The 6-1 shot you need to play in Turfway Park's Mar. 11 carryovers

Day after day, week after week, Turfway Park in Kentucky cranks out ultra-competitive race cards filled with enticing carryovers and lucrative payoffs to chase.

Wednesday, for example, saw a challenging mix of favorites and longshots visit the winner’s circle. When the dust settled, the Single 6 (Pick 6) returned a lofty $3,234.22 on a 20-cent wager, far exceeding the $1,370.57 payoff generated by a theoretical $2 win parlay across the six winners. Pretty good, right?

The Wednesday finale saw a 7-1 shot rally to an upset victory, and this surprising outcome—coupled with a 65-1 hanging on to finish fifth—was enough to produce a $3,204 Super Hi 5 carryover to accompany the $47,285 jackpot up for grabs in the Single 6.

If you’re interested in pursuing both carryovers on Thursday, then you’ll have to correctly decipher Race 8, the finale of the Single 6 and the race in which the Super Hi 5 will be dispersed. The 6 1/2-furlong sprint is a $5,000 maiden claimer for fillies and mares, conditions sufficiently appealing to attract 11 starters to the mix.

Many bettors will throw their support behind morning line favorite #8 Lucky Lizzie (7-5), who campaigns for the super-hot jockey/trainer duo of Gerardo Corrales and Wesley Ward. But the daughter of Alpha failed to seriously threaten in her debut over this course and class level on Feb. 4, rallying belatedly to finish fourth by 5 1/4 lengths. Lucky Lizzie will likely need improvement to win on Thursday, making her tough to trust on top.

That’s why I’m keen to play #9 Defender of Faith (6-1) at a much better price. The gray filly has been facing considerably tougher company at Turfway, particularly in a 6 1/2-furlong maiden special weight on Jan. 15. While Defender of Faith could only finish ninth by 16 lengths, she was facing a decidedly above-average field containing future Cincinnati Trophy S. winner Wait for Nairobi plus next-out winners Twenty Carat and Joyful Cadence.

Defender of Faith doesn’t rank far behind Lucky Lizzie in terms of Brisnet Speed ratings earned on Tapeta, and the addition of blinkers sets the stage for an improved effort. If you want to add value to your Single 6 and Super Hi 5 tickets, why not throw your support Defender of Faith? Bring her home on top at 6-1, and you’ll be well on your way to cashing enticing payoffs.

Good luck!