Brad Free's cross-country plays for Wednesday, April 8, 2020

Fonner Park is among just a handful of tracks still running, which makes the unjustified disqualification of the winner of race 4 on Tuesday especially hard to take. It happened in the opening leg of the mandatory-payout pick five. More than $3.6 million was wagered into the pool.

Turning for home, the rider on Taylor’s Prince tried to gun into a tight spot inside leader Where’s Rufus. But there was no room. Taylor’s Prince was driven into a dangerous spot between the leader and the rail. Taylor’s Prince steadied and finished second.

Stewards saw it differently. They ruled Taylor’s Prince had established position and that Where’s Rufus took his path. Where’s Rufus was disqualified from first and placed second; Taylor’s Prince was elevated to first.

Replays do not support the disqualification. Where’s Rufus had position. Taylor’s Prince did not. It was a bad call.

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Tampa Bay Downs is the focus Wednesday – a pick five carryover of $81,240 on races 4-8. On a normal day, this particular Tampa sequence would offer only moderate appeal. But we’re climbing the walls here, and a kickstart carryover makes it worth a small shot.

Must admit that singling the shortest price in the sequence is hardly creative. Therefore, it’s a small $18 play (50-cent minimum). Post time for race 4, the first leg, is 2 p.m. Eastern. Scratches and changes will be available later Wednesday morning.

Race 4
Four deep in this filly-mare turf route, $16K claiming nonwinners of two. Class-drop favorites Bizness Beauty (3) and Shenu Shenume (4) are must-use contenders based on respectable recent efforts versus better. Noble Intentions (5) was compromised by the race-shape last out in a race dominated by speed, while lightly raced Finest Jewel (9) adds blinkers and is making just her second start at the level.

Race 5
Beaten favorite two straight versus 3-year-old maiden-claiming fillies, Goneasagirlcanget (6) tries again at the maiden-10 bottom for fillies and mares. On figures, she is simply the fastest in the field. Goneasagirlcanget, 2-1 shortest price in the sequence, is a single.

Race 6
Itsagimme’s Girl (6) and Shes Dynomite (1) ran one-two all the way around last out in a similar $16K claiming turf mile. Same scenario here? The unknown is favorite Monkey Mind (5), freshened nearly three months and dropping in class. Will use all three.

Race 7
Three deep in this restricted $5K claiming sprint: speedy Ima Wildcat (1), dropper Double Deep (4), and class-drop favorite Amelia’s Wild Ride (9).

Race 8
Over the past five years at Tampa, trainer Christophe Clement has won with 25 percent of his first-time starters in turf routes. Gaelic Gold (9), program favorite, is a single.

Small-budget ticket ($18)
R4: Nos. 3, 4, 5, 9
R5: No. 6
R6: Nos. 1, 5, 6
R7: Nos. 1, 4, 9
R8: No. 9