Delaware Pick 4 play for Sept. 27

Aqueduct, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita are the main focus of bettors nationwide on Saturday, but the Mid-Atlantic region has interesting fare at both Laurel and Delaware Park, too. Delaware's card has an attractive Pick 4 sequence in the middle, which I'll be taking a shot at in the following fashion:

• 50-cent ticket: 2,4,8 with 2,10,14 with 1,7 with 7,8,9,10 = $36

Race 4: Allowance/optional claiming, 2:34 p.m. ET

Most of the two-year-old fillies in this six-furlong dash are running with inflated $100,000 claiming tags. Not so for #8 Project Maximus (3-1), who ran out of her skin on debut at Parx to win by seven lengths. However, another Parx graduate worth using is #2 Law School (5-1), who should appreciate the return to sprinting on dirt after flailing in a one-mile turf event at Laurel second out. I'm also inclined to use #4 Neon Sunset (8-1), who at least won an open maiden special weight at Monmouth and might appreciate a strong pace here.

Race 5: Maiden, 3:07 p.m. ET

#2 Loveontheleftbank (9-2) was hardly embarrassed in her U.S. and turf debut at Saratoga, and the class drop will do her good. But #10 Magica (5-1) also looks like a must-use after two narrow losses to start her career. #14 Dandy Vandy (6-1) is a little more exposed, but only missed by a neck first time out for Jamie Ness and takes what looks on paper to be a modest class rise.

Race 6: Allowance, 3:40 p.m. ET

#1 Private Desire (3-1) essentially passed his first allowance condition at Finger Lakes three back and earned competitive figures facing better at Saratoga and Monmouth in his last two. However, more intriguing is #7 Energize (8-1), a Godolphin homebred who responded to the addition of blinkers with an impressive maiden score here more than three months ago. Although he lacks experience facing winners, he's far less exposed than most of this crew.

Race 7: Christiana S., 4:13 p.m. ET

#7 Sigh No More (7-2) adds blinkers after some lackadaisical runs at Saratoga and Colonial Downs, but note she landed the Boiling Springs S. at Monmouth three back over #10 Pretty Lavish (4-1), who is also better than her recent form suggests. Less exposed contenders include #8 So Darn Pretty (8-1), who has a chance to shake loose early, and #9 Ambaya (6-1), a late bloomer who doesn't look out of place after a pair of strong overnight runs.