Kentucky Downs: Longshots to play in the $91,691 Pick 6 carryover

Bettors failed to solve the Pick 6 on Saturday at Kentucky Downs, triggering an enticing $91,691 carryover into Sunday’s card.

The $1 wager begins in Race 6 at 4:12 p.m. ET. A massively difficult sequence is on tap. Before scratches, and including also-eligible entrants, the six races feature a combined 74 horses (averaging about 12.3 per race) and 3,144,960 possible outcomes. This isn’t a Pick 6 for the faint of heart.

Two stakes in the sequence appear especially competitive.

Race 9: Kentucky Juvenile Mile

First up on the stakes schedule is Race 9, the $1 million Juvenile Mile. As the name implies, it’s a one-mile grass race for two-year-olds.

#7 Street Beast (8-5) is the morning-line favorite, and his credentials are compelling. After finishing second in his debut at Ellis Park, the Ben Colebrook trainee employed pace-pressing tactics to win a 6 1/2-furlong allowance at Kentucky Downs on Aug. 28, earning a sharp 89 Brisnet Speed rating that tops the Juvenile Mile field. Street Beast is wheeling back on short rest, but his proven affinity for the unique course at Kentucky Downs is appealing.

But we won’t stand alone with Street Beast. Two price horses warrant inclusion: #3 J J Grey (8-1) and #10 Thunder Zeus (8-1).

J J Grey won his debut for trainer Kenny McPeek in a one-mile $50,000 maiden optional claimer on turf at Kentucky Downs. When a McPeek-trained juvenile wins first time out, it’s often a sign of serious talent. There’s a chance J J Grey will move forward significantly in his second start, especially since McPeek wins at a 24% rate with horses running on grass for the second time.

As for Thunder Zeus, he closed a ton of ground after a hopping start to finish third in his debut. That was a five-furlong maiden special weight on Tapeta at Gulfstream Park. As a son of Caravaggio out of a mare by Zoffany, Thunder Zeus is bred to thrive while switching to turf, and take note, trainer Patrick Biancone strikes at a 28% rate with first-time turf starters.

Race 10: Untapable S.

Race 10 is the $1 million Untapable S., a 6 1/2-furlong grass dash for juvenile fillies. The 14-horse field includes two also-eligible entrants, and at least one will draw in since #3 Lennilu (7-5) ran at Gulfstream Park on Saturday and will scratch from the Untapable.

This leaves #4 Snow Face Princess (4-1) as the possible favorite. She’s a must-use contender after rallying to win Saratoga’s 5 1/2-furlong Bolton Landing S. by a neck, bringing her record on turf to 2-for-2. But she doesn’t tower over the Untapable field by any means, and several other fillies are worth using at better prices.

These include Godolphin homebred #5 Quiet Street (8-1), a debut winner at Saratoga for trainer Bill Mott; #6 Hot and Dangerous (12-1), who finished fast after setting a slow pace to win a one-mile maiden special weight at Ellis Park; #9 Z Z’s (6-1), who carved out a fast tempo on her way to dominating a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Ellis; and #10 Prowess (20-1), a stakes-placed dirt runner with the pedigree to improve while trying turf.

If we can catch longshot winners in both stakes, we'll be well on our way to cashing a lucrative Pick 6 payoff.

Good luck!