A single and a longshot for Pimlico's Pick 5 and Pick 6 carryovers

Pimlico’s Rainbow Pick 6 jackpot continues to grow, reaching $670,306 for Sunday’s card. But it’s not the only carryover up for grabs at Pimlico.

Saturday produced an afternoon of unpredictable results at the historic Maryland racetrack, including five winners ranging in price from 7-1 to 21-1. When the dust settled, multiple winning Pick 6 tickets returned $16,664.98 for 20 cents… but not a single bettor managed to cash the 50-cent Late Pick 5, generating a carryover of $27,689 for Sunday’s card.

The Pick 5 is a high-value wager featuring a takeout rate of just 12%, so it’s arguably even more enticing to play than the Rainbow Pick 6. The good news is, the Pick 6 kicks off in Race 4 and the Pick 5 in Race 5, so handicap one sequence, and you’ve essentially plotted your strategy for the other.

After reviewing the entries, we’ve identified a possible single and a live longshot worth building tickets around:

Best single

Race 8 ($50,000 Allowance Optional Claiming): #4 Nottoway (5-2)

Speed is dominant in six-furlong sprints at Pimlico, with pacesetters winning 44% of the time. This formidable stat suggests #4 Nottoway (5-2) will be tough to beat in this six-furlong, $50,000 allowance optional claiming race.

Nottoway has developed into a pure front-runner since being claimed by trainer Lacey Gaudet last summer. His 3-for-4 resume under Gaudet’s care includes an unblemished 3-for-3 record in sprints, since his lone defeat came when setting a fast pace over one mile.

Nottowway has been throwing down strong Brisnet E1 and E2 Pace ratings, so he shouldn’t have any difficulty securing the lead on Sunday. From there, he’ll be tough to run down if he brings his A-game.

Live longshot

Race 9 ($25,000 Starter Optional Claiming): #2 Ran Char (15-1)

It would be easy to view #6 Conjecture (3-5) as a standout in this six-furlong sprint—she owns the best recent Brisnet Speed ratings and is a troubled half-length away from being undefeated in three starts this season. But I can also see some appeal to supporting Ran Char at a much bigger price.

Ran Char took a big step forward in a $16,000/$12,500 claiming event over this track and distance three weeks ago. Making his second start since being claimed by trainer Charles Frock, Ran Char sprinted to a daylight lead through quick fractions (earning Brisnet E1 and E2 Pace ratings of 101 and 102) before powering home on top by five lengths.

There isn’t a crazy amount of speed in Sunday’s six-horse field, so if Ran Char is able to secure another clear lead, he can spring a gate-to-wire surprise at lucrative odds.

Good luck!