Gulfstream Park’s Late Pick 4 on Saturday has one of those inverted pyramid looks, meaning the early race is a free-for-all and the sequence finale is a solid single.

While these races are but a blip on the big picture this weekend, they are for the most part evenly matched and conducive of a decent payoff. If you don’t want to chase 3-to-5 shots every trip, this might be your comfort zone.

One Wild Chic is the wild card here – the free space, if you will. In the 12th, she is dropped from maiden specials to maiden-claiming $16,000, and that’s usually a positive move for even a horse that isn’t in good form. Her form is good, with a second and a pair of thirds in three starts and in her latest chased a :21 2-5 and :44 3-5 before the winner finished the 4.5 furlongs in a blistering :50 4-5. She was 10 lengths back in third, but it would be a real challenge to find any of these today that could come remotely close to that fractions. So, One Wild Chic is a single, and in case she scratches, Dam Locks and Valerie First can make good replacements, although they’d stretch the price from $36 to $72. 

One Wild Chic is the exception today as she will be odds-on. The three other races in the Pick 4 are much more competitive.

The opener is the most notable puzzle, as a half-dozen $10,000 claiming fillies and mares made their way onto the suggested ticket. Favored Ortiga is included, but this is by no means an easy stroll, as several comes in with good form. Rain in Spain, Sober On Sunday, Star Gala, Madison Blues and Vinyardnina all are capable of bringing a solid performance.

The middle two races have three and four horses on the card. In the 10th, This Land, Siorno and Ours Dream Fly have what it takes for inclusion, and the featured Bears Den Stakes on turf also has a contentious group and Renaissance Frolic, First Spring, Cometin and Gemonteer are runners worthy of being included in the Pick 4.

My Ticket

Race 9) #2 Rain in Spain, #3 Sober On Sunday, #4 Star Gala, #6 Madison Blues, #7 Ortiga, #9 Vinyardnina

Race 10) #5 This Land, #6 Siorno, #11 Ours Dream Fly

Race 11) #3 Renaissance Frolic, #4 First Spring, #5 Cometin, #10 Gemonteer

Race 12) #8 One Wild Chic

Total Ticket Cost) $36 for $0.50