Pick fours figure to attract big money on a Sunday light on betting opportunities

Last Sunday, the $1 late pick four at Los Alamitos drew a pool of $194,442 on a night of futurity trials. Two weeks ago, the late pick four pool was $154,950.

While those figures are far below the track record for a pick four pool of $442,781, set in the early pick four on April 25, handle in the late pick four on Sunday could be strong on a day when the Thoroughbreds at Gulfstream Park and Quarter Horses at Remington Park are the only other tracks operating in the country.

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The early pick four, which comprises four races for lower-level Thoroughbreds at 4 1/2 furlongs, could threaten the all-time record.

The track’s evening meeting has soared in popularity in the last month because of the coronavirus outbreak that has interrupted or resulted in the cancellation of some race meetings and postponed the start of others.

The evening meeting of Quarter Horses and lower-level Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos has recorded its five all-time highest handle figures since April 24. Through Thursday, the all-time record of $2,843,573 was set on April 25.

Sunday’s late pick four at Los Alamitos covers the sixth through ninth races and consists of a $6,250 claimer at 870 yards, a $12,500 claimer for maiden 2-year-olds at 300 yards, a $6,250 claimer at 300 yards, and an allowance race at 350 yards.

First post time is 8 p.m. Eastern, or 5 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

The key to the late pick four is deciphering the allowance race at 350 yards for fillies and mares, which drew a field of six.

Hot Little Kiddy, trained by James Glenn Jr., is likely to be favored on the basis of a win in a 330-yard allowance race by three-quarters of a length on March 27. The win ended an 11-race losing streak dating to a division of the $380,000 Governor’s Cup Futurity trials in July 2018. Hot Little Kiddy was fourth in the final of that race.

Last July, Hot Little Kiddy was seventh in the $195,000 Governor’s Cup Derby.

Sunday, Hot Little Kiddy’s main rivals are Chocolate Divinity and Galloping Goddess.

Chocolate Divinity won an allowance race at 350 yards on March 28, her second win in four starts this year. Galloping Goddess was ninth in the Southern California Derby in December and third in an allowance race at the ridiculously short distance of 110 yards on Feb. 28, finishing behind Sunday rival Deceiver.

Deceiver returned to win another allowance race at 110 yards on March 21. Trained by Glenn, Deceiver is winless in four starts at 300 yards or more since November 2018.