Santa Anita: How to bet the closing-day $277,870 Rainbow Pick 6 carryover

The Santa Anita winter/spring meet wraps up on Sunday with an 11-race card featuring four stakes. But of greater interest to bettors is the $277,870 Rainbow Pick 6 jackpot slated for mandatory dispersal.

Since the meet is coming to an end, the carryover pool must be split among all winning bettors. Thus, the 20-cent wager is a great opportunity to play a high-value sequence on a limited budget.

Let’s take a race-by-race look at the Rainbow Pick 6, then assemble a ticket on a $54 budget:

Race 6: $20,000 Maiden Claiming (six furlongs, 6:48 p.m. ET)

A competitive race kicks off the sequence. #3 Vanna (4-1), dropping in class for her first run since last August, is a logical threat. #4 My Tigress (4-1), runner-up over this class level last month, is the other notable name among the experienced fillies. We’ll use them both and also toss in the first-time starters #2 Worldly Sermon (9-2), #5 Sassy Chasey (7-2), and #6 Ricotta (5-1). All three are conditioned by trainers who win at a 15% rate or better with horses debuting in maiden claimers.

Race 7: American S. (G3, one mile on turf, 7:21 p.m. ET)

Multiple graded stakes winner #3 Neptune’s Storm (4-5) is the heavy favorite, but he hasn’t run since last September. If he’s rusty off the layoff, then #2 Restrainedvengence (5-2)—third in the Shoemaker Mile (G1) at Santa Anita last month—can steal the show.

Race 8: Debutante S. (five furlongs, 7:54 p.m. ET)

Debut winners #1 Laurel Canyon (5-2), #2 At the Spa (2-1), and #5 Royal O’Haigain (3-1) all have the credentials to vie for victory in this dirt dash for juvenile fillies.

Race 9: Wilshire S. (G3, one mile on turf, 8:28 p.m. ET)

#5 Warren’s Showtime (5-2) didn’t get much pace to chase when second in the Fran’s Valentine S. last month. There appears to be ample speed in the Wilshire, so we’ll use Warren’s Showtime alongside fellow stretch runners #3 Gidgetta (6-1) and #7 Stela Star (4-1).

Race 10: Maiden Special Weight (six furlongs, 9:02 p.m. ET)

#2 Just Distorted (8-5) finished second in her debut behind future Santa Anita Oaks (G2) winner Soothsay and will be tough to beat if she reproduces this level of form. But #4 Zydeco Mama (3-1) has run slightly faster on the Brisnet Speed rating scale, and the first-time starter #3 Sea Dreamer (5-2) appears poised to fire a big shot on debut. We’ll use all three.

Race 11: $20,000 Allowance Optional Claiming (6 1/2 furlongs, 9:37 p.m. ET)

We’ll take a stand with #7 Gypsy Blu (3-1) in the final race of the meet. She’s the faster runner on paper and is dropping into the state-bred ranks after finishing second by a neck in a $25,000 claimer at Santa Anita. She’s making her first start for Peter Miller (a 27% winner with new claiming acquisitions) and retains the services of leading rider Flavien Prat. Gypsy Blu will be tough to beat if she brings her A-game.

20-cent Rainbow Pick 6: 2,3,4,5,6 with 2,3, with 1,2,5 with 3,5,7 with 2,3,4 with 7 ($54)

Good luck!