Hersh: Belmont Park late pick four for Sunday, Oct. 7, 2018

A little caveman-ticket late-pick-four action to close the Sunday card at Belmont. First, three stakes, then a seven-furlong 2-year-old allowance race to close the sequence. I’m for FOURSTAR CROOK (#7) in the Flower Bowl, race 8, and against COVFEFE (#6) in the Frizette, race 7.

Race 6
6, 10, 11

Could get pretty deep in the weeds with the Futurity if one wanted to, but will try to get by with one of three. DRAGIC (#6) just didn’t seem to stay the mile at Kentucky Downs, and her dirt-sprint form through multiple Grade 1 winner Bellafina is strong. SWAMP RAT (#10) cuts back from two turns, which seems a plus, and had a good maiden win on this course. UNCLE BENNY (#11) won on debut well in a dirt sprint despite the probability that he will turn out to be a turf horse.

Race 7
1,2,4,7

Covfefe undeniably was impressive in the debut score, but this feels a little bit rushed in what might be a strong push just to try to make the Breeders’ Cup with two starts. Don’t love anyone here and will spread with the four I think can win if the favorite doesn’t.

Race 8
A: 7

Feels like FOURSTAR CROOK has raced more than four times this year. Nope – she still should be fresh. A real ace over the local lawn.

Race 9
2,4,9,10

Pletcher’s firster CLINT MAROON (#4) feels very live here to me. Speaking of Pletcher, Current, who runs later today in the Bourbon at Keeneland, looked like an above-par maiden turf winner last month when A THREAD OF BLUE (#2), was a troubled second behind him. PARTY WITH FRIENDS (#10) and GREYES CREEK (#9) are both out of the Chad Brown barn, and while the latter is less than half the morning-line odds of the former, I’d lean a bit toward Party With Friends today.

50-cent pick four, races 6-9 (total cost: $24)
6,10,11 with 1,2,3,7 with 7 with 2,4,9,10