Litfin's preview: Challenges abound for multi-race bettors

Track conditions

The main track was still labeled muddy through morning training hours. Races 4, 5, and 10 have been taken off the turf. Races 1 and 7 remain on the turf, and both courses are rated “good.”

$300k late pick four

Commencing today and with the exception of Belmont Stakes Day, the late pick four on Saturday has a $300,000 guaranteed pool.

With a 10-race card on tap, the late pick four begins at 4:26 p.m. Eastern with race 7, a first-level allowance still scheduled for the Widener turf.

The middle legs are appetizing as well – a $62,500 optional claiming sprint, followed by the Peter Pan Stakes for 3-year-olds.

The problem for multi-race exotic bettors is race 10 because the racing office didn’t do us any favors by carding this off-the-turf maiden race as a blind item. Pending late scratches and without a look at the toteboard and the usual pre-race evaluations, it’s impossible to determine what to do with the first-time starters – especially Pacific, a $1.8 million purchase last year who is being unveiled by Todd Pletcher.

It’s not the only place where the racing office seems to have gone out of its way to confound multi-race bettors: The second leg of the early pick four is a maiden special where four of the six fillies are first-time starters; at least you can sneak a peek at rolling double will-pays prior to race 2.

Is Tonalist ready?

The Grade 2, $200,000 is there for the taking. The seven entrants are 0 for 6 in graded stakes, including the maiden Irish You Well’s third in the Illinois Derby, and Our Caravan’s upset of Ring Weekend in the Calder Derby is the group’s only collective stakes victory.

Although he is still eligible for preliminary allowance conditions, the 1 1/8-mile race goes through Tonalist, who missed some training time in Florida following a second Feb. 22 to Constitution. That performance took on considerable significance when Constitution improved to 3 for 3, winning the Florida Derby.

The fact that Tonalist won a 1 1/8-mile maiden race by daylight off a two-month layoff bodes well for his potential readiness, as does a slate of five-furlong works at Payson Park and a bullet five-eighths over the main track here last Sunday.

Tonalist is among a trio in the field sired by Tapit, along with Matterhorn (who beat Tonalist in their respective debuts last fall) and Tapicero, a deep closer who has won his last two at Calder in blowout fashion.