Illman's preview: Focus on $300K pick four

Two to start off pick four

The $100,000 Wild Applause Stakes kicks off the $300,000-guaranteed late pick four, and I’m interested in two of the sophomore fillies.

Walk Close, a perfect 2 for 2, looked very good winning a mile allowance race last month for trainer Christophe Clement. It was her first start since Saratoga and she did not break well. Bottled up along the rail for most of the way, Walk Close split horses on the turn before maneuvering back to the inside turning for home. In midstretch, she altered course and came with a determined run to nail Hillhouse High on the wire. Not only did Hillhouse High return to win earlier this week, but sixth-place finisher Patsy’s Holiday came back to take an entry-level allowance at Monmouth.

There isn’t much speed in the Wild Applause, and Irad Ortiz Jr. must keep Walk Close in range of the expected slow pace. She offers some value at 4-1 on the morning line and I’ll make her an “A” in my Ticketmaker pick four.

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I’ll also use Nisharora, one of two foreign invaders trained by Rick Mettee. The filly showed a fair amount of ability over firm ground in her first two starts in France before being purchased privately by Team Valor. In her lone start for the outfit, she gave a solid performance over “good” ground in Italy.

The issues with Nisharora are two-fold. First, she hasn’t raced in over a year. Second, she will stretch out past six furlongs for the first time. Perhaps Joel Rosario will put the fresh Nisharora on or near the lead. I wouldn’t play her at the 2-1 morning line, but will make her part of the pick four ticket.

Selections: 3-2-1-5

Hot pace for Hot Stones

The Grade 3 Bed o' Roses Handicap is also part of the pick four sequence, and I’d like to find a price in the bulky and contentious field. Hot Stones adds blinkers and turns back in distance for Bruce Levine, and the New York-bred should get some pace to attack.

She chased a speedy filly in La Verdad most recently, and was gradually getting to that distance-challenged foe at the end of the one-turn mile. That was a career-best effort for Hot Stones, and it could be argued that La Verdad is just as good as any of the horses that Hot Stones will face in this Grade 3. At 8-1 on the morning line, she is worth a play.

At first glance, I didn’t want Merry Meadow, who took advantage of some wonderful circumstances to land the Grade 3 Vagrancy Handicap on May 17. First, the Vagrancy was only a four-horse affair. Second, the favorite failed to lift a hoof. Third, the expected speed of the race, Five Star Momma, decided to rate. It all added up for Merry Meadow, who pulled off the 6-1 upset.

While I normally wouldn’t use a filly that received such a great setup, I love her tactical speed. She could work out a good outside stalking trip under Rajiv Maragh and figures prominently when the field turns for home. I need more than her 4-1 morning line, but will also play her in the pick four.

I will try and beat the two coming out of the Skipat Stakes on the Preakness undercard. Lion D N A received a picture-perfect trip tracking a wicked pace duel. Flattering Bea ran the better race as part of that battle, but I’m just not sure if she’s this good. Perhaps both are best played underneath in exotic wagers.

Selections: 8-5-11-3

Gem City Girl, Ortiz reunited

While Alpaca Fina can certainly win the third race dropping and wheeling back on short notice for David Jacobson, I can’t bet her at the 2-1 morning line price. She finished ahead of one horse in her last two races combined and looks way off form.

There isn’t much to choose from, but perhaps Gem City Girl can revert to the speedy tactics that resulted in her maiden-claiming win at Aqueduct three back. Gem City Girl was bounced around in the opening furlong most recently and couldn’t get near the front, but she now receives a rider switch to Jose Ortiz. The only time Gem City Girl was paired with Ortiz, they went to the lead en route to the victory.

Selections: 4-5-2-7

Horses to Watch

UNBRIDLED LOGIC
Trainer: Bruce Levine
Last Race: June 20, 2nd
Finish: 2nd by 1
Beyer: 81

Rajiv Maragh did all he could to save as much ground as possible, but the late-running Unbridled Logic simply had too much to do in the stretch, and couldn’t catch a winner that had all the best of it up front throughout. The Lion Heart gelding ran well at Saratoga last year and should be followed in similar conditioned claiming turf races contested at middle distances.