Los Alamitos analysis: $10,860 Pick 6 carryover, $50 tournament

The Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meet kicked off on Friday. No one solved the $2 Pick 6 on opening day, which means Saturday’s card features a $10,860 Pick 6 carryover.

The carryover isn’t the only reason to play the second day of the Los Alamitos meet. There’s also the $50 Los Alamitos TB Challenge tournament on TwinSpires.com. Bet your $35 bankroll across at least five races at Los Alamitos to climb the leaderboard and compete for cash prizes in a $500 seeded prize pool. If there are 25 entries, the winner will receive $656.25 and the runner-up $218.75.

The Pick 6 gets underway in Race 4 (post time 5:36 p.m. ET), and the feature event on the card is Race 8, the $100,000 Bertrando S. for California-breds who are eligible for the Golden State Series. The one-mile dirt race has drawn seven entries, and #7 Kings River Knight (2-5) is an overwhelming favorite on the morning line.

Kings River Knight is a win machine who has prevailed in eight of his last 10 starts, including seven stakes for California-breds. Many of his victories have come on turf, but the seven-year-old gelding also boasts a 3-2-1-0 tally on dirt. That includes a 2-for-2 record at Los Alamitos, where he won the 2023 Bertrando S. and 2023 E.B. Johnson S. racing one mile.

Can anyone upend Kings River Knight? It looks unlikely. He exits a decisive gate-to-wire win in the Crystal Water S. at Santa Anita and brings a strong streak of Brisnet Speed ratings (mostly in the 91-99 range) into the Bertrando. None of his rivals have posted a number higher than 90 in their last three starts apiece.

If you’re betting the Pick 6, we suggest singling Kings River Knight at a short price. If you’re playing the $50 Los Alamitos TB Challenge, considering keying Kings River Knight on top of a cold exacta using #6 Mr. Disrespectful (4-1) for second place. Mr. Disrespectful has won two of his last three starts, including a $50,000 starter optional claimer racing one mile over the Santa Anita dirt, and with his early speed he has every chance to work out a clean trip and stay on for second place.

• Race 8: $10 Exacta: 7 with 6

Good luck!