Gulfstream: Betting the $558,782 Pick 6 mandatory payout

The Sunday card at Gulfstream Park is highlighted by the mandatory payout of a $558,782 jackpot carryover in the Rainbow Pick 6.

The final pool for the 20-cent wager is estimated to reach $4.5 million.

Let’s take a race-by-race look at the sequence and assemble a $135 ticket:

Pick 6 wager

• 20-cent Pick 6: 1,4,5 with 2,4,5 with 1 with 5,6,9 with 1,2,3,5,6 with 2,4,6,7,8 ($135)

Race 5: $25,000 Claiming (1 1/16 miles on turf)

There isn’t a ton of speed in the opening leg of the Pick 6, so #1 Seekingbythestorm (9-2)—who finished a pacesetting third by half a length over this course and class level last month—is a threat to wire the field. Other contenders include #4 Designer Bag (5-2), who is tackling the claiming ranks for the first time, and #5 Carnane (6-1), who showed some potential in maiden special weights on turf last year.

Race 6: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs on dirt)

The par winning Brisnet Speed rating for these conditions is 86, but none of the experienced entrants have posted a number higher than 76. Therefore, we’ll spread three-deep with a trio of first-time starters: #2 Tater Tot (7-2), #4 Whoa Lil Lady (6-1), and #5 Oh Margot (8-1). None will need to be superstars to visit the winner’s circle, and all have shown some speed in morning workouts.

Race 7: $12,500 Claiming (seven furlongs on dirt)

We’ll take a stand and single #1 Thought (2-1), who is dropping in class out of a $50,000-$40,000 claimer. Two starts back, he won a $12,500 claimer sprinting seven furlongs at Gulfstream by three lengths with a sharp 86 Brisnet Speed rating, and returning to that configuration on Sunday should make Thought formidable.

Race 8: $75,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (five furlongs on turf)

Former European campaigner #9 Make Haste (2-1) looks like the horse to beat after finishing fourth by 2 1/4 lengths in the five-furlong Melody of Colors S. at Gulfstream, her North American debut. Take note, trainer Christophe Clement wins at a 24% rate with horses running for the second time under his care. But we’ll also use #5 Magnolia Prime (5-1), who is dropping in class and trying turf for the first time, and #6 Shesinamood (10-1), who rallied to win a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga last summer.

Race 9: $25,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (1 1/8 miles on Tapeta)

It feels like any of the seven entrants could win this wide-open and largely paceless contest. #2 Goa (5-1), #5 Escape Room (4-1), and #6 Tape Runner (5-2) look like the best of the runners with experience competing on synthetic, but #1 Biloxi Blues (9-2) and #3 North End Lady (7-2)—turf horses trying synthetic for the first time—also have win potential.

Race 10: Maiden Special Weight (7 1/2 furlongs on turf)

This field of three-year-old fillies hasn’t come up overly deep on paper. #8 Timeless Wonder (2-1) has upside after rallying to finish a close fourth in her debut sprinting five furlongs, but she doesn’t appear unbeatable. We’ll back her up with #2 Wonderland (5-1), who ran well in a Saratoga maiden special weight last summer; #4 A Great Date (15-1), who is adding Lasix and switching to turf; #6 Yesterday (8-1), who is adding blinkers and Lasix off a layoff; and #7 Yes It Tiz (7-2), a first-time starter trained by Brad Cox.

20-cent Pick 6: 1,4,5 with 2,4,5 with 1 with 5,6,9 with 1,2,3,5,6 with 2,4,6,7,8 ($135)

Good luck!