Carryovers: Churchill’s $290,139 Pick 5, Gulfstream’s $54,774 Pick 6 mandatory payout

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares horses to single in a pair of rich Sunday carryovers at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream Park.

Gulfstream Park, Race 4: $54,774 Pick 6 mandatory payout (2:19 p.m. ET)

A $54,774 jackpot carryover in Gulfstream’s 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 is slated to be paid out in mandatory fashion on Sunday. Gulfstream estimates that the final pool will reach $750,000.

An excellent single opportunity can be found in Race 5, a $35,000 maiden claimer taking place over 1 1/16 miles on turf. Morning-line favorite #1 Buzz Rocket (8-5), a half-brother to two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome, is dropping in class and looks tough to beat.

Buzz Rocket has rallied from far back to finish third and fifth in his last two starts against maiden special weight company at Gulfstream Park. In his fifth-place finish, he came home behind a couple of next-out winners, so it’s safe to say Buzz Rocket was tackling quality competition.

No horse in Sunday’s field has run faster than Buzz Rocket on the Brisnet Speed rating scale, so descending the class ladder might be all he needs to snatch victory at short odds.

Churchill Downs, Race 6: $290,139 Pick 5 carryover (3:18 p.m. ET)

Churchill Downs also has a lucrative carryover up for grabs. The 50-cent Late Pick 5 boasts a massive $290,139 prize pool.

If you’re looking for a single to build tickets around, check out #12 Mountain Bear (4-5) in Race 9, an $80,000 allowance optional claimer. The one-mile grass contest has drawn a dozen entries, but Mountain Bear looks like a standout.

Formerly a European campaigner trained by Aidan O’Brien, Mountain Bear has made two forays to the United States. In 2023, he rallied to finish second by 1 1/2 lengths in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1). Last year, he closed for third place in the Turf Mile (G1) at Keeneland, beaten only by multiple Grade 1 winner Carl Spackler and next-out Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) conqueror More Than Looks.

Now based in the U.S. with trainer Wesley Ward, Mountain Bear has turned in a lengthy series of workouts in preparation for his 2025 debut, including five straight turf workouts at Keeneland and Churchill Downs. Ward wins at a 22% rate with horses returning from layoffs of 90 days or more, so look for Mountain Bear to deliver a winning performance while plunging in class.

Good luck!