Approach to tomorrow's BC pick 4:
Race 6 - Juvenile Turf - Two year olds, with some having never run in the US, this one has spread written all over it. Four straight winners have had experience in Europe, which would qualify 4, 6, 7, 13 & 14. BRIS Class wise those are also the top 5 in the field. Sounds good to me. The two Casse runners, 8 and 10, both have graded stakes wins over softer turf so they may need to be respected as well. Favorites are only 1 for 8, so I may toss the post time favorite on general principle. A - 4,6,7,13,14 (toss fave) B - 8,10
Race 7 - Dirt Mile - Liam's Map is the clear favorite here, but figures to run into pressure early with Bradester, Mr. Z and Valid all able to scoot. He took some pressure in the Whitney and was nabbed at the wire by Honor Code, but that was an extra furlong and there is no Honor Code in this field. I see him gutting the pressers/stalkers and looking to hold off Red Vine and Lea down the stretch. A - 3 B - 1,5
Race 8 - Juvy Filly Turf - Another battle of Euro's vs North Americans. Americans have done better here, winning 5 of 7, but this year's trio of Alice Springs, Illuminate and Last Waltz looks especially strong. Favorites are only 1 for 7 in this race, so I'm going to try to beat Harmonize. Casse's entry Catch a Glimpse drew away in the Natalma in a wire to wire score, but here she'll encounter pace pressure from Rudy Notion stretching out from short sprints. Another stretch out who's shown class is Nemoralia, who ran well in the slop in the Frizette but now comes back to the turf, where she ran well in European sprints. A - 3,10,14 B - 4,9
Race 9 - Distaff - a wickedly tough race, unusual for this event after watching heavy favorites like Zenyatta, Royal Delta and Beholder romp over the years. The Racing Post has no fewer than ten of these rated within 10 points of each other. Four me that means tossing Stellar Wind, Frivolous and her delicious 30/1 odds, Salama and Peace and War. Also, the consensus is outside posts will be up against it, so I'm tossing Sheer Drama and Warren's Veneda on that account. Of the remaining 8, I'll apply the adage that Grade 1 horses win Grade 1 races. That tosses Calamity Kate and Yahilwa. So I'm left with 6:
1 - I'm a Chatterbox
4 - Stopchargingmaria
6 - My Sweet Addiction
7 - Wedding Toast
8 - Curalina
12 - Got Lucky
Of those, the ones I think will be running better in the stretch will be Wedding Toast, I'm a Chatterbox and Got Lucky. Those will be my A's. A - 1,7,12 B - 4,6,8