BANKROLL

BANKROLL: $160

I host a podcast with my good friend Josh Rodriguez over on the “On the Wrong Lead” network. It’s called “Drank’n Champagne,” and this week, we took a look at Friday’s late Pick Four sequence.

I gave out a pretty cheap play there, and if you’re looking for extensive analysis of that sequence, you can get it by watching on YouTube or listening wherever you get your podcasts.

THURSDAY’S RESULTS: Romantic Charmer was rank throughout in the eighth. I dropped $40.

FRIDAY’S PLAY: My late Pick Four starts a bit later than I’d like for the purposes of this section, and I want to make sure my editors don’t miss print deadlines before Saturday’s card. As such, I’ll focus on the eighth race and my best bet of the day. That’s #6 EL CAPI, who hits me as a potential monster. I’ll have a $30 win bet on that one, and I’ll also use him to finish off a cold $20 double starting in the seventh with #4 MUNNYS GOLD.

TOTAL WAGERED: $50.

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SELECTIONS/ANALYSIS

Best Bet: El Capi, Race 8
Longshot: Addicted to You, Race 3

R1

Rolling Along
Trulli Warrior
Pentathlon

#8 ROLLING ALONG (6-1): Has experience, unlike many other top contenders here, and exits a swiftly-run race at this distance over Woodbine’s synthetic surface. This barn excels with second-time starters, and this one adds both Lasix and blinkers in the Friday lid-lifter; #1 TRULLI WARRIOR (7/2): Is one of two first-time starters trained by Todd Pletcher, and this one’s bred to be a runner. This son of Curlin has a very strong bottom-side pedigree, too, and several of his recent works indicate he’s got plenty of talent; #3 PENTATHLON (12-1): Hasn’t run since October but caught two very tough fields before going to the sidelines. He improved considerably at second asking, is working consistently for Shug McGaughey, and could be a contender at a price if he’s ready to run.

R2

Arthur’s Ride
Leading Contender
Tapit Shoes

#1 ARTHUR’S RIDE (3-1): Comes in off of an absolute clunker that was too bad to be true. Maybe he bounced off of a fantastic two-back effort, maybe he just hated the slop, but either way, I think he comes back to form stretching out to a distance he’s bred to relish; #5 LEADING CONTENDER (5/2): Gets a big rider switch to Flavien Prat and generally fires the same shot every time out. That’s been enough to get him seven top-two finishes in nine career starts, but only two of those races are wins, and he’s burned a lot of money over the course of his career; #9 TAPIT SHOES (8-1): Came off the bench to top first-level allowance foes at Churchill in his first start since August. He’s listed as a first-time gelding in this spot, and this son of Tapit is another that’s bred to enjoy this 10-furlong trip.

R3

Storming Chrome (MTO)
Liar’s Poker
Addicted to You

#14 LIAR’S POKER (7/2): Needs two scratches to draw in but is a major player if he does. His lone misfire to date came in a stakes race against much tougher horses, and I think he’ll be fit to fire a big shot in his second start off a long break; #5 ADDICTED TO YOU (8-1): Is one of several exiting the same race on May 4th, and I think he ran very well to be third that day. There was no early speed in there, yet he came flying late to be beaten less than a length in his first start since November. There seems to be more speed signed on here, which should help him; #8 LORD FLINTSHIRE (6-1): Has a troubling aversion to winning and is just 1-for-23 in his career. However, he’s run second eight times, goes second off the bench for a strong barn, and ran well here twice a season ago against similar stock.

R4

Notah
Debate
Lucency

#4 NOTAH (9/2): Hasn’t run a bad race in any of his last five tries, and he’s never missed the board in four starts at this seven-furlong distance. The rider switch to Irad Ortiz, Jr., is a big one, and I think he could sit an ideal stalking trip; #8 DEBATE (3-1): Cuts back to one turn after a failed two-turn experiment last month. His two and three-back efforts going a mile at Aqueduct were fine, and a return to form makes him a major player; #9 LUCENCY (7/2): Just missed in a similar spot downstate and has every right to contend in this one. This is his second start since being claimed by a low-percentage outfit, though, so while his best race could win this, it’s fair to wonder if a regression is in the cards.

R5

Cees Get Degrees (MTO)
Boat’s a Rockin
Mischievous Angel

#5 BOAT’S A ROCKIN (8-1): Exits a much tougher spot on the Preakness undercard where he set the pace over a boggy turf course in his first start since November. He gets Lasix back for this one, and while I don’t think we’ll quite get the 8-1 morning line price, the last-out clunker may inflate his odds just a bit; #10 MISCHIEVOUS ANGEL (4-1): Came back running off the bench to top first-level allowance foes in his first run since August. Prat sees fit to ride back, and his lone loss to date came in a Grade 2 here last year, one won by the classy Carl Spackler; #3 CLEAR THE AIR (7/2): Ran second behind the ageless Bound for Nowhere last time out, and his two-back score in a turf sprint at Keeneland was sharp. This turned out to be a very tough spot for the level, but a repeat of that April 21 effort would put him right there.

