Horses to bet in half a dozen Sunday carryovers

Handicapper J. Keeler Johnson shares horses to play in a variety of Pick 4, Pick 5, Pick 6, and Super High 5 carryovers across the country on Sunday.

Churchill Downs: Race 1: $8,823 Super High 5 carryover (12:45 p.m. ET)

The Sunday card at Churchill Downs kicks off with an $8,823 carryover in the $1 Super High 5.

The prize pool is up for grabs in Race 1, a maiden special weight for three-year-olds and older horses racing the uncommon distance of 7 1/2 furlongs on dirt.

#4 Tilt a Twirl (6-5) is the favorite after finishing fourth and third in his first two starts sprinting seven furlongs or less. In his debut, he finished ahead of #6 The Hund (7-2), who subsequently stretched out to finish second by half a length in a one-mile maiden special weight at Churchill Downs.

The Hund is progressing in the right direction and has run faster than Tilt a Twirl on the Brisnet Speed rating scale, but the latter may appreciate stretching out over 7 1/2 furlongs. We suggest building Super High 5 tickets around these two, counting on them to run 1-2 in either order.

Monmouth Park: Race 2: $35,742 Pick 4 carryover (1:20 p.m. ET)

A rare Pick 4 carryover worth $35,742 is up for grabs in Sunday’s 50-cent Early Pick 4 at Monmouth Park.

The feature event in the sequence is Race 3, the $100,000 Lady’s Secret S. for fillies and mares racing 1 1/16 miles on dirt. #2 Inefficiency (4-5) is the favorite for hot trainer Chad Brown, a 33% winner at Monmouth this meet.

Inefficiency won her first two starts by daylight margins before running third in the Ruffian (G2) at Aqueduct. She beat key Lady’s Secret rival #1 Dry Powder (7-5) by 1 1/2 lengths in the Ruffian and appears well spotted to snag her first stakes win while dropping down in class. We recommend singling Inefficiency in the Pick 4.

Gulfstream Park: Race 4: $25,262 Pick 6 mandatory payout (1:47 p.m. ET)

A $25,262 jackpot carryover in the 20-cent Rainbow Pick 6 at Gulfstream Park is slated to be paid out in mandatory fashion on Sunday. The final pool is projected to reach the $500,000 range.

Competitive races are on the agenda, and finding a trustworthy single to build tickets around isn’t easy. Our best recommendation is #9 Coded Elegance (7-5) in Race 5, a $12,500 maiden claimer for fillies and mares racing 1 1/16 miles on Tapeta.

Coded Elegance has run well twice over the Gulfstream Park Tapeta. She ran second in a $17,500 maiden claimer against fellow three-year-olds, then finished third (upgraded to second via disqualification) in a $12,500 maiden claimer against older rivals.

Those efforts yielded Brisnet Speed ratings of 71 and 72. None of her Race 5 rivals have recently (or in some cases, ever) posted a Brisnet Speed rating higher than 70, so a typical performance from Coded Elegance ought to secure first prize.

Aqueduct: Race 4: $37,784 Pick 6 carryover (2:36 p.m. ET)

The Sunday card at Aqueduct is highlighted by a $37,784 carryover in the $1 Pick 6.

Looking for a single to build tickets around? How about #2 First Site (8-5) in Race 5, a maiden special weight for two-year-old fillies dashing 5 1/2 furlongs over the main track.

First Site debuted in a five-furlong maiden special weight at Aqueduct last month. She hit the starting gate at the break and dropped off the pace, but recovered to finish third.

Trainer Anthony Dutrow hasn’t saddled a winning first-time starter since 2022, but his strike rate with second-time starters over the past few years is a solid 13%. First Site has posted fast workouts since her debut and has a good chance to improve on Sunday (especially if she breaks cleanly), stamping the bay filly as a formidable favorite.

Los Alamitos Thoroughbred: Race 3: $19,860 Pick 6 carryover (5:03 p.m. ET)

Bettors chasing the $19,860 carryover in Sunday’s $2 Pick 6 at Los Alamitos Thoroughbred may feel inclined to single #2 Hughes (6-5) in Race 3, a five-furlong maiden special weight for juveniles. The son of perennial leading sire Into Mischief sold for $675,000 as a yearling and is trained by Bob Baffert, a 32% winner with first-time starters.

But Hughes’ work tab is relatively light for a Baffert trainee, and Baffert often waits until the Del Mar meet to debut his best juveniles. With this in mind, #4 High Pronto (7-2) is worth including as backup. The son of Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Hightail has put together a promising work tab for Doug O’Neill (a respectable 13% winner with first-time starters) and is eligible to outrun his odds.

Emerald Downs: Race 6: $14,685 Pick 5 carryover (7:20 p.m. ET)

Sunday’s 50-cent Pick 5 sequence at Emerald Downs features four stakes and a $14,685 carryover.

One of the stakes is Race 9, the Seattle S. for three-year-old fillies dashing six furlongs on dirt. Former California competitor #2 Too Sassy (9-5), winner of the 5 1/2-furlong Generous Portion S. at Del Mar, is a logical single.

Too Sassy made her Emerald Downs debut in a 5 1/2-furlong allowance last month. She settled off the pace before sweeping to victory by three lengths with a sharp 85 Brisnet Speed rating. A similar performance in the Seattle will make her tough to beat under hot jockey Silvio Amador.

Good luck!