by Frank Carulli
August 5, 2021
Pimlico will award more than $100,000 in purse money over the last four races Friday. Bettors can grab their share of what figures a lucrative pool in the 50-cent Late Pick 4 covering those races. Here's some notes and a suggested $45 wager:
Picks were updated at 10:30AM ET on Friday, August 6 due to late scratches.
RACE 5 (2:56PM ET) // STARTER ALLOWANCE // 5 1/2 FURLONGS (DIRT)
DAY THE MUSIC DIED broke in the air as the favorite in a turf-to-dirt sprint, forcing the jockey to breifly lose his irons. He recovered well and loomed breifly while 4-wide in the stretch, only to flatten out. SAVAGERY chased 3-to-2 favorite Pictor (9-23, $172k) through wicked fractions and held second at Penn National, his only setback in his last three starts. PHANTOM RO returns from a six-month layoff in a new barn, has some big races to run back to and stepped it up a notch for his most recent workout over the strip.
RACE 6 (3:30PM ET) // CLAIMING // 1 MILE (TURF)
KING BUBBLE was claimed out of a turf victory at this level after 2-1/2 years away but was distanced in a turf-to-dirt route two weeks ago. He appears all or nothing in a weak field at this level. GIO DUDE finished a distant third in his last two main-track routes but is a usable longshot. He finished behind hard-hitting Iywaan (11-49, $343k) at Pimlico and finished with interest off a ground-saving effort at Charles Town. UHWARRIE SKY set a pressured pace at Colonial Downs last out, shook a backstretch-long duel on the final turn, only to give way to the trip-sitters.
RACE 7 (4:03PM ET) // OPTIONAL CLAIMING // 6 FURLONGS (DIRT)
TWEET AWAY ROBIN bobbled at the start two back and was fractious in the gate last out, yet still managed strong rallies to finish second in photo finishes. She could be a solo play if you trust her to break alertly. JOYFUL NOISE rallied to win 4 of her last 6 starts at 5-1 odds or higher, gunning down the 9-to-5 favorite in her latest try at this level.
RACE 8 (4:38PM ET) // MAIDEN CLAIMING // 6 FURLONGS (DIRT)
WINDRUSH KARMA, in the money twice for $25k, merits favoritism from among the class-dropping maidens, but we'll use all five on the ticket in hopes of a better price.
PIMLICO LATE PICK 4 TICKET
Race 5: 5, 7, 10
Race 6: 1, 5, 9
Race 7: 2, 4
Race 8: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Cost for 50-cent ticket: $45