McGee: Gulfstream Park pick four play for Saturday, Feb. 4
The most noteworthy aspect to this pick-four play is the stand I’ll take against Pretty City Dancer as she returns from her five-month layoff in the Forward Gal (race 6). She might eventually prove the best filly among the group assembled, but this race is being used as a starting point for what her connections hope will be a big year, and she sure doesn’t have to win right off the bat. I’ll take the chance that at 7-5 on the morning line she’ll be in need of a race.
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Race 5 – THREE RULES (3) should get the best of Sonic Mule, but if they go neck-and-neck a long way, a fresh FAVORABLE OUTCOME (4) could pounce.
Race 6 – I’ll toss the Mark Casse-trained Pretty City Dancer in favor of these fillies: BODE’S DREAM (3), back as the narrowly beaten favorite in the Old Hat; MS LOCUST POINT (6), whose big efforts up north for John Servis can’t help but make you think of where Cathryn Sophia was a year ago; and SUMMER LUCK (8), the “other Casse” who has shown a lot of promise in her own right and comes well-drawn in an outer post after having an excuse in the Old Hat.
Race 7 – The two inside-drawn horses, ROCK EAGLE (1) and MOBRIDGE (2), are logical plays in this open $16,000 turf route, and it’d be no surprise if one was along to win. But a couple of outside-drawn longshots, I.C. LIGHTNING (10) and XINGU (11), both stand to benefit from recent starts over the local turf and are eligible to surprise and help blow this ticket up.
Race 8 – This is one of those tricky maiden-claiming turf routes so familiar to day-to-day Gulfstream players, so buy yourself more coverage here if you’re so compelled. I’ll use three horses out of the key Jan. 14 race, including the rail-drawn CHASING THE DREAM (1), along with RODEO ROMANCE (6) on a class drop for Chuck Simon.
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This is the straight-A play:
Race 5 – 3, 4
Race 6 – 3, 6, 8
Race 7 – 1, 2, 10, 11
Race 8 – 1, 4, 6, 12
50-cent ticket = $48