Fair Grounds: Betting the Louisiana Derby Day Pick 6 carryover

The Saturday card at Fair Grounds boasts an all-stakes Pick 5 with a guaranteed pool of $500,000. The $1 Pick 6 that begins one race earlier, and culminates with the Louisiana Derby (G2), features a non-jackpot carryover worth $5,061.

By taking a race-by-race look at the Pick 6 sequence, we are simultaneously assembling a ticket for the Pick 5 as well. 

Race 7: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/16 miles)

There aren’t any standouts in this two-turn contest for three-year-old fillies, so we’ll spread deep with #3 Raggity Sand (8-1), #6 Sweet Chablis (4-1), #8 Dialherup (9-2), and #12 Corsini (8-1).

Race 8: Tom Benson Memorial S. (about 1 1/16 miles on turf)

#1 Adventuring (2-1) is a classy turf campaigner with four stakes wins under her belt, including the Ladies Marathon (G3) at Kentucky Downs. But her biggest wins have come running significantly farther than 1 1/16 miles. For backup, we’ll use #6 Didia (3-1), who is 2-for-2 in the United States, and #8 She Can’t Sing (9-2), defending winner of the Tom Benson Memorial.

Race 9: New Orleans Classic (G2, 1 1/8 miles)

#2 Art Collector (8-5) exits a 4 1/2-length demolition of the Pegasus World Cup (G1), in which he successfully shifted from pacesetting to stalking tactics. There’s quite a bit of speed in the New Orleans field, so Art Collector appears poised to sit another perfect trip and pounce to victory. We'll single him in the Pick 6.

Race 10: Muniz Memorial Classic (G2, about 1 1/8 miles on turf)

Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1) winner #1 Atone (5-2) enters in hot form, but he’s not the only logical win threat in this competitive field. #6 Two Emmys (3-1) exits a 4 1/2-length romp in the Fair Grounds (G3) over this course and distance. The seven-year-old gelding boasts an 11-4-4-1 record over the Fair Grounds lawn and looms as a danger on the front end.

Race 11: Fair Grounds Oaks (G2, 1 1/16 miles)

#3 Pretty Mischievous (8-5) finished 8 1/2 lengths ahead of #5 Hoosier Philly (2-1) when they ran first and third in the Rachel Alexandra (G2) over this track and distance last month. But Hoosier Philly finished 5 1/4 lengths clear of Pretty Mischievous when they finished first and third in the Golden Rod (G2) last fall. We’ll use them both in the Pick 6.

Race 12: Louisiana Derby (G2, 1 3/16 miles)

Kentucky Jockey Club (G2) and Lecomte (G3) winner #2 Instant Coffee (2-1) is a logical favorite for red-hot trainer Brad Cox, a 41% winner at Fair Grounds this meet. But Cox also conditions #11 Jace’s Road (12-1), who trounced future Gotham (G3) winner Raise Cain by 5 1/2 lengths in the Gun Runner S. at Fair Grounds two starts back. Jace’s Road has speed and may prove tough to catch under hot jockey Florent Geroux.

Here's how we'll bet the Pick 6:

• $1 Pick 6: 3,6,8,12 with 1,6,8 with 2 with 1,6 with 3,5 with 2,11 ($96)

Good luck!