A single for Aqueduct's $45,636 Pick 6 carryover

$45,636. That’s a lot of money, yes? You can earn a share if you construct a winning ticket for Sunday’s $1 Pick 6 at Aqueduct, because $45,636 is the size of the non-jackpot carryover up for grabs.

You’ll have to put your thinking cap on to come up with the winning combination. The Pick 6 spans Race 4 (post time 2:12 p.m. ET) through Race 9, a sequence containing 73 horses (averaging 12.2 per race) before scratches. The picture should become a little clearer once race-day changes are announced (there are a fair number of also-eligible and main-track-only entrants), but until then, there are 2,751,840 possible outcomes to analyze.

To set yourself up with a fair shot to sweep the Pick 6, you’ll likely need a trustworthy single to build tickets around. Fortunately, such an opportunity can be found in Race 5, a $45,000 allowance optional claimer for New York-bred fillies and mares.

With only eight entries, this seven-furlong dirt sprint features the smallest field in the Pick 6 sequence. It also features the heaviest morning line favorite in #5 Cupid’s Heart (7-5), who should be mighty tough to beat if she brings her A-game.

Exactly one year ago, Cupid’s Heart was an impressive debut winner sprinting six furlongs at Belmont Park, rallying strongly after a slow start to win a maiden special weight for New York-bred juveniles by 4 1/4 lengths. Her second start wasn’t as successful, producing a fifth-place finish in the Key Cents S. at Aqueduct, but Cupid’s Heart went to the sidelines shortly thereafter and didn’t run again for 9 1/2 months.

Fortunately, Cupid’s Heart returned better than ever in a six-furlong allowance for New York-breds at Saratoga. Facing older rivals for the first time, Cupid’s Heart showed newfound tactical speed tracking and then setting the pace before powering clear to win by 5 1/4 lengths.

Cupid’s Heart’s comeback victory produced a flashy 98 Brisnet Speed rating, the highest number posted by any filly or mare in Sunday’s field. Hot jockey Javier Castellano (a 22% winner at Aqueduct this meet) is picking up the mount, so if Cupid’s Heart repeats or improves upon her Saratoga performance, she can cruise to victory as a short-priced single.

Good luck!