Five Pick 6 jackpots worth pursuing on Feb. 4

Are you excited for Saturday’s mandatory dispersal of the Rainbow Pick 6 jackpot at Santa Anita? So are we, but the big sequence is still a couple days away.

While we wait, why not take aim at a few of the other Pick 6 jackpots up for grabs across the country? Granted, they’re not currently scheduled for mandatory payouts. But that won’t matter if you can compile a unique winning ticket and sweep an entire pool.

Here are five Pick 6 jackpots worth playing on Thursday:

Gulfstream Park: $427,533

Number of entries: 54 (nine per race)

Smallest field: Seven entries

Largest field: 13 entries

Start time: Race 5, 3:10 p.m. ET)

The 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 looks like a fairly manageable sequence. Only one race drew more than 10 entries, and there are a couple of seven-horse fields in play. Throw in a possible single in #3 Dream Friend (7-5), who looms as a heavy favorite in Race 5, and this Rainbow 6 looks winnable on a modest budget. It will be difficult to compile a unique winning ticket, of course, but the consolation payoffs for multiple winners should still be enticing.

Turf Paradise: $92,199

Number of entries: 54 (nine per race)

Smallest field: Seven entries

Largest field: 11 entries

Start time: Race 4, 4:01 p.m. ET

Although the 20-cent Grand Canyon Pick 6 Jackpot drew the same number of entries as Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6, the Turf Paradise version looks tougher to hit. A series of super-competitive claiming events are on tap, so finding a single to rely on will be challenging.

Charles Town: $80,967

Number of entries: 53 (8.8 per race)

Smallest field: Six entries

Largest field: 12 entries

Start time: Race 3, 7:57 p.m. ET

If handicapping dirt racing is your forte, you’ll want to check out the Pick 6 jackpot at Charles Town. Since there isn’t a turf course installed at the West Virginia oval, the entire card will take place over the six-furlong bullring dirt track. Just keep in mind, the base bet for the Charles Town Pick 6 is $1, making the sequence more expensive (but potentially more lucrative) than the 20-cent versions at other tracks.

If you’re looking for a single to reduce your ticket costs, check out the improving #1 Social Chic (6-5) in Race 7. The three-year-old gelding has won two straight races at Charles Town for the ultra-hot jockey/trainer duo of Arnaldo Bocachica and Jeff Runco.

Golden Gate Fields: $29,521

Number of entries: 38 (6.3 per race)

Smallest field: Six entries

Largest field: Seven entries

Start time: Race 2, 4:20 p.m. ET

Bettors playing on small budgets are encouraged to check out Golden Gate Fields, where every race in the 20-cent Golden Pick 6 contains six or seven entries. Payoffs are unlikely to be large—a chalky sequence last week returned $290.10—but $10 or $20 might be all that’s needed to put together a solid ticket with a strong chance of winning.

Laurel Park: $19,640

Number of entries: 51 (8.5 per race)

Smallest field: Seven entries

Largest field: 10 entries

Start time: Race 4, 1:53 p.m. ET

Laurel’s version of the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 might offer the best opportunity to cash a big payday. The sequence looks solidly competitive with 51 horses to analyze, but the carryover isn’t large enough to attract a huge pool of fresh wagers. A clever bettor uncovering a handful of winning longshots might have a real chance to sweep the whole pool.

Good luck!