Out Cap Da Shap Daily Pick 4 tickets

Scott Shapiro's Late Pick 4 Tickets at Del Mar

All tickets will be placed for the base value of 50 cents and will be posted after early scratches

SATURDAY, JULY 16

The Saturday Pick 4 sequence features a pair of very competitive grass races, including the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap. It also features two wide-open maiden events. I am going to play two tickets today totaling 91 dollars. The first one I will take stands in the turf events so I can spread in the maiden races. The other one I will use a few of my top options in the grass races, but not be covered as well in the maiden events. Good luck!

For day-to-day results, CLICK HERE.

Race 7

The sequence commences with a high-level optional claimer run at a mile and a sixteenth over the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. #2 It’s The Ice is my top choice and will be a single on the first of my two tickets. These connections won the finale on Opening Day and could be loose on the lead under jockey Martin Garcia. The son of Sakhee’s Secret is the one to beat and singling him early will allow us to spread later on. On the second ticket, I will include #3 All the Marbles, a runner that overcame a horrific voyage on May 13^th at Santa Anita to break his maiden. The Marty Jones runner has been training extremely well and could offer some separation in the sequence. I will also include #7 Unapologetic, and Hronis Racing’s #12 Lucky Bryan. Lucky Bryan goes third off the layoff and could be rolling late, but the outside post is certainly a concern.

Race 8

The second leg offers horseplayers a solid group of two-year-old fillies with runners from some of the circuit’s best barns.  The five-furlong event includes a few runners that were purchased for significant amounts at two-year-old training sales. I am without a strong opinion in this one, but will use #1 Champagne Room, #6 Go Baby Run, and #10 La Vitesse on both tickets. I will also include #5 Morganite and #3 Noted and Quoted on one ticket. In terms of Noted and Quoted I generally prefer better works from Bob Baffert first-time starters at a short price, but can afford to use her where I am singling in Race 7.

Race 9

The ninth is the Yellow Ribbon Handicap at a mile and sixteenth over the Del Mar lawn. Really looking forward to the first graded stakes event of the meet and the first one on the turf in some time in Southern California.  The scratch of #5 Majestic Heat is disappointing, but it narrows down the runners that I consider legitimate contenders. My top choice is #7 Queen of the Sand for trainer Patrick Gallagher. This horse has had a lot of success over the Del Mar course and should offer some value off the bench. I also give a big look to morning line favorite # 2 Nancy From Nairobi for Hronis Racing and John Sadler. Veteran jockey Mike Smith takes the mount for the first time on this Sixties Icon mare.

Race 10

The finale is a rock bottom maiden-claiming event run at the tricky seven-furlong distance over the main track. This race could go a number of ways. I will use the ALL button on one ticket and hope I can be right in the first three legs. On the other ticket, I will use three runners. #7 Third Brigade drops from maiden special weight to low-level maiden claimers for trainer Mike Puype and is dangerous second off the layoff with Stewart Elliott onboard. I will also include #10 Coltonsgrace. This Thomas Bell colt should improve in his third start for a barn that is patient with their runners. Finally, #12 Alaskan Cruise gets Santiago Gonzalez up for the first time and drops down from the $40,000 level. He should be able to work out a good trip from the outside post.

FRIDAY, JULY 15

The first Pick 4 of the Del Mar summer meeting is no doubt a challenging one with full fields and no short priced morning line favorites in any of the four races in the sequence. I am going to take a stand and use only two horses in the featured Oceanside Stakes. I expect most horseplayers to spread in that event so I will “zig” where others “zag” and hope to beat a favorite or two along the way.

Good luck on Opening Day! For day-to-day results, CLICK HERE.

Race 7

The first leg of the Opening Day Pick 4 is the first division of $40,000 optional claimers going one mile over the main track.  #3 Forest Blue makes the third start of his four-year-old campaign and goes two sprints to a route for trainer Peter Miller. Martin Garcia gets the call so expect this son of Tale of the Cat to prominently placed. He is my top pick. I also like the chances of #4 Missing Groom at a price. He makes his second start of 2016 and has had success over the Del Mar surface. #2 Grazen Sky is the likeliest winner if the race falls apart. #7 Westfest was impressive in his first start going two turns for Bob Baffert. I do not like his price, but he should still be included in horizontals off that last effort.

Race 8

The featured $100,000 Oceanside Stakes as always is a great race. #2 Moonlight Drive was impressive in his Stateside debut in February and is the likeliest winner if he can repeat or move forward off that event. I am a bit concerned by the five-month layoff, but he has reportedly been working well. I think #7 Ebadan offers the best value option in the race and at the right price I will bet him to Win. He has been a different horse since the addition of Lasix and should get more pace to run at than in his last start where he was up closer than he probably prefers.

Race 9

The ninth is the second division of optional claimers going a mile over the dirt. I am going to spread four deep here. My top two choices are runners that should come from off the pace. #6 Pioneerof the West ran into a monster effort from a frontrunner last time out at Santa Anita. He has a win over this surface and is dangerous if the pace is contentious. #8 Souper Knight is a five-time winner facing runners that possess anywhere from 1-3 victories. He was claimed by Peter Miller and Rockingham Ranch last month and appears ready for a big effort. I will also include synthetic specialist #5 Dr. Dorr off the lengthy layoff and #7 Westbrook making his first start around two turns. Dr. Dorr will likely be overbet, but he is working very well and could be set for a big second half of 2016.

Race 10

The Opening Day card concludes with a maiden special weight event over the lawn. The mile event for three-year-olds and upward could offer separation to close the Pick 4 sequence, but I struggled to find much promise in many of the longer priced options. I will go six deep to close out my $96 play and hope to catch a price if I am fortunate enough to get to the final leg.

Scott Shapiro handicaps the daily Pick 4 for the $25,000 Outcap da Shap Challenge. Each day of the challenge, Scott's tickets, insight, and results will appear here. For the first week, the game continues through Sunday until he loses and the winner(s) split $1,000. Starting next week, the game will run every day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Again, TwinSpires.com will update this blog daily with Scott's actual ticket (he is limited to $100), his insight into his ticket structure, and his results. Just because Scott is limited to $100 doesn't mean you are! You can bet as little or as much as you want to try to outcap da Shap. If you hit and he doesn't, then you win or split the day's $1,000 prize! Click the link below for further details.