by Bob Pandolfo

Bob Pandolfo offers his picks for the $50,000 Pick-4 at Meadowlands Racetrack on May 19, part of the USTA Strategic Wagering program.

Meadowlands Pick-4, Races 6-9, Thursday, May 19, 2011

After three nights at the Meadowlands I’m down $68 and haven’t hit a Pick-4. I’ve played $24, $24 and $20 and I think I’m going to keep trying to hit it with relatively small tickets. Tonight it doesn’t look that tough but of course it’s the Meadowlands and the races are often more wide open than they appear on paper. I’m playing two tickets, one for $1 and another for $2. The total wager is $20.

$1 play: 410/37/35/16 = $16
$2 play: 4/3/35/6 = $4

Analysis:

Race 6: Chartreuse Hanover ships in off a sharp placing at The Meadows and it was a stakes race; she should be tough to beat but I also used Show And Tell, a filly who showed some class last year and makes second start off the layoff.

Race 7: Rock Jaws comes off a short layoff after being scratched sick last month but the Burke barn is likely to have her ready. Ronettica is in career form and comes off a solid uncovered effort over the track.

Race 8: On paper this is probably the toughest race of the sequence. Bambino Hall raced against some pretty good trotters last year and ships in for a high-percentage barn. Magnum Kosmos also raced in stakes company last year and trainer Julie Miller adds hopples and can get a horse ready. There are a few others that have a shot but I’m sticking with these two. Both of these horses come off layoffs but during this time of the year a lot of horses will win off qualifiers.

Race 9: Super Eighty Eight will be a single on a lot of tickets. He is 0 for 10 this year but he has 35 career wins good for over $500,000 in earnings. He hasn’t raced since March but drops to the basement. In his last start he chased Drop Red, a classy horse that would be 1-9 in this field. I’m also using Cool Cal. This horse finished third in a fast race behind a classy odds-on winner and he could threaten if top one isn’t ready off the bench.