by Bob Pandolfo

Bob Pandolfo offers his picks for the $50,000 Pick-4 at Meadowlands Racetrack on Feb. 3, part of the U.S. Trotting Association Strategic Wagering Program.

Meadowlands Pick-4, Races 6-9, Friday, Feb. 3, 2012

I didn’t hit last night and one of my horses was scratched, reducing the loss, minus $16, which brings the total to minus $211 for the first 12 nights. Last night I had six winners on top and my Best Bet, Take A Walk, went wire-to-wire from post 10 and paid $6.40. In the Pick-4, two of my top picks won. Tonight’s sequence looks difficult. I’m going two deep in each race, not a lot of coverage.

$1 play: 56/17/34/89 = $16

Analysis:

Race 6: A tough optional $50,000 trot starts it off. You’d have to use at least five horses to feel safe here but I’ll go with classy trotting mare (6) Victors Vicky who seeks career win number 45 tonight. She raced well from post nine in her qualifier, which was against a tough field. I’ll also use (5) Foutainbleau Volo, a 4-year-old that has some upside off a nice 3-year-old season; he qualified with a strong wide move through the final quarter, an indication that he may take to this track.

Race 7: Interesting and wide open Exit 16W race where you have horses coming out of the Clyde Hirt and Complex Series plus a sharp Yonkers shipper. I’ve narrowed it down to two horses. (1) Risk Management had to chase the tough Itrustyou in the Complex series and finished second to him in the first leg. (7) Tyler Hanover comes in from Yonkers, has won his last four starts including a 1:53.3 scorcher.

Race 8: Pretty difficult race but I like the Balmoral shipper (3) Odds On Adventure. If you look at her Dec. 10 race, she had a tough trip against the closer’s bias at Balmoral and finished a game second behind a quality mare, Odds On Moinet, who has been the sharpest mare in Chicago and stepped up to the Open in last. She also finished ahead of (4) Reilly’s Daughter in that race. Reilly’s Daughter shipped in from Balmoral and won two straight here including one at this level. I’ll use both of these sharp mares but I’m tempted to single Odds On Adventure.

Race 9: (8) Cameron Chip drops and likes this track. The danger here is that she has been closing and if she doesn’t get there in time the race could blow up because after her it’s wide open. I’ll also use the Rene Allard shipper (9) Chaplin Hall, who is picking up Sears. He fits well at this level.