Catskill Steve offers his picks for the $15,000 Pick-4 at Balmoral Park on February 28 part of the U.S. Trotting Association Strategic Wagering Program.

Checking up on Catskill Steve: On Sunday, I invested $24 and had one winner and three place finishers.

Meet totals: 1 winning Pick-4 +$105.30

Balmoral Park Pick-4, Races 9-12, Saturday, February 28, 2015

$1 play: 1356/58/7/3456 = $32

Analysis:

Race 9: Any of a number of these classy pacers can take leg 1. I’ll go four deep with (1/1A) Washington Hanover and the speedy Ice Scrapper, (3) Fashion Delight who gets a better spot to set up his late kick and will be one of Dave Magee’s final drives, (5) Best Man Hanover who beat these off a pocket trip last time and figures to work out a similar trip or live cover ride into the race and the amazing (6) Fort Silky who just failed to hold off the former last time after carving out a live pace in just second race of the year, classy veteran.

Race 10: (5) Life Is Good Today was used twice from 8-hole, wound up first over through :56 middle half and finished evenly. Gets a better spot and Magee back in the bike and may be ready to handle reduced level. (8) Adams Hanover had little shot when he didn’t leave last time and wound up racing wide on sub-freezing Maywood night. Returns to the mile track and drops to the level of strong win earlier this month. Fast 7-year-old is best on the front end and is driver’s choice over two others in here.

Race 11: I’ll single (7) Mykindaprincess who will be a short price but seems to have the most ability of any in here and has displayed a powerful late kick in all her seasonal starts. Likely to send a truly great driver out a winner to wrap-up his illustrious Hall Of Fame career which includes close to 12,000 wins and over $101 million in purse money won. Thanks Dave and all the best in your retirement years.

Race 12: (4) Holy Chip paced a 1:22.2 final three-quarters rallying for show against tougher, drops and should be tough to beat. (5) Touch The Rock made two moves from post 10 and wound up first-over past a 1:23.4 three-quarters before understandably fading. Gets better spot and may try to shake loose on the engine. I’ll throw in (3) Real Winner who drops and has been competitive against faster and (6) Jerrico who had an impossible fifth-over spot (that’s right fifth-over) and still flashed a :27.4 final panel. Switches to “Double Oo” and is dangerous at a price on best.

Good Luck!