Pick-six carryover looks hard to hit

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Though favorites won the first two legs of Sunday's pick six, upsets by Phil Cat ($13.60), Aegean Breeze ($20), and Bourne First ($23.20) produced a carryover of $46,720 into Wednesday's card.

The Wednesday pick six is not for the faint of heart or those with limited funds. Then again, an English punter put down 50 pence ($1) at a William Hill branch in Thirsk last Friday and won a million pounds (about $1.97omillion) after his eight-horse parlay hit. So why not think big?

Bettors looking for an anchor may try to tiptoe through the first four legs: a New York-bred maiden claimer (race 4), a nonwinners-of-two claimer (race 5), a full field of 3-year-old filly claimers where most are stretching out from sprints (race 6), and another full field - of nonwinners-of-three claiming routers - in race 7.

If that minefield can be successfully navigated, Regal Playtime looks like a potential single in race 8, a first-level allowance at a mile and 70 yards for New York-bred fillies and mares.

Dating back to last winter, Regal Playtime has won three straight races on the inner track. She turned in the best performance of her career to win her first start of the year - and first for trainer Gregory DiPrima - when she ran away from a field of restricted claimers under mild urging.

"She ran big that day," said DiPrima, who acquired Regal Playtime when trainer Pat Reynolds went to Florida for the winter. "This is the next logical step, and from the rail she looks like the controlling speed. I think she's in the right spot; she's had two nice maintenance works, and she's definitely on 'Go.' "

Other contenders include Twistaway and Keuka Maid, consistent sorts who were separated by a length last out, and the freshly claimed Alchera, who has won 2 of 3 starts at the meet.

Race 9, a second-level optional claimer for New York-bred fillies and mares at a mile, completes the sequence. Graeme Central, Lady Elaine, Aly's Colors, Accrediting, Reyana's Jet, and City in the Clouds appear the most logical contenders.

Barcola works fast for Stymie

Barcola, a front-running router who is among 20 nominations for Saturday's $75,000-added Stymie Handicap, worked five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.66 Monday, the fastest of 21 works over Belmont's training track. Barcola, 5, has not started since leading until the final few strides of the Queens County Handicap on Dec. 8 for trainer Mark Hennig.

Light Tactic, among 12 nominations for Sunday's $75,000-added Broadway Handicap, also worked five furlongs at Belmont, in 1:01.12, the second-fastest of the morning. She has won 3 of 5 lifetime starts for trainer Rick Schosberg, including an overnight stakes earlier this winter.

Also at Belmont on Monday, Man of Danger, second in the recent Paumonok after setting the pace, breezed an easy half-mile in 48.92 for Bruce Levine. He is among 17 sprinters nominated to the Grade 3 Toboggan Handicap on March 8.