Woodbine Mile starts Cross Country Pick 4; see budget bets

Saturday's Cross Country Pick 4 hosted by the New York Racing Association includes events both at Belmont Park and Woodbine, which hosts the Grade 1, $800,000 Woodbine Mile.

Carded as Race 8 at Woodbine with a scheduled post time of 4:48 p.m, the Mile kicks off the sequence. It will be followed by Race 8 at Belmont (5:18), a claiming turf route, and Race 9 at Woodbine, the Grade 2, $250,000 Canadian Stakes (5:27 p.m.). The final leg of the Cross Country Pick 4 will be the Grade 2, $400,000 Sands Point (Belmont Race 9 - 5:53 p.m.).

The minimum wager is 50 cents.

Once again, I will use one of my favorite cost-effective Pick 4 wagering strategies, the spread ticket formula. It would cost $225 to lump all of my contenders on one ticket, but the spread ticket formula knocks the price down to a much more reasonable $32.

Here are my bets on a budget:

Woodbine Race 8 (Woodbine Mile, 8T)

Primary - #6 LORD GLITTERS, #3 Delta Prince 

Secondary - #7 Oscar Performance, #1 Good Samaritan, #9 Stormy Antarctic, #5 Mr Havercamp

Comments: #6 Lord Glitters (4-1) is a very consistent overseas turf performer (Top 3 finishes in all 14 turf starts), and he hardly meets the toughest group. Spencer rode him to a pair of place finishes earlier this year. #3 Delta Prince (3-1) always fires exacta shots in flat mile turf races, and he won the G2 King Edward at this course/distance June 30. #7 Oscar Performance (7-2) is clearly capable of winning a race like this, but he was eased and vanned off as the favorite in the G1 Arlington Million last time. Jose Ortiz sticks, and he drilled a Saratoga turf bullet for this Sept 3. He should be in the hunt throughout. I have been chasing #1 Good Samaritan (10-1) on dirt recently, and he ran well on turf earlier in his career. The late runner removes blinkers and might wake up on the surface switch. #9 Stormy Antarctic (8-1) is another overseas shipper, and he fired trifecta shots in his first five starts this year. The 5-time flat mile winner might be this good. #5 Mr Havercamp (8-1) is 4-for-4 at Woodbine, and Eurico Da Silva rides him well. 

Belmont Race 8 (Clm-35k/3L, 8.5T)
Note: This race was taken off the turf Saturday morning.

Primary - #7 ENTHUSIASTIC GAL, #4 Arch of Troy

Secondary - #3 Blue Atlas, #5 Canny, #6 Granpa’s Arianna

Comments: #7 Enthusiastic Gal (5-2) is 2-for-2 at Belmont, and Saturday's rider, Irad Ortiz Jr., guided her to a local late running victory at one mile July 14. #4 Arch of Troy (2-1) landed the place in her last two turf starts against this kind under this rider, Manny Franco, including a neck defeat at Saratoga on July 20 (blinkers on). #3 Blue Atlas (6-1) stretches out in distance and is probably the one to catch under Flavien Prat, but it looks like she will have to deal with possible pace players #5 Canny (3-1) and #6 Grandpa’s Arianna (8-1). 

Woodbine Race 9 (G2 Canadian 8T)

Primary - #3 INFLEXIBILITY

Secondary - #5 New Money Honey, #8 Hallie Belle

Comments: #3 Inflexibility (2-1) has competed in three turf route stakes races at Woodbine with two wins against Ontario-breds and a close second in the G2 Dance Smartly June 30. She figures to stalk the pace under her new pilot, Jose Ortiz. #5 New Money Honey (5-2) owns running style versatility and is good enough to win this on her best day. She captured four of her first six turf starts (all graded wins), but has only managed one victory in her last five outings, and that was a neck tally against four optional claiming rivals June 21. #8 Hallie Belle (6-1) continues to improve for Stidham, and she gets pace to chase in the paper race. She attracts sharp turf rider Da Silva.  

Belmont Race 9 (G2 Sands Point, 9f inner turf)

Primary - #7 CALIFORNIAGOLDRUSH, #1 Barkaa

Secondary - #3 Capla Temptress, #4 Reversethedecision, #2 Shadan

Comments: #7 Californiagoldrush (6-1) won her first two turf starts at Santa Anita, and was up for third off a six-plus month layoff in the G1 Del Mar Oaks Aug 18. She owns running style versatility for the productive Prat/NEil Drysdale team, and many of her rivals lack tactical speed. #1 Barkaa (3-1) makes her North American debut for Chad Brown, and she went 4-for-7 in France in 2017-2018. #3 Capla Temptress (7-2) won her North American debut in the G1 Natalma at Woodbine last September, and the late runner exits a decent place finish on soft ground in the G2 Lake Placid at Saratoga. #4 Reversethedecision (5-1) showed nice late interest in all four turf starts for Chad Brown, and Irad Ortiz Jr. is 2-for-2 with her. #2 Shadan (12-1) won her last two turf starts in France, and Brown has her now. 

Cross Country Pick 4 Tickets: