Illman: Monmouth Park pick four for Sunday, July 3
A wide-open renewal of the Grade 1 United Nations highlights the Independence Day card at Monmouth, but I’ll take a shot at the early Pick 4.
Here are the key horses in each sequence followed by a TicketMaker play:
Race 3: Sly Tom (1) faced quality competition last year at three (Go Around, Da Big Hoss, Mr. Maybe, etc.) and should be ready for his best effort in the third start of the form cycle for trainer Brian Lynch. He caught soft ground in his first race of the year and just missed last time out in a decent conditioned claimer at Belmont. Look for a ground-saving trip from the inside post.
Race 4: Silverado Star (1) was involved in a racelong duel with odds-on favorite Pico, and eventually cracked that one en route to a maiden win in his first start of the meet. He faces a tougher group and a more difficult pace situation, but drew inside and should be right there when the field swings into the stretch.
Race 5: Red Letter (1) pressed honest sprint fractions last time at Belmont, and now drops in class while stretching out in distance. He can be forwardly placed, if not outright on the lead, under Paco Lopez.
Race 6: I’ll use an alternative in the Ticketmaker play, but Chipit (4) deserves one more chance after being steadied early behind a runaway winner. He has the ability to be closer to the pace, but could get some help up front with Easy to Say (1) and Prudhoe Bay (5) entered.
Here’s the TicketMaker link.