Balmoral $20,000 Pick 4 Selections and a 1-2-3 day at the track

Tonight at Balmoral Park is a Guaranteed Pick 4 for $20,000, along with it being $2 Miller Lite night. Before I cover the selections for the Pick 4, I wanted to spotlight the results from the Alabama and Del Mar Oaks today. All know I like It’s Tricky and selected her to win the Alabama. Today, Royal Delta made amends for her loss to It’s Tricky last out, and won with a strong effort down the stretch. It’s Tricky finished 2nd. Congratulations to Bill Mott and his team for having Royal Delta ready. In the Del Mar Oaks, the West Coast version of the Alabama, but on turf. I had Nereid winning this race. The result was Summer Soiree hanging on to beat Nereid and Star Billing. So the day ended with one winner (Finale at Monmouth), a second (It's Tricky at Saratoga) and a third (Nereid at Del Mar). Now let's get the Pick 4 and go home happy.


Now for the Pick 4 at Balmoral. Our budget is $27 per ticket. Horses in bold are my first place selections.

The selections are as follows:

Race 10: #5 Fools Gold ML 5-2

Race 11: #2 Dry Creek Striker ML 5-1, #4 Giddy Up Boy ML4-1, #7 Vroomrang ML 7-2

Race 12: #3 KB’s Taylor ML 15-1, #4 Popperware ML 6-1, #7 King Z Tan 3-1

Race 13: #1 Maximus Meridus ML 5-1, #4 R. E. Farewell ML 8-1, #6 Johnny B Cool ML 8-1

Balance: ($27)

No chicken dinner at Balmoral, Surviving the Shore and It's Tricky

Going to start the blog with a recap of the pick 4 at Balmoral, then onto the for HANA’s Weekend Handicap (Saturday and Sunday).

Last night was my first Pick 4 on harness racing, and like I said a total rookie. So here are the results. Race #7 my first choice won, Rejoiceandbeglad. He went off as the favorite and returned $5.40 on a $2 win ticket, not too bad and first race covered. Race #8 is next and Onebrewfortheroad won as the favorite and paid $4.60. She was my second choice behind Toshie Special who finished 2nd. Now two races covered and the dreaded single next in R#9. I took a chance on Cam’s Magic MaeMae, not on her past performances but her being in the 8 spot. As I understand it, the more outside a Pacer is the tougher to win. She went off at the third favorite and finished last. Cole Blue a 12-1 went wire to wire and won by 5+ lengths and killing my Pick 4. Now, as a good handicapper, I went back to see what did I miss? Right now I can’t see any glaring stat that would have put her in any grouping little lone a single. The only thing is two back she raced well at Maywood coming out of the #1 slot where she started last night. Chalk it up to it was her night. So on to R#10. Just because we are knocked out we still have to see how we did anyway, right? The #5 CoCoChino that I had in my group won going off at 11-1!! She paid $25.60 to win. So we snagged 3 of 4 the first time out. Not bad, but no chicken dinner. The pool was $18,893 and it paid $1279.00.

Now the race selections for this weekend Handicap Weekend with HANA. I will say it now, not the Alabama. Why? I’m a huge It’s Tricky fan, she is going to win. There that race is done. Seriously, I think she is the best filly in the country and should win her third G1 (making her the first horse of the season to win 3 G1’s). The field is talented, but It’s Tricky will just grind you down, she is tough, real grit and she is on a roll. The only threat is Inglorious from Woodbine, but down the stretch It’s Tricky just takes them out. So the races are: Del Mar Oaks G1 $250K 3YO 1 1/8 turf on Saturday and for Sunday, we are going North to Woodbine for the Sky Classic G2 $250K 3YO+ 1 ¼ turf.

Lastly, am still surviving the Survival At The Shore contest at Monmouth Park, in fact, I need to handicap three races tonight for Friday. I lost one of two life preservers last week due to sloppy handicapping. Since the goal now is to survive to the end, the risk factor has risen so will require tighter handicapping on my part.

See you all tomorrow over at HANA with the Del Mar Oaks analysis.