Churchill Downs: How to bet the $6,232 Super High 5 carryover

One of the betting highlights at Churchill Downs this Saturday is a $6,232 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

Pending scratches, the prize pool is set to be offered in Race 2, a $75,000 maiden claimer for three-year-olds and older horses racing 1 1/16 miles over the main track. If there’s a scratch from Race 2, Super High 5 wagering will be canceled and the carryover will shift to the next race offering at least seven starters.

With the expectation that the field for Race 2 will stay intact, we’ll build Super High 5 tickets around #6 Hey Dey (2-1), who is dropping in class.

Race 2: Super High 5 wagers

• $1 Super High 5: 6 with 1,7 with 1,7 with 2,3,4 with ALL ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 6 with 1,7 with 2,3,4 with 1,7 with ALL ($18)
• $1 Super High 5: 6 with 1,7 with 2,3,4 with ALL with 1,7 ($18)
  Total: $54

Hey Dey spent his first five starts competing on turf and Tapeta. He showed pace-pressing speed in two of them, including when third by 1 1/2 lengths in a one-mile maiden special weight at Turfway Park.

But Hey Dey earned his best Brisnet Speed rating when making his dirt debut in a 1 1/16-mile $100,000 maiden claimer on Sept. 17 at Churchill Downs. He broke quickly, but drifted inward while appearing to spook at something toward the grandstand side of the track. Carrying his head to the right, he lost momentum and dropped back through the pack.

Hey Dey’s problems didn’t end there. He steadied sharply heading into the first turn and wound up racing much farther off the pace than usual. Nevertheless, Hey Dey closed lots of ground in the homestretch (despite having to angle out at one point) to finish third, beaten only 3 1/2 lengths.

With an unencumbered and more focused run, Hey Dey can graduate in this $75,000 maiden claimer. We’ll key him on top of our Super High 5 tickets.

Underneath, we’ll emphasize #1 Diversification (3-1) and #7 Liberty Valance (5-1), counting on them both to finish in the top five.

Diversification has only raced once, finishing third with some traffic trouble in a one-mile and 70-yard maiden special weight at Monmouth Park. Trainer Chad Brown wins at a 26% rate with second-time starters, so Diversification is eligible to move forward while tackling a maiden claimer for his second start.

Liberty Valance has competed exclusively against maiden special weight competition. As a two-year-old last year, he placed in all three of his starts at Keeneland, Churchill Downs, and Fair Grounds. He hasn’t been as productive in three starts this season, failing to finish better than seventh, but he earned a respectable 82 Brisnet Speed rating in his latest race and should appreciate dropping in class.

If there’s a scratch from Race 2 and Super High 5 wagering is canceled, the superfecta is worth playing instead, even without a carryover to pursue:

Race 2: Alternative superfecta wagers

• $1 Superfecta: 6 with 1,7 with 1,7 with 2,3,4 ($6)
• $1 Superfecta: 6 with 1,7 with 2,3,4 with 1,7 ($6)
  Total: $12

Good luck!