Gulfstream Park West’s eighth race on Saturday is good example of class vs. form with the top pair of contenders.

The eighth is the third leg of the late Pick Four and is the most interesting of the sequence as Northern attempts to become a successful class riser Northern and Delta Bluesman attempts to run back to some of the races that made him a terrific campaigner for much of his career.

Northern virtually doubles in claiming price after being haltered by the Aubrey Maragh stable last out, which marked his 3rd consecutive win. The Adios Charlie gelding dominated at the bottom level and put in some terrific times in winning four of his last five and five of his last seven. The step up in class clearly will be a challenge, but he’s been outstanding on the front end and will get a good chance at it again. The question he’ll have to answer is in regard to class. He has the credentials with 10 wins in 26 starts and will be facing a classy individual in who has seen better days but is back to his original barn and is expected to run well. Right next door to Northern is Delta Bluesman, who returned to the Jorge Navarro barn via the claim box when he was dropped to $6,250 last time. That was far below anything he’s seen. The 9-year-old Wagon Limit horse has won 14 of 65 for $765,178, and the best days he had were under Navarro’s tutelage. Navarro’s stable lost Delta Bluesman through the claim box last November at Gulfstream West and has not won since.

Those two are used in the third slot on the Pick 4 ticket, which is a $60 suggested buy. The Northern-Delta Bluesman battle is actually the easiest as viewed on the ticket. It started the sixth race with five horses on the ticket, followed by three in the seventh and finishing with four horses in the ninth.

Here’s the suggested play for the last Pick 4 Saturday at Gulfstream Park West:

Race 6) #1 Silver Defense, #6 Dunk, #7 One Fine Ride, #9 Tell Me a Story, #10 Doc Kane.

Race 7) #3 Nikki’s Cause, #5 Beautiful Ballad, #8 Amazing Audrey.

Race 8) #8 Northern, #9 Delta Bluesman.

Race 9) #3 Padilla, #5 Sturgeon, #7 Diamond Mint, #10 Sherpa.

Total Ticket Cost) 1,6,7,9,10/3,5,8/8,9/3,5,7,10 = $60 for $0.50