Mandatory payout pick six the focus on closing day card

A mandatory payout in the 20 cent Gold Rush pick six will be the focus of Monday’s closing day program of the Big Fresno Fair in central California. There is not much else on the card.

The program consists of six races, beginning at 1:45 p.m. Pacific. While the races have short fields, there will be heightened interest in the pick six, which begins with a carryover of $25,748.

The Golden State Racing meeting at Pleasanton begins on Saturday. The meeting replaces racing dates previously run at Golden Gate Fields, which closed permanently in June.

The California fair tracks are the only remaining circuit in California with a jackpot style pick six bet. Two others that offered the bet, Del Mar and Santa Anita, have reverted to a conventional pick six, with a carryover on days when there are no tickets with six winners.

With the lower minimum bet level in the pick six at Fresno, and short fields, some bettors may be able to participate on Monday without hefty investments.

Big Bad Bert holds appeal in a weak first race, a $12,500 claimer for 2-year-old maidens at a mile. He closed to finish second in a race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Santa Rosa on Aug. 17. Escape Plan, last of 10 in a maiden race at a mile on turf at Del Mar, and a well-beaten third in a $30,000 claimer for maidens at 6 1/2 furlongs at Los Alamitos last month, is an alternative.

The closers My Dominator and Fantastic Day could have a pace to follow in the second race, a conditional $20,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs. The race drew only five runners, with Corn Pop and Irrefutable likely to show speed.

The third race is an allowance race for 3-year-olds at a mile, a new distance for stablemates Halo Rando and Naftis. Both are trained by Steve Specht. Naftis and Halo Rando were third and fifth in an allowance race at 5 1/2 furlongs at Fresno on Sept. 13. Halo Rando had a rough trip, racing in traffic on the turn.

In the fourth race, the former graded stakes runner McLaren Vale could be tough to catch in an allowance race at a mile. He needs a sharp effort to hold off an expected threat from the stalker Anitanewmercedes, who was second in an allowance race at a mile on Sept. 28.

The fifth race may require a few more selections, with Bold Encounter starting in a $5,000 claimer for non-winners of three at 5 1/2 furlongs against older horses after finishing second or third in four consecutive races for 3-year-olds at higher claiming levels. Tiger Attack, the expected pacesetter has appeal, as does Anniversaire d’Or, who can lead or race just behind the leaders.

In the finale, Greatful Attitude is the lone filly or mares facing males in a conditional $20,000 claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs. She won at this meeting in a starter allowance at the same distance on Sept. 14.

Greatful Attitude had five opponents, notably Square Cat who finished fifth in an allowance race after a 13-month layoff on Sept. 13, and Groovy Huey, who won a $5,000 claimer for non-winners of two at 5 1/2 furlongs at Fresno on Sept. 21 in his first start in 10 months.

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