Two favorites and two $20-plus horses produced a $429 payout in the late 50-cent Pick 4 at Laurel Park last Friday. A pair of crowded turf races could hold the key to unlocking this week’s sequence. Here’s a closer look:

LRL 6th race 3:00 p.m. EST) -- HOT LOOKIN ROYAL rallied into a slow pace at 6F and finished second off a seven-month layoff. She steps up in class, but she’s 3-for-7 at Laurel Park and should sit a good trip at one mile. SWEET HEIDELBERG rushed up after she broke last, dueled inside of the 1-to-2 winner and battled gamely to the wire to earn her top speed figure with a runner-up finish. BAD TEMPER was in range of the dueling leaders but flattened out in a two-turn route, setting her up well for this one-turn mile.

LRL 7th race (3:31 p.m. EST) -- ALLA BREVE, far back and behind a wall of horses coming into the stretch, flew home in the 6-path to miss catching the favorite by a length when last seen at Gulfstream Park in January. She made a similar-type move in a debut victory at today’s distance with Karamanos aboard. She is today’s solo play in the Pick 4.

LRL 8th race (4:02 p.m. EST) -- MAGIC MICHAEL, first or second in 23 of 40 starts and a $600k earner, won at five distances from a mile and beyond with 90-plus Beyers in his career. BOSS LOGIC, who used his speed to win four in a row to cap a $144k season last year at age 7, can get the jump on his main rivals again in his second start this year and first off a $55,000 claim by a red-hot barn. SHAFT’S BULLET, slow early in the first sprint of his career, rallied through the turn and ran second to a winner who posted a 100 Beyer at 6F. He loves Laurel Park, won a one-mile stakes here and can turn the tables on several rivals he lost to as the odds-on choice two starts back at 1-1/8 miles.

LRL 9th race (4:33 p.m. EST) -- Taking nothing to chance in the finale, as the 11 entrants are a combined 5-for-67 on the grass, so hit the ‘ALL’ button in hopes that the ticket is still alive.

Suggested 50-Cent Ticket
LRL 6th Race: 1, 4, 5
LRL 7th Race: 8
LRL 8th Race: 3, 7, 8
LRL 9th Race: ALL

Cost for 50-cent ticket: $49.50