. There appears to be a ton of early speed entered in this event, and Barney Rebel showcased a big finish in his first start for his new connections on May 6; if he draws in, he must be considered. JOSE SEA VIEW (1) isn’t the sexiest horse on paper, but he should get a good pace scenario to run at. He owns the highest last-out Beyer Speed Figure in the field with an 81, and a replica of that figure would make him a prime win candidate.
RACE 7 – CHICK LANG
I was looking forward to taking a shot against RECRUITING READY (7) at a short price, but there doesn’t appear to be a ton of early speed entered, and there’s a real chance that Recruiting Ready will take this field gate to wire. It’s concerning that he’s never passed a horse in his life, but if the race plays out the way it looks like it should on paper, he should be leading every step of the way. I’m intrigued by PROFORMA (5) for Mike Stidham, as his Beyers late as a 2-year-old aren’t that much slower than what his competitors have been earning as 3-year-olds. The layoff is a concern, but he’s an interesting horse to consider at a price.
RACE 8 – James W. MURPHY
YOSHIDA (6) looks like he could be a serious racehorse. His first two starts were impressive for different reasons; he closed from well off the pace in his debut, finishing a solid second before winning his maiden in gate-to-wire fashion at Keeneland most recently. The pace appears to be a lively one on paper, so Yoshida likely will resort to stalking tactics this time. Regardless of his position on the track, he looks like he could be something serious. MO MAVERICK (1) has done nothing wrong on turf for trainer George Weaver, and his stalking running style could be critical in this event. He’s an interesting runner at 10-1 on the morning line. On my backup tickets, I’ll also be using DOVER CLIFFS (4) for Christophe Clement.
RACE 9 – MARYLAND SPRINT
Everyone is going to be focusing on WHITMORE (5) and A. P. INDIAN (4). They deserve the attention, but I’m going to take a small shot against one of them. Whitmore needs to prove to me he can excel away from Oaklawn Park before I fully believe in him at a very short price; he’ll be on my backup tickets. A. P. Indian likely needed the Commonwealth to get back to peak fitness, and it’s not like he was embarrassed in that race. It’s also worth noting that the first- and third-place finishers exited the Commonwealth to run 1-2 in the Churchill Downs Stakes two weeks ago, each earning 101 Beyer Speed Figures. I’m interested in HOLY BOSS (6) at a bit of a price simply because there’s a real chance he can shake loose on the front end. He may not be as reliable as he once was, but he can still make fields pay if he’s allowed to roll on an uncontested lead.
THE PLAY
All-A’s pick four: 1,15 / 5,7 / 1,6 / 4,6
