Sprinters who win races at an above-average rate are out in droves for Sunday’s late pick four at Lone Star Park. The sequence that has a 50-cent minimum wager runs on races 6-9.  It opens with a $40,000 optional-claiming sprint that drew six stakes winners and includes a second optional claimer at six furlongs in which one entrant is chasing career victory No. 21. The forecast for the afternoon program is a high of 97 degrees, with no precipitation in the mix, according to The Weather Channel. Below is a look at the late pick four.

Some limited field sizes may limit your options in terms of trying to hit a “big one.” The final pick three of the day (races 7-9) incorporates the two largest fields on the card, and while hitting here likely won’t send you to the IRS window, it still presents an opportunity.

Race 7

ARCADIA, Calif. – Sticking around for the last two races Saturday at Santa Anita? The answer should be yes because both Grade 1 races include attractive betting opportunities.

Race 8 is the seven-furlong Triple Bend, in which program favorite Kobe’s Back will try to overcome another slow start and win by rallying from last. A more likely scenario is that the race will be won by a front-runner at higher odds.

Nonno was a no-no last week, finishing fourth to a hot firster—but keep an eye on him in the future. It was a bit of a lean week for BreezeFigs winners of all ages, but then again there weren’t many opportunities, or many decent ones, to consider. There were three winners among the 3-year-old maidens: two at Santa Anita, both on Saturday (including a $9.70 BreezeFigs exacta for a buck) and one at Delaware—and four previous BreezeFigs maiden winners won stakes races.

With two stakes in a pick four sequence Saturday at Thistledown that is anchored by the $500,000 Ohio Derby, the wager – which can be played in 50-cent tickets – is an attractive bet.  Here is how I see the Ohio Derby pick four, which covers races 5-8.

Race 5

Conquest Sure Shot
Trainer:  Mark Casse
Last Race:  June 18th, 2nd
Finish:  3rd by 7
Beyer:  58
First time starter was off slowly and in no hurry while trailing the field early, before coming with a good run through the stretch in debut effort that appeared to be designed to give him something to build upon. 

June 18

R SUNDAY SURPRISE
Trainer: Doug O’Neill
Last race: June 16, 1st
Finish: 3rd by 4 1/2
Beyer: 37
A full sister to California Chrome, this 2-year-old debuting filly ran well. Uncomfortable early taking dirt, she angled out, finished with run, and galloped out in front of the field.

RAINBOWS AHEAD
Trainer: Catherine Day Phillips
Last race: June 18, 5th
Finish: 4th by 5 3/4
Beyer: 63
After getting pinched back at the break, she rallied belatedly from off slow fractions on her left lead. This was her second race and first following an extended layoff. The daughter of Awesome Again and Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Van Lear Rose could break through next time in her third trip postward.

ARCADIA, Calif. – A bettor could throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into the Sunday card at Santa Anita. That is one strategy. Another approach is to heed the signals from Santa Anita and tread lightly.

Sunday is the last day before the Santa Anita turf course is replaced. If the course were perfect, it would not require replacing. But the course is not perfect, and four grass races Sunday will be the final races on this version of the Santa Anita turf.