King: Keeneland pick four play for Saturday, Oct. 17

Several classy races and competitive fields at Keeneland Saturday make the late pick four an attractive wager. So let’s dive right into the races with a look at the contenders, and compile a Ticketmaker ticket.

:: See Byron King’s pick four play in DRF TicketMaker and bet it with DRF Bets

Race 7

Up first is a 1 1/16-mile dirt allowance for 3-year-old colts and geldings which has two or three horses with stakes potential.

GUN RUNNER (1) rates top billing, having won a mile race at Churchill in his only start. I’m encouraged that trainer Steve Asmussen debuted him going long, suggesting that he viewed Gun Runner as a true route horse even in his training. He isn’t simply trying to make a router out of a promising sprinter.

Gun Runner ranks as an "A," or a high-percentage, play, along with BANDWIDTH (4), who left me impressed when he broke his maiden at Churchill in his debut. And though his race came at six furlongs, he finished like a horse that has a route future.

RAFTING (2), who took a maiden event at Saratoga going away in his second start, is a "B." That victory came going seven furlongs, and his pedigree certainly suggests a route future. He is first-time Lasix, which is a good statistical angle for trainer Graham Motion.

Race 8

Ten fillies and mares go to post next in a money allowance at 1 1/16 miles on turf. Again, I'll go with two "A" horses and one "B."

The two "A" horses are I'M ALREADY SEXY (6) and EMOTIONAL KITTEN (1). I prefer I'm Already Sexy over Emotional Kitten because she wins more frequently, at least over the past couple years. I'm Already Sexy just missed when second in a stakes race at Kentucky Downs last out when she was too keen on the front end. Emotional Kitten had troubled trip when racing at Parx most recently, getting steadied on the first turn and entering the second.

OVERHEARD (2) adds potential value to the pick four and will be used as a "B." Her last wasn’t particularly good, a sixth in the Canadian at Woodbine, but that came on yielding turf. She seems to prefer firm going, conditions she should get Saturday.

Race 9

BAR OF GOLD (2) unsuccessfully chased Cavorting in the Test and Prioress this summer at Saratoga, running second to her in both graded races, and is the lone "A" horse in the Raven Run. Cavorting, it should be pointed out, will be one of the favorites for the Breeder’s Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

I will use three "B" horses here: MISS ELLA (5), winner of the Beaumont at Keeneland in the spring; IRISH JASPER (3), whose form in her last two races is shaky but who won three in a row before that; and CHIDE (10), a closing second in the Sept. 19 Dogwood at Churchill to the promising Super Majesty.

Race 10

Closing out this pick four, I'll use two "A" horses – TANNER’S POPSICLE (5) and ALMOST ENGLISH (8), and one backup runner in RUN WITH HONOR (2), who seems a cut behind the top two from a class perspective.

The two "A" horses win frequently. Tanner's ‘Popsicle is 4 for 10 lifetime, while Almost English is 5 for 16 in 2014-2015.

The Ticketmaker ticket

Plugging the horses into Ticketmaker with a 50-cent base and a budget of $6 creates an all "A" ticket for $1.50; tickets with three "As" and a "B" for $1 apiece; and tickets with two "As" and two "Bs" for 50 cents each.