Santa Anita notes: Breeders’ Cup adds pick six carryover provisions

ARCADIA, Calif. – The Saturday Breeders’ Cup program could produce a massive pick six carryover into the final day of the Santa Anita autumn meeting on Nov. 3, Breeders’ Cup officials told the California Horse Racing Board Thursday.

Breeders’ Cup Chief Operating Officer Bob Elliston told the board that an agreement has been reached between the Breeders’ Cup, Santa Anita, and the Thoroughbred Owners of California for the pick six to have a carryover provision from Saturday into a non-Breeders’ Cup day.

In the past, the entire pick six pool was distributed on the final Breeders’ Cup program.

“It would be beneficial between the Breeders’ Cup, Santa Anita, and the [TOC], and would dramatically affect all three of us positively,” Elliston said of a potential carryover.

In addition, a pick six carryover from Thursday’s program at Santa Anita would go into Friday’s Breeders’ Cup program. In the past, a carryover from the Thursday program preceding the Breeders’ Cup weekend went to the Sunday card.

Guaranteed BC pools

The Breeders’ Cup has guaranteed that pools will reach $10 million in six multi-race bets next Friday and Saturday, including a guaranteed pool of $3 million in the late pick four on Saturday’s program, Elliston told the racing board.

For Friday, there will be guaranteed pools of $500,000 in the pick five, $1 million in the pick six, and $1.5 million in the late pick four. Saturday, there will be guaranteed pools of $500,000 in the pick five, $1 million in the early pick four, $2.5 million in the pick six, and $3 million in the late pick four.

Arabian race on Friday program

The $150,000 President of the United Arab Emirates Cup for Arabians will be run as the 11th and final race on the Friday Breeders’ Cup program.

There were discussions to run the race in the middle of the program, but the race time has been reset to avoid confusion with multi-race bets. The President of the UAE Cup will not be part of the pick six or late pick four, but will be part of a pick three on the final three races of the day.

The race is expected to draw a field of 11, including four American champions – Grilla, Ms Dixie, Smoke House, and So Big Is Better.

Tiz the Truth favored

Tiz the Truth will be a heavy favorite to win his third race in a $54,000 one-mile dirt allowance race in the fifth race at Santa Anita on Sunday, but trainer Bob Hess Jr. is anxious to start his two-time winner Blue Tone.

Owned by a partnership, Blue Tone was second as the 4-5 favorite behind stakes winner Rousing Sermon in a similar race on Oct. 3. Hess said that Blue Tone bled slightly from the lungs in that race.

“He did bleed a little,” Hess said. “Since then, he hasn’t bled in his works at all. It wasn’t serious. If it was, he wouldn’t be coming back so quickly.

“I was trying to get some weight on the horse and I overdid it.”

Tiz the Truth won an optional claimer over 1 1/16 miles by 3 1/4 lengths here on Sept. 27.