Hawthorne: How rain is impacting the $3,599 Pick 6 carryover

Rainfall is changing the complexion of Sunday’s $3,599 Pick 6 carryover at Hawthorne.

The day’s turf races have been switched to dirt, so expect plenty of scratches. There are three turf races in the Pick 6 sequence, including two stakes, and bettors must analyze these legs with the surface switches in mind.

Hawthorne, Race 4: $3,599 Pick 6 carryover (5:28 p.m. ET)

The first off-the-turf event in the Pick 6 is Race 6, the 5 1/2-furlong Robert S. Molaro Memorial S. Had the race remained on grass, 2023 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) winner #1 Nobals (4-5) would have been a logical choice. But since he’s never run on dirt, it’s possible Nobals will scratch. Even if he stays in the field, he can’t be viewed as unbeatable.

The logical alternative is Nobals’ stablemate #7 Uncashed (9-2), a tried-and-true dirt campaigner. He’s won three of his last five starts, including a six-furlong $20,000 starter allowance by five lengths. Uncashed brings blazing early speed to the table and should prove tough to catch.

The next off-the-turf contest is Race 8, the 5 1/2-furlong Lady Carey Turf Sprint S. Main-track-only entrant #12 Dreamaway (5-2) is a stakes winner on turf, but she’s also 2-for-2 on dirt, winning maiden and allowance sprints in gate-to-wire fashion. She’s a must-use in the Pick 6.

Other logical contenders with sharp dirt form include Goldfinch S. winner #2 Rich City Girl (8-1), Soaring Softly S. conqueror #5 Saturday Flirt (7-2), and #9 Gray Lightning (12-1), who has placed in multiple stakes.

The off-the-turf action wraps up in Race 9, a one-mile $7,500 claimer that serves as the closing leg of the Pick 6. #7 Maasai Warrior (7-2), who is dropping in class after finishing fourth in three straight dirt starts against tougher company, might be the most likely winner.

But don’t dismiss #1 Danville (5-1), who won a pair of $5,000 claimers over the Hawthorne dirt during the spring. He’s making his second start since being claimed by trainer Larry Rivelli, and Rivelli strikes at a 29% rate with horses running back for the second time following a claim.

Good luck!