Dunleavy: Pick four play for Laurel on Saturday, March 14

The pick four on races 6 to 9 Saturday at Laurel Park looks quite playable with two optional-claiming races bookending the sequence, which also includes an $8,000 maiden-claiming race for 4-year-olds and up and a $40,000 maiden-claiming race for 3-year-olds.

I’ve used DRF TicketMaker to stitch together a $45 play. The tickets are all in 50-cent denominations.

There are four ways to win:

1. All of my A horses win
2. Three As and one B wins
3. Two As and two Bs win
4. Three As win and one of my C horses in race 7 wins

Race 6 is a third-level optional-claiming race at six furlongs.

SCHIVARELLI (#4) comes in from New York for trainer Eddie Kenneally and is strictly the horse to beat.

He won his first two career starts and then finished fourth in the Wood Memorial in early 2014. He returned from a six-month layoff to win an optional-claiming race at Keeneland in the fall, then finished a good third to East Hall and Wildcat Red in the Sunshine Millions Classic Preview in December.

He was a well-beaten fourth in his next start to Liam’s Map, which prompted Kenneally to send him back to New York for the Jazil Stakes in January. Although he finished fifth of six in that race, he has been in steady training since and holds a class edge on this group.

My one concern is that he is cutting back to six furlongs for this race, something he hasn’t done since his career debut. Because of that, I will use BIG GUY IAN (#5) as a “B” runner.

Big Guy Ian has the best speed in this six-horse field and could get lost on the lead if Schivarelli is slow to find his best stride.

A: Schivarelli (4)
B: Big Guy Ian (5)

[Build your pick four ticket with DRF TicketMaker]

Race 7 is an $8,000 maiden claimer at six furlongs for 4-year-olds and up. There is a field of 13.

NATE’S DYNAMITE (#3) and ZILLIONS (#1) each finished third in their most recent starts. Nate’s Dynamite was racing at this level, and Zillions was in for a $10,500 claiming price. Nate’s Dynamite is my top pick.

I am going to use them both as “A” runners but spread here and use three “B” horses and two “C” runners. This would be a good race for an upset.

A: Zillions (1), Nate’s Dynamite (3)
B: Table (5), Merlin (8), Henry’s Way (13)
C: Suave Tiger (7), Not for Fun (10)

Race 8 is a $40,000 maiden claimer for 3-year-olds at six furlongs.

FAR OUT WEST (#1) drops in for a claiming tag for the first time after making three starts against open maiden company.

ROCK ME GENTLY (#5) closed well and just missed by a neck in a $25,000 maiden claimer in his last start and steps up a notch here. I also will use three “B” runners, including the first-time starter WYE NOT WIN (#2).

Wye Not Win is trained by Donald Barr, who in the last two years is 3 for 9 with a $5.06 ROI with first-time starters in maiden-claiming races, according to DRF Formulator.

A: Far Out West (1), Rock Me Gently (5)
B: Wye Not Win (2), Westside Magic (3), Stop the Nonsense (7)

Race 9 is a second-level option-claiming race at 1 1/16 miles.

GOLDEN GLINT (#1) is part of a Jose Corrales-trained entry. He won a first-level allowance three starts back and has finished second in both of his tries at this level. He has a lot of upside, and I would single him if it weren’t for the presence of HE’S SO FINE (#4).

He’s So Fine is a hard-knocking 5-year-old who has won four of his last six starts after beginning his career 2 for 22. He won a $40,000 claiming race while making his debut for trainer Hugh McMahon in his last start Feb. 6. He previously was trained by Ramon Preciado at Parx.

A: Golden Glint (1), He’s so Fine (4)