Mandatory Single 6 play for Churchill Downs on Derby Day

Sole Volante at Churchill Downs 2020 (Jamie Newell/TwinSpires.com)

There is an all-graded stakes Single 6 sequence spanning Races 9-14 on the Saturday card at Churchill Downs, concluding with the 146th Kentucky Derby (G1). The wager carries a mandatory payout, and with a healthy carryover of $143,355, the pool will be well into the seven-figure mark as the first leg gets underway.

Race 9 – Pat Day Mile (G2)

A well-matched field of sophomores will vie in this one, and I will spread in the opening leg. #2 Echo Town (7-2), #6 Tap It to Win (4-1), #9 Rushie (4-1), and longshot #8 Sonneman (20-1) are the ones that I will go with. (#1 Cezanne and #7 No Parole were to be included, but both have scratched.)

Race 10 – Iroquois (G3)

Juveniles take the spotlight in the Iroquois and #10 Therideofalifetime (7-5) is the one to beat. I wouldn’t argue with anyone singling the colt in the wager, but #1 Drop Anchor (15-1), #2 Sittin On Go (15-1) and #9 Crazy Shot (15-1) also are interesting to me at a price. (#5 Dreamer's Disease has been scratched.)

Race 11 – Distaff Turf Mile (G2)

#4 Newspaperofrecord (4-5) looks formidable on paper and is hard to go against in the turf affair. She will be a popular single, but I am taking the same course of action as many and standing pat with the superstar. (#1 She'sonthewarpath and #5 Harmless have both withdrawn.)

Race 12 – Derby City Distaff (G1)

Standout field features four Grade 1 heroines that deserve inclusion in the play. #8 Serengeti Empress (9-5), #9 Bellafina (3-1), and #10 Ce Ce (3-1) all make a lot of sense. And I will also use #4 Bell’s the One (10-1) at a number. (#1 Mia Mischief, #5 Crazy Sexy Munny, and #7 Lady Kate have all scratched.)

Race 13 – Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1)

Lucrative turf test could go to a number of contenders in the field, but I am taking a stand with a Chad Brown trainee in this event. #8 Sacred Life (6-1) has been very steady since arriving in the States and I think that he is sitting on another big race. I expect the 5-year-old to shine in his Churchill debut.

Race 14 – Kentucky Derby (G1)

The marquee contest on the card might shape up to be a two-horse race in the stretch with #17 Tiz the Law (3-5) and second-choice #16 Honor A. P. (5-1). I will feel good being alive to the pair to close out the play. (#1 Finnick the Fierce and #6 King Guillermo have been withdrawn.)