Despite its jackpot carryover being hit last week, Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races will still hold a mandatory payout of its Pick 6 carryover, which stands at $10,225 going into this evening's Charles Town Classic card. The Charles Town 6-12 carries a base wager of $0.20, will commence in Race 8 – the $150,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes – and sports a low 12% takeout on the bet. Additionally, Charles Town will offer a $100,000 guarantee on both its late Pick 5 and late Pick 4 which begin in races 9 and 10 respectively.
Following all scratches announced this morning, the number of betting interests in the late Pick 4 and Pick 5 sequences as well as the Pick 6 remain unchanged with the only defection being Belle Tapisserie in Race 10 – the $150,000 Russell Road – who will be replaced in the field by Speighstford who draws in off the also eligible list. Alayla, who was on the also eligible list for the Charles Town Oaks, was also an early scratch as were also eligibles Cayenne Creek, Brother Corbin and William and Mary in the final race of the night, the $75,000 Frank Gall Memorial.
Post time for the first race on tonight's Charles Town Classic program is set for 5:00 P.M.
Long-winded allowance horses will stretch out to a mile and three-eighths Thursday at Del Mar for a $74,000 allowance purse that will serve as the feature attraction on the day's eight-race card. It goes as Race 7 on the program and has lured eight runners to test their legs and lungs over the demanding 11-furlong distance.
Along with the feature, there will be an extra buzz to the day's card as the track's Pick Six Single Ticket Jackpot wager will be up for grabs once more this time with a $1,645,118 carryover to serve as extra incentive. The bet has carried forward for 16 straight racing days and its prize just grows more and more lucrative. If it is not “hit” on either Thursday or Friday of this upcoming week, it goes to TVG Pacific Classic Day on Saturday and that's a “mandatory” afternoon when all money in the pot gets paid out to those holding tickets with the highest number of winners.
The feature is an interesting betting affair with the likely favorite being an old pro named Ward 'n Jerry, a homebred 8-year-old gelding who races in the silks of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Williams. The Mike Puype-trained veteran has run the most races – 29 – won the most – 8 – and banked the most money — $474,759 – in the lineup.
There's little doubt that Ward 'n Jerry can get the trip. In eight of his last 12 outings he's run farther than the Thursday headliner, so the old boy has a lot of things in his corner. Leading rider Flavien Prat signs on the ride, so there's yet another thing in his favor.
Here's the full lineup for the feature from the rail out with riders: Bran Jam Stable and Firsthome Thoroughbreds' Big Buzz (Jessica Pyfer); Reddam Racing's Parsimony (Mario Gutierrez); Three Diamonds Farm's Ocean Atlantique (Trevor McCarthy); Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy (Juan Hernandez); Ward 'n Jerry; Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go (Tyler Baze); Slam Dunk Racing or Nentwig's Rijeka (Joe Bravo), and Mr. and Mrs. W. K. Warren, Jr.'s Seven Charms (Kyle Frey).
Saturday's Pick 6 will be bolstered by a $54,191 carryover as the multi-race wager went unsolved on Friday at Belmont Park.
The $1 Pick 6, implemented at the current 48-day Belmont spring/summer meet, returned $433 to bettors who selected 5-of-6 winners correctly.
Friday's Pick 6 sequence kicked off in Race 4 as Bourbon's Hope [No. 1, $11.60] graduated at first asking in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight for New York-bred juveniles. Joel Rosario engineered the winning trip for trainer Charlton Baker.
Jose Lezcano captured the next two legs with April Antics [No. 9, $6] scoring in Race 5 in a state-bred maiden claiming sprint for conditioner James Ryerson and Dreams of Tomorrow [No. 8, $4.60] proving to be much the best for Hall of Famer Shug McGaughey in an off-the-turf optional-claiming mile in Race 6.
Three Jokers [No. 2, $7.30], with Jose Ortiz up, captured a 1 1/16-mile state-bred optional-claiming event in Race 7 ahead of the day's biggest upset when Dancingwthdaffodls [No. 7, $46.20] rallied down the center of the track under Dylan Davis in Race 8 to win an off-the-turf optional claiming event for conditioner Eduardo Jones.
With the Pick 6 carryover already secured, Giggle Factory [No. 9, $9.90] took command past the furlong marker to win the off-the-turf nightcap by open lengths in a one-turn mile claimer for jockey Junior Alvarado and trainer Tom Albertrani.
