Bettors shoot at Friday's $407K pick six carryover

ARCADIA, Calif. – The pick six at Santa Anita on Friday begins with a two-day carryover of $407,077 from Monday, giving bettors a three-day break to build up opinions and bankrolls.

Friday’s pick six comprises two optional claimers, two claiming races, and two races for maiden claimers.

With the gap between racing days, $2 million in new money is possible. The eight-race program begins at 3 p.m. Pacific. The first pick-six race, the day’s third race, is due off at approximately 4 p.m. Field sizes are solid, ranging from 7 to 10 runners.

The sequence begins with the lowest class race on the program – a $20,000 claiming race for maidens over 1 1/16 miles. In a field of eight, Midnight Mayhem makes a fast turnaround, having finished a troubled seventh in a $40,000 claimer for maidens on turf May 17.

“He’s running back kind of quick, but it’s a logical spot,” trainer Richard Baltas said. “We tried him on the turf because his [dam] was a good turf horse.”

The first turf race of the day is the fourth, run over a mile for female $25,000 claimers who have not won twice.

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There will be support for Gia Is a Bella, dropping in class in her first start since fifth in an allowance race at Hollywood Park last June; Gelila, third in a similar race last June at Hollywood Park; and New Nature, who makes her turf debut for trainer A.C. Avila.

There are nine fillies and mares in the fifth race, run over six furlongs for $16,000 claimers who have not won three races. The race has an open feel, with Fanny Brice, I’m No Patsy, and Small Moves among the contenders.

Fanny Brice and I’m No Patsy each won a $25,000 claimer for nonwinners-of-two in her last start.

Small Moves was fourth in an unrestricted $32,000 claimer on April 27. Small Moves breaks from post 3, farther to the inside than trainer Mark Glatt would prefer. The filly led throughout her two wins, winning from the rail and an outside post.

“She has stayed a little more patient when she’s been on the outside,” Glatt said.

The top turf race of the day is an optional claimer over 1 1/8 miles, the sixth race.

Hijra, a French import who was third in her American debut on April 25, will be favored. Nickels Wild takes a drop in class, having finished last of six in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes over a mile on April 27.

Winning Rhythm will be closing. She has not raced since finishing second in a similar race last October. The turf rails are set 30 feet from their permanent position on Friday, a narrow layout that discourages trainer Paddy Gallagher. He fears Winning Rhythm will not have sufficient pace to chase.

“She‘s coming off a layoff and the rails are out,” Gallagher said. “There is not a lot of speed in there.”

Another Sky could play a leading role if she draws into the field from the also-eligible list.

In the seventh race, Antiquity, last of seven in the Grade 1 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies last September, makes her first start of the year in the six-furlong optional claimer for fillies and mares. She was an impressive winner in her debut at Del Mar last August.

“She needed some time after I blew her up going into the stakes in her second start,” trainer John Sadler said. “You’ve got to run against older horses now.”

Antiquity is part of a field of seven with Miss Radiance and Lemon de Oro, who were third and fourth in an optional claimer on May 2.

The final race is a $50,000 claimer for maidens on the hillside turf course. Navarre, Red Globe, Tribal Dude, and Warrior’s Ridge have placed in maiden races on turf.

Sadler starts the 3-year-old first-time starter Itsgettinhotinhere, by Unusual Heat.

“He might need a few races,” Sadler said. “He might be a miler.”

Michael Hammersly's $250 pick six ticket