Pick 4 of the Week: Laurel Park Saturday, May 16

A total of nine black-type races will be held at Laurel Park on Saturday, headlined by the $2 million Preakness (G1). With a total of five Pick 4 sequences on the card to choose from, I feel that I have found the one that gives me the best chance at a winning return. 

Race 6 Wager

• 50-cent Pick 4: 4,7 with 4,5,6 with 1,2,4,5,6,8 with 4,5,6 ($54)

Race 6 – Sir Barton S. 

A total of seven three-year-olds will travel 1 1/16 miles on the dirt in the opening piece. #7 Reagan’s Honor (7-5) was sent off at 2-1 odds in the Bluegrass (G1), where he failed to fire, but he was very sharp in two straight wins prior to his Keeneland setback and looms large here. The Honor A. P. colt will have Jose Ortiz on board. 

Keeneland maiden romper #4 Final Story (2-1) takes a big class jump into the stakes ranks off of a maiden win, but the Brad Cox pupil sure looked the part last time and wouldn’t be a surprise. The Gary and Mary West homebred will have Irad in the irons. 

Race 7 – Chick Lang S. 

A total of eight sophomores will speed six panels on the main strip in the second part of the wager. This is an excellent group signed on with big early speed and strong late runners in a tricky tilt. Three Chimneys homebred #5 Igniter (5-2) was more impressive than it might appear on paper last time in his Jimmy Winkfield S. triumph for Richard Dutrow. The Volatile chestnut comes in fresh for the dash and picks up Irad. 

Grade 3 star #4 Obliteration (6-5) has banked more than $893,000 from eight career runs, where he has been first or second on seven occasions. Second in the lucrative Saudi Derby (G3) in his latest effort, the son of Violence is a must-use with Jose Ortiz in the irons. The Parx invader #6 Shane’s Wonder (3-1) will get a serious class test here, but he has yet to be headed after a trio of tries to date, and the son of Eastwood also gets a fine draw on the outside of the two big contenders, too. Mychel Sanchez will take the reins and try to wire the field. 

Race 8 – Maryland Sprint (G3)

An especially competitive group of nine will jaunt six furlongs in a tough penultimate leg of the sequence. #1 Bring the Smoke (10-1), #2 Faster Gator (9-2), #4 Haileysfirstnotion (7-2), #5 Floodlites (4-1), #6 Celtic Contender (9-2), and #8 Slam Notion (5-1) are the ones that will make the ticket. 

Race 9 – James W. Murphy S. 

A grass test at one mile for three-year-olds will conclude the wager. #4 Attfield (9-2) was a classy juvenile and could respond to the addition of blinkers for his third run of 2026. The Vekoma colt has faced tough foes this campaign. 

I’ll also use the formidable Graham Motion duo of #5 Proton (9-5) and #6 Turf Star (5-2), as well.