Pick 6 Preview: Churchill Downs $68,357 Carryover – May 31, 2013
Photo: Matt Carter
When racing resumes at Churchill Downs on Friday there is a nice little carryover in the Pick-6 of just over $68,000. The sequence starts in race five, a $5,000 claiming race, which drew a field of nine.
Cold Feet is 5-2 on the morning line and is followed by Princini, Smarten Destiny and Gallant Pleasure, who are either 3-1 or 7-2. Those four look like the principles in the opening leg and preference is given to the favorite. Cold Feet is coming off a good win at the level and can make it back-to-back scores for trainer Vernon Coyle.
On the turf for race six with maiden claimers going one mile. Spill drops from the special weight ranks for his first start against claimers and could start favored under jockey Shaun Bridgmohan. The one caveat is the last race for Spill came back in August of last year. Amazing Kitten was third at this level in his last start on the Polytrack at Keeneland and is the 5-2 morning line favorite. The second place finisher in that race, Majestic Bay, came back to break his maiden in his next start so Amazing Kitten exits a key race. Lunar Red is the threat from off-the-pace while Aji may have theft on his mind stretching out to two turns after three straight sprints.
The seventh race is a high level allowance/optional claimer with all six horses between 5-2 and 6-1. These fields are best with either a single or “all.” Agent Di Nozzo looks best if Majestic Harbor and Taptowne hook up on the front end.
Psycho Chick and Daddy Approves look best in race eight, but must hold off Moneygrabber, who is going turf to dirt after a sixth place finish on the grass two weeks ago. The race should unfold at a pretty good clip, which does help the chances of the favorite.
Back on the turf for race nine and Allegheny Angel is going to be tough to deny. The daughter of Medaglia d’Oro was second by a nose in her debut on the Keeneland turf then was a disappointing sixth over the main track at Churchill on Kentucky Oaks day. She gets back to turf and can run them down late. Rafaelini was a length behind Allegheny Angel at Keeneland and will also be doing her best running at the end. Miss Brown Sugar, a Big Brown filly, looks enticing if she is ready to roll off the long layoff with only four published works.
The finale is a non-winners of two-lifetime race for $8,000 claiming horses with a full field of 11. Anything can happen at this level, but we will focus on Appealing Image, Big Ring, Turn and Run, Jaypeezee and the entry of Dr. Bill and Arky Bill. Appealing Image has a lot of red flags dropping in claiming price after ducking in and being vanned off. If she is no worse for the wear than great, but these are the ones you bet against. Big Ring takes a massive class drop and may be gone on the front end under Calvin Borel while Jaypeezee got a good number when breaking his maiden in April at Oaklawn Park.
There are no slam dunk singles during the six races, but it looks like a manageable pick 6 to play. First post at Churchill on Friday is 2:45 pm ET with race five scheduled to break from the gate at 4:50.