Harrah’s Chester Pick 4, Races 7-10, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2011.

$2 play: 4/2/478/37 = $12

Race 7: This is a perplexing race to handicap. (4) Tongue Twister is dropping down significantly class (from $20,000 to $16,500) and has proven ability at a mile (winning the last two times out at Chester) and at a mile and a sixteenth (winning on Sept. 20 at Yonkers). Still, the bay pacer by Artsplace out of Nobacktalk is only the 7-2 second favorite to a standardbred, (1) Romantic Thriller, who is making a leap up in class (from $10,500 to $16,500). Having a hard time understanding why Romantic Thriller is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The 6YO gelding by Mach 3 out of Romantic Wind has won four races this year, but in $9,500 company and in only 1:53.2 season best. (Tongue Twister has paced in 1:52.4.

(7) Aboycalledsu should also compete. He’s won four straight and six out of seven (including a qualifier) and gets around the oval in 1:53 to 1:57 as needed. Got to like his nose for the wire.

The scary thing about this race is the also-rans. (8) Wildridge Sam has a 1:51.1 win at Chester to his name this year and should go off near 5-1. (6) Card Hustler has had bad racing luck of late but did win as recently as Aug. 31 in 1:52.2. If he’s anywhere near his 15-1 morning line, he warrants strong consideration in exotics.

The choice is clear: bet on four or five horses and play it safe while spending a boatload of cash on the bet, or look for our first single of the day.

Bet: 4

Race 8: At what point do we refuse to forgive bad racing luck and decide that a pacer is a heat-seeking missile for bad luck? Looking at (4) Smoke Em Up in the program we see parked, three wide, parked, parked and broke and finished 36 lengths back. Etc. etc. Still, the 4YO gelding is 9-2 in the morning line and certainly can compete … if he stays our of trouble.

(6) Jim’s Guy has been a full second faster at 1:52.3 than Smoke Em Up but has only raced three times after a five month lay-off between April and August. He has steadily dropped in class from $16,000 to $12,000 and gotten better each outing though a traffic jam in his last is a valid excuse for his sixth place finish in 1:53.2. He was a sick scratch on Sept. 30. Too many question marks with this favorite.

(2) Camifications, on the other hand, is getting no love in the morning line (10-1) but did win his last pace in a blistering 1:51.1 and benefits from a driver change to the talented Jim Pantaleano. The class jump — from $2,500 to $12,000 — is the greatest concern here.

(5) Keystone Neptune is always a bridesmaid (or a show) and never a bride. He hasn’t won since the spring but has placed or showed in seven of his last 12 races.

Let’s go with the hottest horse in the batch.

Bet: 2

Race 9: Used to hang out every weekend at Schoolkids Records but that’s not enough of a reason to bet on (8) Schoolkids in this tough spot. More compelling by far than nostalgia is Schoolkids recent trips, which include two wins in his last three in 1:51.2 and 1:52.2. Schoolkids also has the best earnings per start and speed ratings in those two wins of 93 and 91, respectively. At 5-1 he should provide a bump in the pay-off, too.

(7) Intrigued Royally has been off his game since being an injured scratch on Aug. 27. Before that scratch, though, he had raced four straight in 1:50.4 or faster including a pair of wins at $23,000. (He’s racing here at $25,000)

(4) Rockstar Temper has had much success at a mile and a sixteenth at the Big M and less luck of late at the traditional mile, albeit in much richer company including a $175,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes race on Aug. 13 which yielded a fifth place finish a respectable 3 lengths back in 1:51.2.

Bet: 478

Race 10: (7) Dvcflyingfrenchman could provide value here as he is 15-1 in the morning line despite a significant drop in class from $30,000 to $26,000. He won that race handily (by four lengths) in blistering 1:59.2 over the mile and a sixteenth. (He was claimed after the race by Lou Pena. The drop to a mile should help him here. Color me intrigued.

(5) Complete Desire is the 5-2 morning line favorite but he falls into the category of, Things that make you say, meh. The 5YO gelding hasn’t won since June although that was in 1:51.4. His speed ratings in the 70s and 80s do not inspire.

(3) Expensive Toy has slipped back into the 1:53 mile territory after winning in 1:51 flat on Aug. 23. He should benefit from a driver change to Daniel Dube.

Bet: 37