Pick 4 of the Week: Churchill Downs Saturday, May 2

There are a total of six Pick 4 offerings on the fantastic Kentucky Derby Day card at Churchill Downs on Saturday, and I found the sequence that I like most of all for the Pick 4 of the Week.

Churchill Downs Race 4: Pick 4 Wager:

• 50-cent Pick 4: 4,5 with 3,7,8,9,10 with 2,4,6,10 with 4,8 ($40)

Race 4 – Derby City Distaff S. (G1)

Three Grade 1 heroines and a total of five graded stakes queens are part of the six-horse contingent for the seven- furlong dirt dash.

The 2024 Test (G1) victress #4 Ways and Means (8-5) has been excellent since her juvenile season, and I’m appreciative that the Practical Joke mare remains in training for her five-year-old campaign. The lightly raced lass capped 2025 with a dominant win in the Bed o’ Roses (G2) at Saratoga in June and has trained forwardly in advance of the heat. Chad Brown pupil was third as the favorite in the contest last season. 

Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) starlet #5 Splendora (2-1) has won five races in succession and is the one to beat in my opinion. The Baffert-trained daughter of Audible has yet to prove that she can fire outside of California, but she’s a must-use, nonetheless. 

Race 5 – Twin Spires Turf Sprint (G2)

The second leg of the play will pit 10 fleet turf specialists in a 5 1/2-furlong grassy dash. The top-five finishers of the Shakertown (G2) at Keeneland come back in this spot, and they were separated by less than two lengths last time out, making it difficult for me to omit any of the handful of players in the heat.

I will have a win wager on #10 Joe Sheisty (6-1) who will be up top turning for home in the race, but #3 My Boy Prince (5-2), #7 Yellow Card (9-2), #8 Mondogetsbuckets (8-1), and #9 Litigation (3-1), will make the ticket, too. 

Race 6 – Knicks Go S. 

A big field will travel a one-turn mile on the main oval in the third part of the play. I will not be very brave while using the four morning-line choices in a race lacking a standout.

Multiple Grade 3 hero #2 Dragoon Guard (3-1), Carter (G2) third #4 Be You (7-2), recent stakes victor #6 Tour Player (4-1), and Ghostzapper (G3) runner-up #10 Capital Idea (5-1), is the quartet that I will include in the dangerous contest.  

Race 7 – Churchill Distaff Mile Turf (G2)

A total of nine fillies and mares will vie in the one-mile affair on the lawn in the final piece of the play. I’ll go two deep to conclude the play led by my value selection #4 Temptable (8-1) for trainer Bill Mott. The Kingman four-year-old ran an even race in the deep Goldikova (G3) in her U. S. debut at Del Mar in November and landed in a very winnable spot for her four-year-old debut. The Juddmonte homebred comes in fresh for her first appearance for this barn and will have Junior Alvarado in the silks. 

#8 Pin Up Betty (7-2) has earned each of her four lifetime wins at Churchill Downs and was a narrow second in the race in 2025. The Mike Maker pupil was a solid fifth in the Jenny Wiley (G1) in her 2026 unveiling at Keeneland last time out and will be formidable with some improvement second time back over her favorite surface with Juan Hernandez taking the reins.