A $48 play for the $101,118 Buckeye Pick 6 carryover at Mahoning Valley

The Buckeye Pick 6 jackpot continues to build at Mahoning Valley. The second week of March kicks off with a Monday carryover of $101,118, up from the $92,739 pot available last Saturday.

Hitting Saturday’s sequence didn’t require any great creativity. All six races were won by the first or second choice on the morning line, and while the payoff was thoroughly unremarkable ($35.90), betting a ticket using the two morning line favorites in each leg would have cost just $12.80.

Will favorites shine again on Monday? If they do, we’ll be ready. Let’s put together a $48 ticket primarily emphasizing short-priced runners, but with a few mid-range prices thrown in for good measure. With luck, we’ll turn our $48 into $300 or $400, a respectable return on investment.

Race 3

The unraced entrymates #1 Seventy Eight and #1A Royal Dragoon (both 8-5) bring sharp workouts to the mix, but since trainer Billy Hardin has gone 0-for-41 lifetime with first-time starters, they might need experience before reaching peak form. We’ll back them up with #6 Making Me Crazy (6-1), who owns the two fastest Brisnet Speed ratings in the field.

Race 4

#3 Jedi Temple (6-5), runner-up for a $10,000 tag last month, looks like the clear choice while dropping down to the $8,000 level. High-percentage jockey Sonny Leon picks up the mount.

Race 5

#1 South Beach Girl (5-1), #3 I’m Feeling Lucky (6-1), #4 Mayan Queen (9-2), #8 Never Forget Her (7-2), and #10 Chit Chatting (4-1) have all shown themselves capable of posting competitive Brisnet Speed ratings. We’ll spread deep and use them all.

Race 6

#2 Stay Home (7-2), #4 Maximizer (2-1), and #6 High Rolling Dude (5-2) hold the edge when it comes to recent Brisnet Speed ratings. The top three betting choices are tough to split, but as a group, they’ll be tough to deny.

Race 7

#3 K for Kathy (8-5) rallied to finish second over this track, distance, and class level on Jan. 19, establishing her credentials as the runner to beat under Sonny Leon. But second choice #5 Carmen Ohio (5-2) has made steady progress for hot trainer Jeffrey Radosevich and might have an upset chance.

Race 8

#10 Street Nonsense (3-1) has been facing much tougher competition on the East Coast and looks dangerous in her first start for high-percentage trainer Eric Reed. But since Street Nonsense’s Brisnet Speed ratings are unremarkable, we’ll back her up with #1 Cornetta’s Choice (9-2), #3 Glitter Girl (4-1), and #6 Wicked Ways (5-1).

The Ticket

• Race 3, 20-cent Buckeye Pick 6: 1,6 with 3 with 1,3,4,8,10 with 2,4,6 with 3,5 with 1,3,6,10 ($48)

Good luck!