McGee: Belmont Park early pick four for Saturday, April 27, 2019
Assuming that racing will remain on turf Saturday at Belmont Park, I’ll be taking a run at the early pick four with a straightforward (and inexpensive) ticket using a couple of singles in the final two legs. Here’s the layout:
Race 2: Should have sufficient coverage in this opening leg with a couple of prices in Simbasalltrouble (4), a first-time gelding, and Everything Pazible (5), who showed signs of waking up last out and now gets Rosario, along with very logical contenders Magnesite (6) and Dove Shoot (9).
Race 3: Vici (2) is entered for a claiming tag after six straight stakes and seems a must-use here, along with Dr. Shane (7) for the always-dangerous Gargan barn and Harlan’s Harmony (8), who tipped his hand with that nice last try.
Race 4: Feeling the need to fade the M/L favorite, Cash Offer, who now races over a (fast) Big Sandy after faring okay in the Big A soup. The Englehart first-timer, Riot (4), ships in off a decent Laurel Park work slate when going out of her way to face statebreds at first asking for an outfit showing well-above-average numbers in the categories that apply.
Race 5: Jason Servis sure seems to be taking an edge in this soft N2L-$40k turf sprint with Air On Fire (9), whom the trainer got to win two starts back (after being 0 for 14) and showed an aptitude for the grass with his bid-and-fade effort when going a mile last out.
Here’s the straight-A ticket:
R2: 4, 5, 6, 9
R3: 2, 7, 8
R4: 4
R5: 9
$1 ticket = $12


