by Michael Antoniades, Balmoral Park racing analyst

Crete, IL — On the heels of a record breaking month, Balmoral Park has extended their Pick 4 guarantees into the month of May.

With the temporary absence of Meadowlands Racetrack in April, Balmoral Pick 4 pools were the highest in the country. A total of $267,173 was wagered on the eight guaranteed Pick 4 pools, generating an average pool of $32,646.

Through March 31, the average Pick 4 pool in 2011 was $15,629.

With the help of the guaranteed pools, the 2011 average now stands at $18,577, with over $900,000 being wagered on the 49 Pick 4s this year.

Betting on the Balmoral Park product was not limited to the Pick 4 pools in April. On the eight nights the guarantee was offered, interest in other pools was increased as well. Betting on those eight nights totaled $8,345,966, an average of $1,043,245 per night. Dividing the total handle by 91 races, the average race on the guarantee nights averaged $91,713.

The first Pick 4 in May did gangbuster numbers on Sunday (May 1). A Pick 4 pool of $36,860 was a fantastic start to the month. Even the Wednesday (May 4) pool was $17,149, the highest in the country even though the Wednesday Pick 4 has no guarantee. Even with 2-5 favorite Pardon winning the third leg, the $1 Pick 4 payout was $1,792.60.

Balmoral Park will offer $25,000 guaranteed Pick 4 pools on Sundays and a $15,000 guarantee on the Saturday Pick 4. The takeout is just 15 percent and the minimum wager is a dollar. The Balmoral Pick 4 is always on the final four races on the card. Free past performance program pages are available via the handicapping section at www.ustrotting.com.