BAY MEADOWS FRIDAY PICKS, OCT. 27

RACE 1: Surprise! Baze is on the best horse. What to do? Methinks a trifecta box. There won't be much traffic in the lane, that's for sure. I like the Baze horse, Gaucho Wish (#4) in the box, along with Salty Solider (1), who is rounding into form and dropping. I'll also put in Red Sox Parade (2) because I think the Sherman barn will be good for him. Usually we don't box trifectas here at the Loose Horse, but in a six-horse race, we'll make an exception. We'll expound on trifecta theory some day, but lucky you, not today.

Salty Soldier scratched. $2 box 4-2 exacta paid... ready? $8.40 You would have actually made a little more cash by betting Gaucho straight. ($9.60 on the $4 bet.) My god, what will we do with all that cash?

RACE 4: Baze again, damn it. His horse is switching from grass to dirt, a patented Hollendorfer move. But I say this horse is worth no better than 5-2. How about Full Court Press (8) if you can get her at 4-1 or better. Full Court is dropping a bit in class, even shipping down from EmD. Plus, she's just taken over by a much better trainer.

Full Court Press scratched. Baze's horse, Golden Via, wins at 9/5. As often happens though, the place horse pays much better. Las Vegas Dancer went off at 11-1, paid $7.60 as opposed to the winners' $5.60. Place betting can make sense, especially in the range of 8 thru 15-1, when the favorite is bet down.

RACE 7: What a race! A starter allowance for those who've never won anything but their maidens. Hmmmm. This means there's a whole bunch of horses in here with place-itis. Marathon Mom (2) is shipping from So Cal, and 3 of her 4 races were good enough to beat this field. The problem will be the odds. Her record says All Candy (1) is a 2-1 shot to place, so I'm thinking straight exacta 2-1. But we're also watching Karen's Kwik Wager, and will pounce at 4-1 or better.

All were skunked by Fargo's Legacy, who paid $25.60. All Candy placed, and Karen showed.

RACE 8: Where's Russell! Phew, he's gone. We can bet now. We're down on Meeting By Design (6) the super-consistent horse. 3-1 warrants a $5 bet. 4-1 gets $10. Etc. True odds are probably right around 3-1.

With 8 minutes to go, Meeting by Design is 5/2, which warrants a $2 fling. Won and paid $8.20

Total for the night: $8 bet, $16.60 return.