Betting the All-Stakes Pick 5 at Colonial Downs

I will go after the all-stakes Pick 5 sequence at Colonial Downs on Saturday that concludes with the Arlington Million (G1). 

Race 7 Wager

• 50-cent Pick 5: 5,10 with 1,2,7,8,10,12,13,14 with 9 with 8,9,11 with 5,6 ($48)

Race 7 – Reign Count S. 

The boys will run seven-eighths on the dirt to kick off the wager with a cast of 10 on board. #5 Illuminaire (9-2) was a dominant winner in his lone prior run locally and gets top billing for Pletcher. Tyler Gaffalione has the call. 

#10 Verifire (7-2) broke his maiden on the surface like a good thing last season and will get an ideal trip pressing the pace from the outside today under Manny Franco. 

Race 8 – Van Clief S. 

A full field of 14 will dash 5 1/2 panels on the outer turf in the second leg of the play. I could use them all if given the chance in the wide-open heat, but I will omit some of the runners while still spreading deep in the grassy heat. #1 Had to Have Him (20-1), #2 Alogon (9-2), #7 Witty (12-1), #8 Quereme Pass (20-1), #10 Nothing Better (20-1), #12 Governor Sam (7-2), #13 My Boy Prince (3-1), and #14 Chasing Liberty (8-1) are the ones. 

Race 9 – Secretariat (G2)

I feel as though I will need a single in the play to keep my investment at a reasonable size, and the Mark Casse-trained #9 Alpyland (9-5) seems like the most logical one in the sequence. The Vekoma colt is a Grade-3 hero coming off a pair of dominant stakes wins in succession, and while he will face a fairly deep field in this endeavor, it’s hard to go against the sophomore from an ideal outside slot. He will get a fine voyage off of the contested early tempo under Javier Castellano.

Race 10 – Beverly D. (G2)

My top pick in the grassy event for fillies and mares is #9 Gimme a Nother (9-2), who impressed me a whole lot when dominating a very good field on the front end at Monmouth Park in her first run of this campaign. The Graham Motion trainee has been first or second in all but one of her appearances since arriving in the states, and the South African import will be forcing the action from the start under John Velazquez. 

#8 Stellify (3-1) will make her first showing since an unplaced run in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf (G1) for Brad Cox. The Justify mare had won four races in succession on the grass prior to her run at Del Mar in November and makes sense in her seasonal debut beneath Manny Franco. I’ll also include Grade 3 victress #11 Fast Market (15-1) who can make the ticket sizable if she upsets the group. The John Terranova pupil showed vast improvement after having blinkers removed as a sophomore, and she stretches out in distance following a pair of Grade 1 tries at one mile to commence 2026. Samuel Marin will guide the longshot contender. 

Race 11 – Arlington Million (G1)

Eight will go postward in the feature led by the surging #5 Burnham Square (5-2) for Ian Wilkes. The Grade 1 winner has been first or second in each of his five assignments since moving to the grass, and while this distance might be shorter than his ideal one, he’s an absolute must-use, nonetheless. 

Graham Motion’s #6 Test Score (9-2) has earned Grade 1 victories in each of the last two seasons and was a fast-closing second in the Manhattan (G1) at 1 3/16 miles at Saratoga in his last venture. The Lookin at Lucky homebred will be formidable with any improvement while making his local debut beneath Manny Franco.