King: Pick four play for Gulfstream on Sunday, March 29

A late pick four play Sunday at Gulfstream, covering races 9-12 and comprised solely of turf races, offers the potential for a few large-priced winners that could fatten the payoff.

Up first in race 9 is the $16,000 claiming race on the turf, a race Kitten in May (#4) seems most likely to win. But being a deep closer, and therefore more at risk for trouble, and already having shown a runner-up tendency, this horseplayer can’t feel confident simply singling him.

So I will base him as an “A” play using Daily Racing Form’s Ticketmaker program and toss a couple “B” alternative runners in there: El Chivo Viejo (#11) and Concert Stage (#7).

Race 10

The Sanibel Island for 3-year-old turf fillies follows, and that’s a race in which I like All in Fun (#3), a winner of two straight who runs well fresh and appears to have considerable talent. She’s an “A.”

To “B” runners also will get used: the longshot Red Sashay (#7) and the likely favorite Isabella Sings (#4).

Race 11

I will go deepest in the next leg, using the class-dropping Amen Kitten (#3) as an “A” but also including a trio of “B” horses: Iron Power (#7), Tricky Hat (#4), and Calvados (#5).

Amen Kitten is the most likely winner but has a slim margin for error. In fact, he won by only a neck the last time he raced in an allowance at Gulfstream late last year, and that was against an easier field.

Race 12

Maiden $20,000 claimers close out the card, and as most are aware, such types are less dependable than higher class runners.

I see three horses worth playing, and all go down as “A” horses. In order of preference, they are Dee's Causeway (#8), Gold Piece (#13), and Famous Sting (#3).

Dee’s Causey and Famous Sting will offer the greater value. So let’s hope one of those two comes in.

The ticket

Plugging the horses listed above into Ticketmaker, using a base bet of 50 cents and a budget of $50 results in a $49.50 ticket in which all “A” horses are played for $1.50 apiece; three “A’s” and one “B” for $1 apiece; and two “A’s” and two “B’s” for on 50-cent tickets.