Favorites dominated in Gulfstream Park’s 50-cent Late Pick 4 last Friday, but with 36 entrants, a maiden sprint for 2-year-olds and three route races in the sequence for the Friday, Oct. 27, the payout should be much more lucrative for winning ticket holders. Here’s a closer look:

GP 5th race (2:49 P.M. EST) -- ZAINO rallied for third in a triple-key turf sprint at this distance that produced stakes winner Reaper (2-4, $111k). In his next start on the synthetic track, he had dead aim on the dueling leaders but settled for third behind winning favorite Prevent, who ran second in a $75,000 optional claimer last month. EL CHATO has shown some speed in the mornings, a fact that belies his pedigree. His sire’s progeny are 2-for-22 in sprints and his dam was a late-running turf router. Use him in the leadoff leg. RING FUND hails from a low-percentage first-out barn, but he stepped it up a notch in his 1:01-2/5 work October 7 and his sire’s 2-year-old offspring finished first or second 63 of 186 times in their debut.

GP 6th race (3:18 P.M. EST) -- Use HARD TO FATHOM and UNIFIED WEEKEND, who have combined for five wins at 1-1/16 miles on the synthetic surface in a field that is a combined 7-for-40. PERFORMING ARTS earned nearly $100,000 in the last two seasons on turf and can’t be ignored on the surface switch for a new barn. CAPTURE THE TIME was right with the leaders turning for home in his two long-distance tests from posts 8 and 10, only to come up short. Now he draws post 2 for a 27-percent barn with second-off-the-layoff types.

GP 7th race (3:45 P.M. EST) -- Nothing wrong with pinning the Pick 4 hopes on trainer Jose D’Angelo, who has two chances to enhance his 24-percent off-the-claim record. Morning-line favorite LUCKY PERIDOT is 0-for-7 this year, but she won a $62,500 optional claimer when D’Angelo trained her last year, finished in the money in 23 of 42 starts and faces strictly Florida-breds for the first time in her career. NELIDA was visually impressive in a second-out maiden claiming victory, accelerating on the turn to widen her lead keeping the second favorite at bay with a game stretch run.

GP 8th race (4:15 P.M. EST) -- GREY PRINCESS ran second to Nelinda (see 7th race) and odds-on Sunroof in her last two starts going long and is a must use in the final leg of the Pick 4. OKAY FINE can’t seem to avoid troubled starts, but if she breaks cleanly, she will have every chance to rally into a projected lively pace and break through with a victory off the claim. KITTENZEN should also sit an ideal trip and can upstage a string of in-the-money finishes at a good price for her new barn.

Suggested 50-Cent Ticket
GP 5th Race: 2, 5, 9
GP 6th Race: 1, 2, 5, 6
GP 7th Race: 1, 4
GP 8th Race: 1, 2, 8
Cost: $36