Mother Nature could influence Laurel Park’s popular Late Pick 4 this Friday, Feb. 21. The windy forecast could produce sub-freezing temperatures – and perhaps a speed-favoring track -- for the 50-cent wager. The Late Pick 4 will close out the Jackpot Pick 6 that features a $1,797 carryover pool.

LRL 6th race (2:29 p.m. EST) -- FIRST PEARL steps up off the claim after she finished a distant second to the favorite for a $20,000 tag at one mile. But she ran against a strong track bias on a muddy track that produced five wire-to-wire winners and two other up-close types who combined for 64 lengths of winning margins. GREEN EYED MONSTER, by 2018 Pimlico Special (G-3) winner Irish War Cry, rallied for second in a comeback sprint behind a speedy repeat winner. Her trainer, John Robb, is 7-41 the last two years with stretch-out sprinters. GAGA’S HAMSOME, hard-ridden from off the pace in a 6F sprint at Aqueduct, couldn’t reach the 5-2 winner but got up for second. She stretches out and adds Lasix for trainer Claudio Gonzalez, who is 8-40 the last three years with new acquisitions.

LRL 7th race (2:59 p.m. EST) -- MOR MOR MOR found more on the front end to romp twice in her last three starts, the first in a fast heat at Laurel Park and the latest in a pace-controlling spot on a speed favoring track. She will be an underlay in the wagering, so add two others to the Pick 4 ticket. GRACEFUL ROSE ‘kicked on belatedly’ while 4-wide in a double ‘key’ long sprint at Aqueduct. She rallied for third behind a next-out allowance repeater the last time she ran 6F at Laurel. DWELLING LEGACY goes from one top barn to another off an eight-month layoff. But she breezed a 5F bullet in her final workout for today’s race and wears blinkers for the first time. DISSOLUTE, heavily bet throughout her career, won a 6F allowance two starts back at Penn National, but the race produced 0-for-6 follow-up performances with an average 50 Beyer.

LRL 8th race (3:27 p.m. EST) -- SECRET ZIPPER draws the rail and seeks his fourth consecutive front-end victory at this distance. MAGIC MICHAEL, winless in four starts since a Grade 3 placing going 1-1/2 miles, is a multiple stakes-placed router at Laurel, earning one-third of his $613k bankroll at today’s distance. But good recent form and proven long-distance form abounds in today’s feature race, so go five deep in Leg C.

LRL 9th race (3:58 p.m. EST) -- RASCALLION is the one to beat after she dueled from the first turn to mid-stretch before the favorite passed by to win in a longer route race. THIRD TUESDAY chased the winning favorite and was passed by the second favorite in an improved third-place showing. Her trainer is 8-42 second-off-the-claim in the last two years but 0-8 on the sprint-to-route angle. STORM CREED, bumped on both sides at the start, was asked for run on the final turn and forced 7-wide in the stretch while finishing 4 lengths behind Rascallion.

Suggested 50-Cent Ticket
LRL 6th Race: 1, 6, 8
LRL 7th Race: 1, 2, 4
LRL 8th Race: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7
LRL 9th Race: 2, 6
Cost: $45