King: Los Alamitos pick four for Saturday, Sept. 24

This is a fine-tuned play from a “caveman” ticket I put together in DRF TicketMaker for the late pick four using the “ABC” system of ranking horses in Formulator.

Race 6

Two-year-old maidens go six furlongs in the first leg, and the race seems best played going two deep, using Bernin Sensation (7) and Saldamente (6). They are the only two horses that have managed to run second in their careers, with Bernin Sensation doing so in his debut at Del Mar on Aug. 26 and Saldamente running second first out on Aug. 6 there before a fourth in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf.

They are both “A” runners.

Race 7

Tough Sunday (10) seems the most likely winner of this first-level allowance, having just run second at Del Mar in his first race since January. He is the lone “A” I plan to use.

Still, his body of work over his 12-race career doesn’t amaze, so let’s try a few “B’ horses in here, knowing they will offer better prices. Those horses are Gutsy Ruler (9), Pulmarack (3), and Pedro Cerrano (11). Gutsy Ruler and Pulmarack regularly run Beyer Speed Figures in the mid-80s, and Pedro Cerrano is a winner of both of his races, though against claimers.

Race 8, Los Alamitos Derby

Accelerate (7) and Semper Fortis (5) – the one-two finishers from the Shared Belief Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 26 – are the top choices in this 1 1/8-mile stakes race, but with neither of the two tested beyond a mile, I will also throw Blackjackcat (8) in the mix.

Accelerate is an “A,” and the other two are “B” runners.

Race 9

Star Express (7) is in good form and owns some of the better recent Beyers in the field, but being 0 for 18 and with a history of minor awards, it seems risky to use him exclusively. He is an “A,” but I will back him up with a couple of “B” runners: Money Makin Mike (3) and He's a Knockout (5). Both come off lackluster efforts but were competitive in maiden claimers this summer.

The TicketMaker play

Plugging the horses into DRF’s TicketMaker program, using a 50-cent minimum and a budget of $33, an all-A ticket can be played for $1.50, three As and a B for $1, and finally two As and two Bs for the 50-cent minimum.

:: See Byron King's pick four in DRF TicketMaker, and play it with DRF Bets.