Free: Pimlico pick four play for Saturday, May 16

The pick four ending with the Preakness Stakes has a 50-cent minimum and $1.5 million-guaranteed pool. The sequence (races 10-13) also includes a live longshot in the Grade 2 Dixie Stakes (race 12) which will be a single on this suggested ticket.

The play is inexpensive ($25) and simple. The strategy – spread, spread, single and double the Preakness with both Bob Baffert trainees.

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Race 10, $100,000 Chick Lang Stakes

A six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds, the Chick Lang historically has been won by speed. This ticket is five deep with fast horses. They are BLAME JIM (1), longshot wet-track specialist ACKERET (2), VICTORY IS SWEET (5), program favorite GIMME DA LUTE (7) and HOLY BOSS (9).

Race 11, $100,000 The Very One Stakes

A five-furlong turf sprint for fillies and mares, this race is a scramble. This ticket will not aim to be cute. It will simply try to stay alive using five. They are AGELESS (2), JOYA REAL (4), program favorite SHRINKING VIOLET (5), JEWEL OF A CAT (6) and AQUINNAH (9).

Race 12, Grade 2 Dixie Stakes

This turf route is the separator. While a case can be made for many, the price play is LONG ON VALUE (12). He somehow found himself on the lead in a Grade 1 last out. That is against his preferred running style. He weakened to third.

Long On Value prefers to chase a target; his career-best effort was a Grade 3 win rallying from eighth. Although he drew poorly in post 12, the gamble is that Long On Value can tuck in, find cover and explode late. At 8-1 in the program, it’s a risk worth taking on a good horse dropping in class. Long On Value is a single.

Race 13, Grade 1 Preakness

Baffert holds the aces with AMERICAN PHAROAH (1) and DORTMUND (2). Unless the pace scenario gets messed up by Mr. Z, then American Pharoah and Dortmund could make it a parade and run one-two all the way around.

Pick four, races 10-13
(50-cent wager = $25)

Race 10 (first leg): 1, 2, 5, 7, 9

Race 11 (second leg): 2, 4, 5, 6 ,9

Race 12 (third leg): 12

Race 13 (fourth leg): 1, 2