Churchill Downs: Week wraps up with $63,273 Single 6 carryover for Nov. 1

The Single 6 carryover continues to grow at Churchill Downs, with the pool climbing to $63,273 for Sunday’s card.

Assuming no one is able to sweep the whole pool—which requires holding the only winning ticket on the day—an even larger carryover will await when racing resumes at Churchill Downs on Wednesday.

Saturday recap

Generally speaking, the Saturday sequence unfolded in logical fashion. Visiting the winner’s circle were two favorites, a pair of second choices, and two mid-range longshots starting at 7-1 and 8-1.

Yet even on a day lacking any significant longshot winners, the $0.20-cent Single 6 returned $6,273.36—significantly higher than the $3,846.88 generated by a theoretical $2 win parlay across all six winners.

Sunday insights

The Sunday sequence gets underway in Race 5, a $50,000 maiden claiming race for 2-year-olds. Just six horses have been entered, so one would expect handicapping the 1 1/16-mile route race to be a straightforward task.

But here’s the problem—none of the half-dozen entrants have run fastest enough to win at the $50,000 level. The Brisnet Speed rating par for this class and distance is 78, but no one has posted a figure higher than 75, and four of the runners have been campaigning primarily on turf.

As a result, a small step forward could put anyone in contention for victory. I personally will favor the chances of #4 Beeboo (7-2), a second-time starter conditioned by high-percentage Brad Cox. In his maiden special weight debut sprinting 6 furlongs at Keeneland, Beeboo ran into some trouble early on before settling for sixth place.

The 66 Brisnet Speed rating Beeboo received was modest, but Cox strikes at a 29% rate when dropping runners from maiden special weight to maiden claiming company, and Beeboo is bred to improve while stretching out in distance. With hot jockey Florent Geroux in the saddle, I view Beeboo as a possible single to kick off the Single 6.

That’s helpful, because the penultimate event on the card—Race 9, 1 3/8-mile allowance optional claiming race for fillies and mares—looks like a beast to handicap. The stakes-placed 4-year-olds #7 Delta’s Kingdom (5-2) and #8 Romantic Pursuit (3-1) are the favorites, but their advantages appear slim, and you can make a case for almost any horse in the field. This is an event where bettors might need the “ALL” button to survive.

Good luck!