Two horses to single in Santa Anita's $551,699 mandatory Rainbow 6 payout

Medina Spirit winning his debut at Los Alamitos - © Benoit Photo

April 3rd, 2021

Just 20 cents. That’s right—a couple of dimes can put you in the position to win a share of $5 million this Saturday.

The special occasion is a mandatory Rainbow Pick 6 payout at Santa Anita. Heading into the weekend, the jackpot carryover stands at $551,699, and the final pool for the 20-cent wager is expected to reach the vicinity of $5 million.

If winning a share of this massive pool sounds appealing, then let’s dive in and examine the sequence, which kicks off in Race 7 (post time 6:32 p.m. ET). We’ll start by highlighting two reliable favorites worth singling, and then we’ll put together a ticket on a $40 budget.

Standout Singles

Race 8, Santa Anita Derby (G1): #7 Medina Spirit (5-2)

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert can secure a record-extending 10th Santa Anita Derby victory with Medina Spirit, who looms as a deserving morning-line favorite.

Medina’s Spirit’s credentials are formidable:

He’s never missed the exacta and has already run well in three Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races at Santa Anita, sandwiching a victory in the Robert B. Lewis (G3) between runner-up efforts in the Sham (G3) and San Felipe (G2).
He’s posted four Brisnet Speed ratings in the 93-97 range, stamping him as one of the fastest and most consistent horses in the Santa Anita Derby field.
He’s training sharply, cranking out a bullet five furlongs in :59 on March 22.
He’s reuniting with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a 40% winner when teaming up with Baffert.
He’s beaten every horse he’s faced except his sidelined stablemate Life Is Good, who would have been heavily favored to win the Santa Anita Derby.
He’s faced quality rivals, most notably beating next-out Louisiana Derby (G2) winner Hot Rod Charlie in the Robert B. Lewis.

With all of these positive attributes in his favor, Medina Spirit looks like a horse to rely on in the Rainbow 6.

Race 12, Echo Eddie S.: #3 The Chosen Vron (8-5)

Conditioned by hot trainer Eric Kruljac, The Chosen Vron is an obvious standout in this 6 1/2-furlong dash for California-breds. In his debut over this track and distance on Dec. 27, The Chosen Vron led all the way to trounce fellow California-breds by 6 3/4 lengths. Then the chestnut gelding stepped up against open company in the seven-furlong San Vicente (G2), where he battled gamely to finish third by just 3 1/4 lengths against next-out Rebel (G2) winner Concert Tour.

With Brisnet Speed ratings of 93 and 94 under his belt, The Chosen Vron is the fastest runner in the Echo Eddie field. He’s training sharply, has the tactical speed to work out a clean trip, and picks up Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. What’s not to like? He’s a logical single to conclude the Rainbow 6.