King: Pick four play at Gulfstream for Sunday, Dec. 20

A series of competitive races late on the Sunday card at Gulfstream Park, and a 50-cent minimum for the pick four make that wager appealing. With sunny skies forecast and therefore fast and firm conditions likely, here is my recommended ticket.

Race 7

GALARDONADO (1) is the most likely winner and the lone “A” – or high-percentage play under the DRF Ticketmaker ranking system. Second in his last start vs. similar at Gulfstream Park West, he is well suited to the company and distance. Additionally, he has repeatedly run well on the Gulfstream main track, even winning an allowance over this surface three starts ago on Oct. 1.

Budget-minded players may wish to single him, but I’m going to try three “B” runners as backups – just in case he doesn’t run to expectations. In numerical order they are PAX ORBIS (2), JAIDEN’S BEST, and KARLYRAE’SWARRIOR (10).

Race 8

Feel safe going only two deep in this maiden turf race, using MAJESTIC SMILE (2) as an “A” play after a near-miss runner-up finish at Aqueduct on Nov. 18 and second timer VERBOUWEN (11) as a backup “B” runner.

Majestic Smile has the best turf form of anyone, while Verbouwen starts for trainer Chad Brown, whose stable leads North America in turf earnings this year.

Race 9

Next up is a $6,250 nonwinners-of-two claimer, a race in which WORLD CHANGER (2) looks like the class and SUPER ZAPPER (4) appears the in-form runner. Both are “A” runners.

I will toss a longshot in there, too, WALL STREET KITTEN (6), who starts for high-percentage owner Frank Calabrese. Wall Street Kitten offers value at a morning line of 10-1 and could blow up the payoff for this wager if she can reverse her current form and register an upset. She goes down as a “B” play.

Race 10

Another nonwinners-of-two closes out the card, with this one being run for $16,000 and contested on turf. Those conditions favor QUITE THE ISSUE (2) and MODERN TALE (9), with Quite the Issue being dropped in class after a close fourth for $30,000, and Modern Tale coming off a second at Gulfstream Park West vs. a similar group.

With those two runners going down as “A” horses, I will spread with another couple horses, both of whom rank as “B” horses, STARSHIP BOUND (3) and DERBY DAY KITTEN (8). Both offer higher potential reward than the top two selections if successful.

The Ticket

Plugging the horses into DRF’S Ticketmaker, using a 50-cent minimum and budget of $47, an all-A ticket can be played for $1.50, three A’s and a B for $1, and finally two A’s and two B’s for the minimum of 50 cents.

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