How to bet Santa Anita's mandatory-payout $664,317 Pick 6 carryover

Any racing day with a mandatory-payout carryover on the table is a good one. And when the pool set for dispersal is a $664,317 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover at Santa Anita, the excitement reaches an even higher level.

The mandatory payout of the massive carryover is slated for Sunday, and first post time for the six-race wager is 5:10 p.m. ET.

Let’s take a race-by-race look at the sequence, then assemble a ticket for under $30:

Race 4: Maiden Special Weight (6 1/2 furlongs on turf)

A competitive maiden test for California-breds kicks things off. #10 Really Big News (4-1) and #4 Limited Heatwave (8-1) rank among the best of the experienced entrants after running second and fourth over this course and class level on Jan. 15. But don’t dismiss #5 Area Code (7-2), who picks up ultra-hot jockey Flavien Prat (a 32% winner at Santa Anita) for his debut under colors.

Race 5: $10,000 Claiming (5 1/2 furlongs)

#7 Rain Diva (5-2) is the morning-line favorite while dropping in class, but her form has been slipping in the wrong direction. We’ll try to beat her with #1 Time for Ebby (5-1) and #5 It’s a Riddle (5-1). The former has put up solid Brisnet Speed ratings in allowance optional claimers for California-breds, but hasn’t run since May. The latter isn’t quite as fast, but has run recently and won a $10,000 claimer at Santa Anita last fall.

Race 6: $62,500 Maiden Claiming (one mile on turf)

#2 Hollywoodhellraiser (5-2) has competed exclusively against maiden special weight company, hitting the board in half of her eight starts on the Southern California circuit. Dropping in class should trigger a competitive effort, though #3 Rosenquist (4-1) and #4 World Cruiser (4-1)—both placed multiple times against maiden claiming company—can’t be dismissed from consideration.

Race 7: $20,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (seven furlongs)

#10 Smitten by Kitten (5-2) ran second over this track and class level on Jan. 16, beaten only half a length while closing fast at the finish. But #1 Mucha Woman (6-1) finished only a nose behind and has much more tactical speed, setting the stage for a competitive effort. We’ll also use #6 Race Judicata (8-1) and #7 All Dialed In (5-1), who have the Brisnet Speed ratings to contend here.

Race 8: San Simeon S. (G3, about 6 1/2 furlongs on turf)

#3 Barraza (2-1) is 3-for-3 in turf sprints, recording all three wins in consecutive fashion since the end of October. He was particularly flashy in the Clocker’s Corner S. at Santa Anita last month, leading all the way to win by 2 1/4 lengths with a flashy 99 Brisnet Speed rating. Trainer Vladimir Cerin has been on fire at Santa Anta this meet, going 21-8-6-3 (38%), so Barraza has to be viewed as the runner to beat. #4 Beer Can Man (5-2), runner-up by a nose in the Joe Hernandez S. (G2) over this course and distance last month, is the only other horse we’ll use.

Race 9: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on turf)

#7 Ruby Ray (2-1) didn’t show much in three starts on dirt last spring and summer. But she fired a big effort when returning from a layoff and switching to turf on Jan. 29, finishing second by half a length in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Santa Anita. This effort produced a sharp 91 Brisnet Speed rating, and a repeat should land Ruby Ray in the winner’s circle.

• 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6: 4,5,10 with 4,5 with 2,3,4 with 1,6,7,10 with 3,4 with 7 ($28.80)

Good luck!