January 5, 2010 Woodbine Racetrack will present a $40,000 guaranteed pool for its early Pick-4 Thursday evening. The Pick-4 will kick off as usual in Race 4. Greg Gangle of the Woodbine Entertainment Group’s media department has handicapped the four races and has provided his following insight: Ticket Summary: Race 4 – 3, 8, 9 Race 5 – 2, 4, 7 Race 6 – 7 Race 8 – 2, 4, 7 Total – $27 for $1, or $5.40 for $.20 Race 4 #3. New Kid – Is coming into the New Year with a pair of back-to-back wins for former NBA sensation Sam Bowie. He makes his debut on Canadian soil for trainer Kevin O’Reilly and shows that he has enough talent to win tonight’s contest. He scored the victory by multiple lengths at Balmoral, that won’t likely occur tonight should he be victorious. #8. Chat Chat – Went a tough trip last week for trainer/driver Per Henriksen beginning from post 10. Mario Baillargeon gets the driving assignment tonight with a post 8 start. This mare shows that her best stride comes near the front; therefore, it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see her on the front or close to it in the early going. #9. Iron Lady – I think you have to have her in your Pick-4 ticket. She couldn’t be coming into tonight’s race any better after her 1:57.3 victory in this class last week. Luc Ouellette gets the driving assignment again tonight and I can imagine him leaving well from post 9. Race 5 #2. Indy Z Tam – Went a tough trip last week from post 10 to finish a strong second. He moves up in class tonight but he is also blessed with a post 2 start. Waples gets the driving assignment again tonight and I’m sure he will use post 2 to his advantage. He’s a good bet at his 6-1 morning line. #4. Siddall – What can you say about his 1:51.3 score last week? He was simply unbelievable and has now moved into the Bill Davis barn. He moves up in class but posted a victory at this level just three starts ago. He will likely be the post time favourite for driver Mark MacDonald. #7. Deftones – Is dropping down in class where he shows he most competitive. With 14 wins last year, he knows how to find the winners circle and trainer Charlie Stewart has a reputation of classifying his horses where they can win. He is great value at his 9-2 morning line odds. Race 6 #7. Betterluvnexttime – Remains unbeaten in her young career and now enters the Rob Harmon stable. Her 1:56.4 qualifying effort is the only reason why she is the 8-5 morning line favourite, from what I can see. I think this is a weak field of horses and she should have enough talent and class to handle her nine rivals. She is also gets the services of Mark MacDonald, which never hurts. I would expect her to be placed on the front or close to it in the early going, MacDonald won’t want to get into traffic trouble. Race 7 #2. Crystal Sizzler – Gets the addition of trotting hobbles tonight for trainer Tony Montini. He returns to the $15,000 claiming ranks where he showed he’s most competitive in. I would expect driver Keith Oliver to leave well with a post 2 start and be well positioned in the early going. #4. Rose Run Kurt – After racing in a $35,000 claiming event last week, driver/trainer Rick Zeron jams his pupil into a $15,000 claimer tonight. He won three starts ago in 1:56.1, so he has enough speed to win tonight’s contest. It looks like Zeron is either trying to steal this race or get his horse claimed. #7. Queenofthehall – WEG’s leading dash winner in 2010, Richard Moreau is beginning the New Year on the right track with 4 winners from 7 tries coming into tonight. This mare has never missed the board since entering Moreau’s barn four starts ago. She went a tough trip last week at Georgian Downs from post 8, but also won there three starts ago. It will be interested how Sylvain Filion engineers her trip; she can leave and come off-the-pace. Share This:Share
