Churchill Downs’ Single 6 Jackpot up for grabs ahead of mandatory payout

The Single 6 Jackpot at Churchill Downs has gone un-hit, and the carryover has reached a huge $294,725 heading into Thursday’s eight-race card. The clock is ticking down on just two more chances remaining to take down the Single 6 Jackpot before the carryover reaches a mandatory payout on closing day, Saturday, June 29. Before there is a giant Saturday mandatory payout carryover pool, however, the Single 6 Jackpot must remain un-hit for two more days. That’s two more chances for you to get the entire pot. With a 20-cent denomination, you can play many ticket combinations for an affordable amount of money. Weather will be in the Louisville area Thursday, but precipitation, if any, should hold off until after the races. If you are going to play Churchill’s Single 6 Jackpot Thursday and Friday, you can simply play it as a normal Pick 6 and go for a non-jackpot payout for the day’s winning tickets. If you hope to land the only winning ticket for the Jackpot, however, you will need to include some high-priced horses on your ticket and hope for the best. Here is a ticket constructed not only to have a shot at the Pick 6, but also to provide some bombs for a chance at the whole pool and the carryover: RACE 3 You can cover the majority of the contenders in this eight-horse optional claiming race at one mile with just three horses on your ticket. COLOR ME PRETTY (#4) (3-1) easily won a similar one-mile Churchill dirt race last fall and is seven-for-19 in the win column in her career. Her BRIS Speed figures stack up well here, and her loss under the Twin Spires two back was in a key race against very much tougher competition. MIZZEN AIR (#5) (7-2) has been in the money in three recent races at this level on this circuit, but none of them were at this distance. She’ll improve here based on her 4-3-0-1 career record at a mile. BABAKNOWSEVRYTHING (#6) (5-1) also loves this distance (5-3-1-0) and should be forgiven for a big loss last out when she lost best chance with a bad start. RACE 4 Most of the horses in this six-furlong maiden-claiming race either have done very little mostly at longshot odds so far in their careers, or are first-time starters from barns not usually associated with first-out winners. That leaves two main contenders, including COPPER FIDDLE (#10) (7-2), who ran a promising second in his career debut two races ago and could rebound in this spot. The other main contender is SLICK SILVER (#11) (3-1), who has run decent tries everywhere he’s been except Keeneland and now drops in against maiden claimers to finally graduate. RACE 5 This is a wide-open 11-horse, one-mile high-priced optional claiming race that will be one of the toughest legs of the Single 6 Jackpot for handicappers. Favored GRANDEZZA (#7) (5-2) has improved markedly since adding blinkers two races ago, graduating last time with a big BRIS Speed figure. She must be used, as well as mid-priced contenders like SOCIAL CIRCLE (#4) (8-1), who just missed behind a repeat next-out winner last time, and KIM K (#9) (6-1), who was a restricted stakes winner as a two-year-old and will benefit from her return from a seven-month layoff at this level here last time out. This race also offers the opportunity to put a live bomb on the ticket with AGI’S CAIT (#5) (15-1), who ran big to just miss in a one-turn mile on Arlington’s Polytrack last out. Evidently the connections seem to think she’s better on dirt. RACE 6 This turf route allowance race is another of the tough spots in the Pick 6 sequence that will be tough to get past on a reasonably-sized ticket. Take the three best challengers and hope for the best. BIG TORCH KEY (#7) (9-2) graduated last out with a solid win at Keeneland, beating today’s rival Avigale, who came back to graduate in his next race. RED ISLAND (#9) (7-2) nearly went wire-to-wire at this level here last time until settling for second beaten less than a length. TRACKSMITH (#11) (9-2) must overcome a seven-month layoff but goes out for trainer Joe Sharp, who wins off these kinds of breaks, and was stakes-placed on grass as a two-year-old. RACE 7 In this seven-furlong optional-claiming dirt race, you could spread around or take a stand on one standout. If you are playing an economical ticket, the latter is advised. This race offers a solid potential single with MAGIC TAPIT (#7) (5-1), who has been average in his five turf/synthetic starts, but sensational in his one start so far on a dirt track when he ran a fast seven furlongs to win a Gulfstream Park allowance in January. If he comes close to running back to that career best, he should beat this bunch. RACE 8 If you’re fortunate enough get through to the final leg with a live ticket, you should have at least four of the 12 starters in this 1 1/8-mile maiden-claiming dirt race. In a race overloaded with plodders, go with the ones with some tactical speed like FLAT OUT BEAUTIFUL (#4) (3-1), BIRD DOG (#8) (6-1) and the live longshot jackpot kind of horse you’ll need, HYPERSONIC (#9) (20-1). The one plodder you might want on your ticket would be DOBY (#6) (7-2). The SINGLE 6 JACKPOT ticket (20 cent) for Thursday, June 27: 4, 5, 6  /  10, 11  /  4, 5, 7, 9  /  7, 9, 11  /  7  /  4, 6, 8, 9 = $57.60