Padding Your Bankroll – Horse Racing Picks

With Aqueduct dark on Wednesday I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to head off to Florida for some racebook wagering action and an attempt to pad our bankroll by taking down the Late Pick 4.

It won’t be easy.

We have four wide open races to deal with, with two of the races on turf and the final leg a cheap maiden claimer with a full field.

Nothing we cannot handle with a $40 play:

GP Race 6 Alw $42,000N$Y (3:42 ET)

#11 Radical Sabbatical   7/2
#1 Niagara Thunder   12/1
#3 Big Al   4/1
#4 Constabulary   6/1

#11 Radical Sabbatical draws a tough post here but should be able to overcome it. Last out the colt was shuffled back moving into the stretch and once clear rallied well for the runner up spot, beaten two lengths for the top spot. The winner Rogue Victory came back to run fourth against allowance foes in his next outing here on Jan. 24. The extra ground here should suit and Edgar sticks for the Tagg barn.

#1 Niagara Thunder is making his first start since last May at Woodbine where the colt was a fast closing fifth. Two back he set the early fractions before weakening late to finish third in the $104K Wando. He broke his maiden over the turf here last year and has a couple of good works on the morning tab at Palm Meadows for his return off the shelf. The barn is 2 for 5 with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff.

GP Race 7 Alw—s (4:12 ET)

#7 Gulf Cat   5/1
#9 Texas Hedge   3/1
#4 He’s Long Gone   8/1
#2 Chapel Run   4/1

#7 Gulf Cat faces winners for the first time off a two month break. The colt went gate to wire to break his maiden last out by 8 ¼ lengths against $40K maiden claimers. The colt was claimed out of the race by the Plesa barn that is showing a 0 for 11 mark first off the claim. If we go back five years the mark is 3 for 24. The colt has been working quickly in the mornings and has four drills since his last start. The colt still appears to have plenty of upside potential and this looks like a good spot for his return.

#9 Texas Hedge stalked the early pace from the outside, made a quick move around the far turn to take over the lead and drew clear smartly late to win by five lengths. It was the colt’s first start over a fast main track and came at today’s one mile distance. The colt earned the top last out speed fig and popped a bullet work on Feb. 10.

GP Race 8 OClm $75,000N$Y (4:42 ET)

#8 African Violet   6/1
#6 Polar Circle   3/1
#4 Flibberjibit   5/2
#1 Rustic Flame   5/1

#8 African Violet returns to turf for the first time since her debut where she was seventh. She has fared well on the main track including winning a stake and finishing second in the G2 Delaware Oaks last summer. She makes her first start since August for the Motion barn that is 24% winners (with a +ROI) with horses coming back off a +180 day layoff. She has a decent turf pedigree, by Lemon Drop Kid out of a Cherokee Run mare that won three races, one on turf. She figures to be a decent price in this spot for a sharp barn.

#6 Polar Circle came off a 2 ½ month break, set the early fractions and faded badly to finish a well beaten ninth last out at Tampa Bay. That race came against open allowance foes; the winner was coming off a G3 victory. She figures to move forward off that effort and gets a good jock upgrade from Teator to CVel.

GP R9 Md $15,000 (5:14 ET)

#6 It’s a Ladies Life   6/1
#12 Tomfoolery   5/2
#8 Wyo Bandito   6/1
#5 Ima Lowrider   8/1

#6 It’s a Ladies Life gets a needed cut back in distance after setting the early fractions and fading to finish a well beaten ninth last out against $20K foes going a mile. Encouraging seeing Cruz stick around for another ride and the gelding put in a good breeze since his last start. He is in a sharp barn and this guy may get overlooked on the tote in this spot.

#12 Tomfoolery looks primed for a good effort here in his third start off the bench. Two back he was a solid second going six furlongs earning a speed fig good enough to beat this group. Last out he stretched out to a mile and faded to fifth after setting the early fractions. He drops into a softer spot here tagged for $15K.

Pick 4 Play
Starting in Race 6: $0.50: 1,3,4,11 / 7,9 / 6,8 / 5,6,8,11,12 = $40

Good luck padding your bankroll today!

National horse racing handicapper Michael Dempsey will attempt to pad his bankroll and yours with his daily column. He will feature at least one Pick 3 or Pick 4 play from a major track along during the week and covers major stakes races on the weekends.