Race 6: To start out the rainbow pick 6 mandatory payout (Total pool will likely be over 20 million), my top selection in this tough race will be #5 Blazing Desire. Blazing Desire chased the winner while setting fast fractions and faded late. Feels like this Three year old gelding trained by Mike Maker will be on the lead with Irad Ortiz in the saddle. With a more reasonable pace Blazing Desire will be tough to run down near the wire. Use as many as you can afford in this race as it is a very even bunch. I will be using #4 Danzing Dunhill, #2 Rebelde, #6 Vintage Kitten.
Race 7: My top choice is the #1 Free To Fly. In a race with no pace, this horse feels like the one that will go out to the lead and never look back. Free To Fly does go up in class today but gets the meets leading rider, Irad Ortiz. You could single here if you were playing a skinny ticket. I will be including #2 Janet B Doesit All and vulnerable favorite #3 Crumb Run.
Race 8: Mt top pick in this tough starter allowance is the #8 Bold Paynter. Last time out this gelding was able to close into a fast pace from last to win by a scant neck. He has the tactical speed to sit close (or take the lead) and will have the foundation to finish the race out. Two races ago he dueled on the front end with what will likely be the favorite in Race 10 finishing just out of the money. A repeat performance from the last race will make this 4 year old gelding tough to beat. I will also be including: #9 Snap Hook, #2 Toupha, #3 Armchair Jockey, and #1 Honey Won’t
Race 9: My top selection is #10 Quick Point. Last out Quick Point had crushed an open claiming 6250 group by 7 lengths. The race before was a Non winners of 3 in their lifetime 10,000 claiming event that she also won. She has the ability, but Luis Saez will have to work out a trip from the rear of the field. Tepid top choice. I will also be using: #4 Kindhearted Kota and the #5 Brookes All Mine. The pace scenario in this race is murky so don’t be surprised to see tactics these horses have never done in the past.
Race 10 – My top choice is the #7 Hay Dakota. Since Service claimed Hay Dakota for $45,000, he has stepped him up into tougher competition winning at the Allowance Optional Claiming $62k level. This race has what feels to be a good amount of pace for Hay Dakota to sit behind. I will also be using #2 Sayyaaf, #9 Sombeyay and #5 Aquaphobia.
Race 11 – To finish out the pick 6, stop me if you have heard this before, I am singling the Chad Brown Firster on grass. The #7 Lonesome Fugitive comes from a precocious family where 3 of the 5 siblings all broke their maiden on the grass in their debut (the 2 that didn’t finish second by a neck and fourth. Lonesome Fugitive is a half to stakes placed, Take These Chains and a half to graded stakes placed Bookrunner. The pedigree is great and the consistent work patter at Prairie Meadows suggests this one is ready to go.
The #6 U S Army Cops and #4 Scanno are the ones to look out for.
Recap of the Picks (In order of Preference)
R6:5,4,2,6
R7: 1,2,3
R8: 8,2,9,3,1
R9: 10,5,4
R10: 7,9,5,2
R11: 7
For $0.20 this ticket will cost $144. IF you wanted to get skinny in race 7 singling the #1. The ticket would be cut down to $48. Good Luck Everyone!