$20,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 Selections for Balmoral tonight

Tonight at Balmoral is the Guaranteed $20,000 Pick 4 and last Saturday we hit it! Before we get started, last Wednesday night we missed the Pick 4 by one. Looking back should have taken Toshie’s Place as the single and would have had another one for $290.00. Tonight we’re going to do something different, instead of singling one race we’re going to do a 3 -2 - 2 - 3. This is an experiment, having hit one of three singles, so the idea is to spread the risk out a bit and forsake the longshot in two races. Our ticket is still $27 and the balance left is $159.10.

Here we go:

Race 10: #1/1A Major Monet ML 8/1, #4 All American Bomber ML 8/1, Special Joe ML 4/1

This is a wide open race and was tough leaving Vette Man off the ticket. I’m leaning to Major Monet here with a huge improvement last out coming in second and tightening up its final time. All American Bomber is moving up in class and the trainer hits about 12% of time, add Marcus Miller in the buggy and you have to respect this horse.

Race 11: #1 Popperosa ML 8/1 #6 Giddy Up Boy ML 4/1

Like both of these horses, had them in a previous ticket and Popperosa won for us on the 20th. I’m going to stay with Popperosa, she is moving up in class but like her due to speed/time form and Miller again. Giddy Up Boy showed a strong form improvement, good ROI with Roberts and Kreischer connection, could finally beat them all.

Race 12: #3 Johnny B Cool ML 4/1 #6 Rocket Dog 9/2

Johnny B Cool had a big race on the 20th finishing 2nd in a $4,000 CL event. Looks like is in great form and should be interesting with Smolin back at the reins. I like Rocket Dog here based on excellent speed of 75 relative to the others and rounding into form. Coming out of the 6 slot and Casey Leonard driving, just one of those steady horses that knows how to win.

Race 13: #4 Bring The Rain ML 8/1 #5 Real or Magic 4/1 #6 Drive’em Cowboy ML 9/2

While Bring The Rain looks the strongest of the three, I am going with Real or Magic. Had a good outing in Springfield, his speed and class fit nicely here and the Seekman/Fountane have a nice ROI together of .317. If you’re not buying my logic then go with Bring The Rain. Who ran an improved race last out and is getting Miller for the first time, very dangerous horse here.

With some luck tonight we catch some prices and cash a nice Pick 4. Don’t forget the 50 cent Trifecta on the 13th race. Tomorrow night will post selections for the Guaranteed $25,000 Pick 4 at Balmoral.

$15,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 at Balmoral Selection ... Chicken dinner tonight!

Here we are, another week of great horse racing, there are seven Grade 1 races scheduled for the weekend. Saratoga with four, Del Mar two and Monmouth with one and a slew of Grade 2 races and Calder is hosting a Saturday of 2YO stake races. Right know I haven’t decided which two races I will handicap for HANA, so if you readers have any suggestions leave a comment. Last weekend, I handicapped the Del Mar Oaks and Sky Classic. Two very interesting races, the Oaks showed us how good Summer Soiree really is holding off Nereid and Star Billing and in the Sky Classic a shocker with Kara’s Orientation just plain ran away from the field. I believe at one time she was 17 lengths in the lead down the back stretch and won by 2+ lengths.

Also, I’m in the last two weeks of Survival At The Shore contest at Monmouth Park. After 120 races I have had 28 winners (24%) and now in the top 20%. It has been a marathon, and like the contest is called, it is a Survival! Now on to harness racing, it is Wednesday Night and that means …

$15,000 Guaranteed Pick 4 at Balmoral Park in Crete IL. Last week we hit a small one of $260 on our $27 budget so we have a bit of profit to play this week. The races are 7-10 and the takeout is a small 14%, so let’s get started with the selections:

Race 7 #2 Mimi McBride ML 10/1 #5 BS Mary’s Delight ML 6/1 #6 Toshie Delight ML 5/2

Like Toshie Delight here, we had her last week and she finished 2nd, real consistent speed and other than Mimi McBride is the fastest currently.

Race 8 #1 Nannah Montana ML 6/1 #3 Kitty O’Brien ML 5/2 #5 No Doubt ML 5/2

This is a tough race, like both the #3 and #5. Leaning to the #5 due to strong speed figures and won last out and Todd Warren is staying in the buggy.

Race 9 #2 Mearl Finn ML 5/2 #7 Perky B Skipalong ML 6/1 #8 Mattjestic Help ML 6/1

The #2 and #8 were part of our winning night last Saturday. The safe bet is with the #2 but going say #8 in this spot. She is dropping down in class, two strong efforts with Leroy Miller driving and knocked off some serious time in her last race. She won’t get off at 30/1 like last Saturday but sitting in the 8th hole she might get overlooked again.

Race 10 #6 Racy Traci Place ML 15/1

This seems like a strange place for the single. But she is dropping down in class, David Fagan has a decent ROI and trains as well as drives. She has consistent speed of late, and while a non winner of 12 here at Balmoral, she just feels right in this spot.

Good luck and “here they come”