Los Alamitos: A single for the $29,854 Pick 6 carryover

If you want to win a share of Sunday’s $29,854 Pick 6 carryover at Los Alamitos, you’ll have to decipher a mix of Quarter Horse races and contests open to both Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds.

The sequence for the $2 wager gets underway in Race 4 at 9:14 p.m. ET. Since the minimum bet amount is twice the $1 minimum for non-jackpot Pick 6s at many other tracks, finding a trustworthy single (or two) will be imperative for bettors hoping to play the Los Alamitos Pick 6 on a budget.

Fortunately, a viable single can be found right off the bat in Race 4, a 1,000-yard maiden special weight for Quarter Horses and Thoroughbreds. A field of nine has turned out, and morning line favorite #3 Famous Star (1-1) looks downright formidable, even while returning from an 8 1/2-month layoff.

Famous Star spent his first eight starts competing against Thoroughbreds at Santa Anita and Del Mar. Along the way, he hit the board in a quartet of maiden special weights and a trio of $50,000 and $40,000 maiden claimers, all while earning sharp Brisnet Speed ratings in the 75-91 range.

For his ninth and most recent start, Famous Star tackled a mixed-breed 1,000-yard maiden special weight at Los Alamitos. The result? He tracked the pace before battling on to finish second, beaten only 1 1/2 lengths.

Most of the horses in Sunday’s field have experience competing in Thoroughbred races at Santa Anita and Del Mar, and Famous Star boasts clearly the best form from such races. Coupled with his fine Los Alamitos debut, Famous Star is squarely the horse to beat while tackling another 1,000-yard maiden special weight.

But wait, there’s more. Famous Star has been gelded since his last race and has put together a lengthy work tab in preparation for his return, highlighted by five furlongs in 1:00 4/5 at Santa Anita. Trainer Ryan Hanson has compiled an excellent 22-5-5-5 (23%) lifetime record in mixed-breed races, and hot jockey Adrian Escobedo is named to ride.

In short, Famous Star has a lot of positives in his corner, and we’re confident he’ll deliver victory as a short-priced Pick 6 single.

Good luck!