Frank Cotolo offers his picks for the $25,000 Pick-4 at Balmoral Park on Sunday, Jan. 20, part of the USTA Strategic Wagering Program.

Balmoral Park Pick-4, Races 7-10, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013

When you see us deliver the lowest ticket possible (whether $2 or $1 for you) it is because we are going with decisions, not necessarily selections, that we might wager upon to win. Certainly a strike at a Pick-4 with only singles is a far-fetched aim at a tiny target but at the same time it is always wise, no matter what kind of bet you wager, to play it with the strength of your conviction, as well as how much it can offer without cracking the scale of your bankroll. Besides that, math can be defied now and then and you can hit four race winners in a row. It has happened to me when there was not a Pick-4 offered, so I stick to proven ways. You can build your ticket however you work best.

$2 play: 5/1/8/3 = $2

Analysis:

Race 7: (5) From The North almost produced a win from a stressful mile last week and returns, bringing with him a short history of troubled miles. Still, he has what it takes in this field to make well of the journey and start us off with a price horse and a live ticket.

Race 8: (1) Mary Rita Hanover was well backed and made a good showing of herself in this class at Maywood. She reckons to make some noise while staying at this level after having only won a pair and that is a positive sign in this uneven field of femmes that reads like a lost mile for losers.

Race 9: (8) Keep On Scootin makes us realize this quartet of races does not prompt us to dig any deeper into our pockets than necessary. You may be able to make a decent case for any of these but we have the best case we can make in a gelding that came from Chicago and won here on his own and steps up to take on what may even be weaker competition. On his way up, this guy has made it to this level after only three races. If that doesn’t make him appear the best of this lot then nothing will do so.

Race 10: (3) KK’s Bandit is the closest thing to a winner we enjoy reading about in past performances. She recently lost only due to jumping and in every other race she has produced results from posts that people ordinarily toss out, especially in a race with these conditions. So, if being on the inside has any pull, her launching pad this evening gives her many points in the plus column.