How to bet Santa Anita's $796,178 mandatory-payout Pick 6 carryover

Rock Your World winning the Santa Anita Derby (G1) - © Benoit Photo

October 31st, 2021

Sunday is the final day of racing at the Santa Anita autumn meet, which means a $796,178 jackpot carryover in the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 is slated for a mandatory payout.

The Pick 6 sequence gets underway in Race 5 at 5:33 p.m. ET, and we’re prepared to play along on a $72 budget. Here’s how we’ll tackle the six races:

Race 5: $50,000 Starter Allowance (six furlongs on turf)

#9 Mesut (7-2) was beaten just 2 1/4 lengths in the Eddie D S. (G2) last month and figures to appreciate dropping in class. But since Mesut hasn’t won a race since January 2019, we’ll spread deep in this competitive field with #1 McWherter (12-1), #5 Johnny Podres (4-1), #10 Brix (6-1), and #11 Liar Liar (4-1).

Race 6: $20,000 Maiden Claiming (one mile)

#6 Medusa’s Gaze (7-2), #8 B’esame Me Mucho (3-1), and #10 Aristeia (7-2) have all posted competitive Brisnet Speed ratings against this caliber of competition. Using all three should be sufficient to survive in the Pick 6.

Race 7: $50,000 Maiden Claiming (1 1/8 miles on turf)

#4 Floral Essence (8-5) has cracked the trifecta in five of her six starts, including four times against maiden special weight company. She has tactical speed and was beaten less than one length when second in a $50,000 maiden claimer at Santa Anita last month.

#7 Witch Moon (2-1) brings similar form lines to the mix and may appreciate racing 1 1/8 miles more than Floral Essence. We’ll include them both.

Race 8: $50,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs)

#12 Handy Dandy (7-2) finished eighth in his debut at Del Mar, but that was a maiden special weight won by next-out American Pharoah S. (G1) winner Corniche. Trainer Peter Miller wins at a 28% rate with second-time starters, and at a 25% rate with horses transitioning from maiden special weight to maiden claiming company, so the stats suggest Handy Dandy will be tough to beat on the class drop.

Race 9: Allowance (6 1/2 furlongs on turf)

#2 Vantastic (7-2), #6 Mac Daddy Too (3-1), and #8 Cotopaxi (6-1) have all run well against stakes company and bring strong recent form lines to the equation. Mac Daddy Too is a tried-and-true sprinter, while Vantastic and Cotopaxi are cutting back in distance. All three have solid chances at victory.

Race 10: Twilight Derby (G2, 1 1/8 miles on turf)

Santa Anita Derby (G1) hero #8 Rock Your World (5-2) is 2-for-2 on turf, stamping the speedy colt as a formidable contender while returning to the Santa Anita lawn. But this is a deep field with a lot of viable contenders, so we’ll use #2 Subconscious (6-1), #4 Hudson Ridge (5-1), and #10 Beyond Brilliant (15-1) for good measure.