How to bet Gulfstream's $1,089,070 mandatory-payout Rainbow Pick 6

An exciting Saturday of racing got even better with the news Gulfstream Park has scheduled the mandatory payout of a $1,089,070 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover.

The final pool for the 20-cent wager is projected to exceed $6 million, so let’s take a race-by-race look at the sequence (which kicks off at 3:01 p.m. ET) and assemble a ticket:

Race 7: $25,000 Starter Allowance (about five furlongs on Tapeta)

#9 Smokin Richie (7-2) has tons of speed and enters off back-to-back victories, including a 1 1/4-length score in a $25,000 allowance optional claimer over this track and distance. His hot form is appealing, but #3 Unprecedented (3-1) and #6 Reconfigure (9-2) have posted faster Brisnet Speed ratings in recent victories over the Gulfstream Tapeta. One of these three ought to prevail.

Race 8: $20,000 Claiming (about 7 1/2 furlongs on turf)

An ultra-competitive field is on tap. One longshot worth including is #2 Impressive Speed (10-1), whose lone turf start yielded a victory at Woodbine last fall. He’s been facing easier company on Tapeta as of late, but returning to grass can put Impressive Speed in the hunt under hot jockey Irad Ortiz.

Others we’ll include are #3 My Man Flint (8-1), #5 Mean Machine (4-1), and #10 Propensity (9-2).

Race 9: Maiden Special Weight (1 1/8 miles)

There are many viable contenders in this deep maiden route for three-year-olds. Hot trainer Todd Pletcher (always dangerous with sophomores at Gulfstream) has a couple of logical contenders in #2 Complete Agenda (3-1) and #8 Pioneering Spirit (5-1). But since both have been beaten multiple times over this class level, we’ll use #3 Montauk Point (7-2), #6 Magia Nera (8-1), #10 Bourbon Heist (4-1), and #11 Iconic Adventure (8-1) for good measure.

Race 10: $25,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (one mile on turf)

Todd Pletcher’s #6 Star Seeking (8-5) ran a big race in her North American debut at Gulfstream last month, finishing second in a 1 1/16-mile event over this course and class level. Formerly based in Great Britain, the daughter of Gleneagles should be tough to beat under hot jockey Jose Ortiz, a 25% winner at Gulfstream. However, #5 Applecross (9-2)—third with a challenging pace setup over this course, distance, and class level on Dec. 29—is worth using as backup.

Race 11: $6,250 Claiming (one mile)

#6 Meteorito (5-2) has finished second in his last two starts against $12,500 claiming company. Dropping down the class ladder can send Meteorito to the winner’s circle in his first start for hot trainer Jorge Delgado, who wins at a 30% rate with new claiming acquisitions. We’ll single Meteorito in the Pick 6.

Race 12: Maiden Special Weight (one mile on turf)

The unraced #3 Growth Capital (4-1) is bred to thrive racing one mile on turf, but it’s worth noting trainer Chad Brown (a 20% winner overall with first-time starters) strikes at just a 14% rate with runners debuting over the Gulfstream turf course. As backup, we’ll include #4 Vocalize (7-2) and #11 Urban Forest (8-1), two runners who have placed against maiden special weight company sprinting on turf.

• 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6: 3,6,9 with 2,3,5,10 with 2,3,6,8,10,11 with 5,6 with 6 with 3,4,11 ($86.40)

Good luck!