R6

Top Conor (MTO)
Spirit Prince
Time Song

#6 SPIRIT PRINCE (7/2): Has a significant back class edge over most of these and will be a formidable foe if he’s ready off the bench. All but one of his five starts last year came against stakes foes, and he won one of those races (the Central Park at Aqueduct); #4 TIME SONG (12-1): Faltered as an 8/5 favorite in a stakes race at Gulfstream but gets some class relief in this spot. He also gets Lasix back, and his lone race with Lasix is by far his best effort; #9 ARMY OFFICER (9/2): Has taken steps forward in each career start and exits a strong second at Churchill last month. He’s got some tactical speed and attracts Frankie Dettori, who doesn’t ride for this barn that much.

R7

Munnys Gold
Sam’s Treasure
Roswell

#4 MUNNYS GOLD (6/5): Is probably the most likely winner on the Friday card. We haven’t seen her since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Test, and she returns in a first-level allowance where she’ll be allowed to run with Lasix; #8 SAM’S TREASURE (8-1): Ran well in her 2024 debut, when she was second behind a next-out winner in her first start since September. Unlike many others in here, she can stalk the pace and pass others late, which could prove to be very valuable; #3 ROSWELL (5-1): Hasn’t run a poor race to date and cuts back in distance after 7 1/2 furlongs proved to be just a bit too far. Her two prior efforts at Gulfstream Park were solid, and a repeat of those performances would likely get her a piece of this one.

R8

El Capi
Brown entry
One Giant Leap

#6 EL CAPI (4-1): Looked like a monster in his unveiling, when he crushed an overmatched field at Aqueduct and earned a 99 Beyer Speed Figure. We haven’t seen him since then, but he’s working steadily for a barn that can be pretty patient, and if he’s right, look out; BROWN ENTRY (5/2): I prefer #1 GENERAL PARTNER, who was second in last year’s Grade 1 Champagne before faltering in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. He’s been working well ahead of his seasonal debut, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if this was a prep for a much bigger spot later this summer; #10 ONE GIANT LEAP (15-1): Likely lost his 2024 debut at the starting gate, as he was a non-factor as a 6/5 favorite after a slow break. His late-2023 form, however, was pretty strong, and I’m expecting, well, one giant leap forward for very capable connections at a juicy price.

R9

Roses for Debra
Gal in a Rush
Love Reigns

#6 ROSES FOR DEBRA (6/5): Came back running with a win in the Grade 3 Giant’s Causeway and is a very logical favorite in the Grade 2 Intercontinental. She went 2-for-2 here last year, including a win in the Grade 3 Caress, and seems the most likely winner and new Intercontinental Champion; #8 GAL IN A RUSH (10-1): Returned with a strong second in the License Fee downstate and got pretty good last year before going to the sidelines. Flavien Prat sees fit to ride back for Christophe Clement, who may very well run 1-2 in here; #10 LOVE REIGNS (3-1): Chased my top pick last time and figures to get plenty of pace to run at in her second start off the bench. She’s shown plenty of talent in the past, and this will be her first start without a layoff line in the form since mid-2022.

R10

Gina Romantica
Chili Flag
Coppice

#3 GINA ROMANTICA (3-1): Is one of five Chad Brown trainees in the Grade 1 Just A Game, and she cuts back to her preferred one-mile trip second off the bench. Unlike last time, in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley, she should have some pace to chase, which is a must given her late-running style; #6 CHILI FLAG (4-1): Notched her third win in the last four starts in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile. Toss her dud three back at Gulfstream, and you have a classy mare that hasn’t done much wrong at all over the last year and a half; #4 COPPICE (3-1): Was a close-up second behind my second choice last time out at Churchill, and she might have needed that race off a long break. She ran with the likes of Inspiral and Nashwa overseas last year, and improvement is logical second off the bench.

R11

Didia
War Like Goddess
American Sonja

#3 DIDIA (9/2): Stretches back out to her preferred trip and gets a tepid nod in a wide-open renewal of the Grade 1 New York. She’s proven at this distance and should be able to sit an ideal stalking trip, which would give her first run turning for home; #10 WAR LIKE GODDESS (4-1): Has been a stalwart of the turf the last several years and makes her first start since last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Turf. She’s never been out of the exacta in five local starts, and she’s a major player if she’s ready to run; #5 AMERICAN SONJA (10-1): Ships in from Europe and attracts Frankie Dettori, which is always enough to merit consideration. She most recently captured a Group 3 in France, but she’s run fairly well stateside, too, having finished second in last year’s Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks.

R12

Thorpedo Anna
Just F Y I
Power Squeeze

#9 THORPEDO ANNA (8/5): Comes in off of an authoritative score in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks and looms large despite a tricky outside draw. She’s trained forwardly since that performance, and if she’s right, she’ll once again be a handful in the Grade 1 Acorn; #4 JUST F Y I (5/2): Gave my top pick a scare at the top of the stretch in the Oaks before finishing a best-of-the-rest second. This is her third start off the layoff, and the local drills are certainly eye-catching; #2 POWER SQUEEZE (12-1): Was never comfortable in the Oaks, where she broke next-to-last and had to navigate a sloppy track she may not have cared for. Prior to that clunker, she reeled off four straight wins, and the jockey switch to Javier Castellano could help her get back on track.