Bettors finally get a shot at $166K pick six carryover
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Pick six carryover, part deux.
Thursday’s Saratoga card will feature a pick six carryover of $166,702 after the wager was not hit Saturday and the bet was canceled Sunday when the decision was made to change the distance of one of the races after jockeys expressed concerns about running 2-year-olds one mile on the inner turf. Management felt it was unfair to players who handicapped the race for one mile to then have it be run at 1 1/16 miles.
Thus, Thursday’s card will spark more interest than it would have otherwise. The pick six sequence on Thursday includes four maiden races – two of the maiden-claiming variety – all with large fields.
Here’s a look at the sequence:
Race 4: Ironically, the sequence begins with a one-mile race on the inner turf. Since it’s for 3-year-olds and up, it’s okay to run this distance. The inner rail will now be out 18 feet, as opposed to nine last week.
Chester Boy was bothered twice in the stretch of a maiden $75,000 claimer at Aqueduct when he was beaten two lengths. Arabian Power, runner-up in two turf starts, has speed and the inside draw to get the jump on the other pace in the field.
Race 5: This 5 1/2-furlong turf sprint drew 16, but only 10 may run. Second-time starter J’ray’s Jewel is by Oscar Performance out of the dam J’ray, a four-time graded stakes winner on turf who won her maiden in her turf debut at Saratoga while making second career start, albeit at 1 1/16 miles. J’ray’s Jewel, like her mother, raced on dirt in her career debut.
Seismic Activity, a $270,000 yearling purchase, comes from the family of multiple graded turf stakes winner Bigger Picture and has a steady work tab for Jeremiah Englehart.
All Star Leigh is by Golden Pal out of a four-time turf-winning dam who has produced progeny that have gone 7 for 23 in turf sprints. The Tony Dutrow/Jose Ortiz team is 60 percent (3 for 5) over the last 18 months.
Deeper pockets may want to throw in Champagne in Paris and Sitting On a Win.
Race 6: Pippa Adds is a half-sister to Accelerize, the Grade 3 Louisiana Stakes winner. In March, she finished fourth on debut to Sippin Pretty, who won last week’s Victory Rides Stakes. Pippa finished third in a June 6 race that produced next-out winner Cold Spell.
Ati Girl has run second twice in distance races at Churchill Downs.
Moonlit has faced talented runners in Point of Reference and Directive in two defeats in one-turn mile races. The dam, Eres Tu, won the Grade 3 Allaire duPont at 1 1/8 miles.
Race 7: This 10-horse field of claimers ($40,000 to $35,000) features six New York-breds, of which Blame It On K J comes off a win over the course in June.
Still, some may prefer the Kentucky-bred Sicilian Defense, who comes out of an $80,000 claiming race that has produced two next-out winners and another who finished second with a career-best Beyer Speed Figure. Sicilian Defense drops to the lowest level of his career and has speed to be a forward factor.
Race 8: Palacios comes out of a third-place finish as the 1-2 favorite in a starter allowance June 18 at Churchill. Trainer Will Walden said Palacios lost a front shoe during the post parade of that race and it may have impacted the notoriously slow starter even more in the early stages.
“When he broke slow, Irad [Ortiz Jr.] couldn’t rush him off his feet because he couldn’t grab the ground,” Walden said. “He did the right thing, he let him go around there and then he asked him to quicken up down the lane, but he had too much to do.
“He’s trained good here, he looks phenomenal, and that was against older. Now we’re backing up against 3-year-olds and adding the extra furlong. I think he could be tough.”
Max Money scratched out of Monday’s New York Derby at Finger Lakes for this race. When he ran up here last year, Max Money finished fourth behind Napoleon Solo in a maiden auction race. He finished second to Bravaro in the Sleepy Hollow Stakes at Aqueduct going a mile last fall. Max Money may have been too close to a hot pace in the Mike Lee here last month.
Race 9: A skull-buster to end the sequence. Zelena needs to be used despite an 11-month layoff. She’ll be making her first start for a tag but gets Lasix. Whatta Weekend showed good speed when second in her most recent on June 11, a race from which seven of those runners are in this spot.
Roasted Reds was an even fourth in the June 11 race on debut, has room to improve second out, and keeps Flavien Prat.
Intothewilderness, Valiant Diva, and Island Charm are others to consider if they fit in your budget.
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