Featuring a $1 bet minimum and 15 percent takeout, the Pick 6 wager requires bettors to select the first-place finisher of six designated races on the card. A total of 75 percent of the full pool, minus takeout, will be distributed to bettors who select the first-place finisher of all six races. A consolation payout of 25 percent of the net pool will be distributed to tickets selecting 5-of-6 winners.
In the event there are no tickets with six winners, there will be a carryover of 75 percent of the net pool into the next day of the meet with the remaining 25 percent of the net pool distributed as a consolation payout to tickets selecting the first-place finisher in the greatest number of races on the card. On carryover days, the Pick 6 is offered with a 24 percent takeout.
The $1 Pick 6 replaced the Empire 6, a jackpot style wager featuring a $0.20 bet minimum first offered in August 2019 at Saratoga Race Course.
Saturday's Pick 6 kicks off in Race 6 at 3:34 p.m. Eastern and includes the Grade 1, $700,000 Belmont Oaks Invitational in Race 7; the Grade 3, $150,000 Victory Ride in Race 8; and the Grade 1, $1 million Belmont Derby Invitational in Race 9. First post on Saturday's 11-race card is 1 p.m. Eastern.
Historic Pimlico Race Course launches its July schedule Friday with an Independence Day holiday weekend of live racing featuring four stakes worth $375,000 in purses and a Maryland state record carryover jackpot of $1,351,928.63 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6.
The Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the 25th consecutive racing day following the last live action June 27. The popular multi-race wager was last hit for a $23,346.70 payout May 7.
A mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 is scheduled for Sunday's Independence Day card that includes the $100,000 Concern for 3-year-olds and $100,000 Lite the Fuse for 3-year-olds and up, both sprinting six furlongs; $100,000 Caesar's Wish for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/16 miles and $75,000 Jameela for Maryland-bred/sired females 3 and older scheduled for five furlongs on the grass.
The Lite the Fuse and Caesar's Wish are both part of the Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred Championship (MATCH) Series.
In the Rainbow 6, the jackpot is paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 60 percent of that day's pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners while 40 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
Introduced in Maryland April 2, 2015 on opening day of Pimlico's spring meet, the Rainbow 6 has far surpassed its previous state record carryover of $345,898.33 spanning 31 racing programs before being solved by one lucky bettor for a life-changing $399,545.94 payout April 15, 2018 at Laurel Park. The winning ticket was purchased through Maine off-track betting.
Friday's Rainbow 6 begins in Race 3, a five-furlong claiming sprint for 2-year-old filly maidens that attracted a field of nine led by second-time starter R B's Star from the barn of meet-leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez. R B's Star was second, beaten a half-length, in a June 21 maiden special weight at Delaware Park in debut.
Maryland Jockey Club host and analyst Naomi Tukker's price play comes in Race 4, one of two horses in the Rainbow 6 sequence scheduled for the grass, a one-mile claimer for 3-year-olds and up. Cark will break from Post 6 against 11 rivals after running fourth by 2 ½ lengths behind next-out winner Mr. Tito's in a June 5 claimer at Gulfstream Park for trainer Sarah Nagle.
“He did not get a trip at all,” Tukker said. “Multiple times he had to get to checked because of traffic issues, but in the latter stages he still showed a rally that makes me think if he uses that turn of foot he might just get the win.”
Claimers 3 and up will travel 1 1/16 miles in Race 5 with Miami Mumbles favored at 9-5 on the morning line. Trained by Horacio DePaz, the 5-year-old Hard Spun mare closed to be fifth but was elevated to fourth following the disqualification of Wicked Prankster for interference May 13 at Pimlico. The winner of that race, Johng, came back to win June 18.
Race 6 is a 5 ½-furlong claiming sprint for 3-year-olds and up which have never won three races, or 3-year-olds. Cooke Brothers breaks from Post 3 having run second in four of his last five races including three in a row, beaten a total of five lengths in those starts. The most recent came in the slop May 29 at Pimlico under jockey Grant Whitacre, who rides back for trainer Mario Serey Jr.
Tukker's must-use horse comes in Sunday's featured Race 7, a second-level optional claiming allowance for fillies and mares 3 and up at six furlongs. Rather Nosy will be making her first start for trainer Jane Cibelli after being campaigned on the West Coast, exiting back-to-back wins going seven furlongs at Santa Anita March 12 and May 8.
“The Cibelli stable is very strong when sending horses out for the first time after a trainer change,” Tukker said. “[Last time] she won on the lead, on the rail, with a fair few runners pressuring her early, but that didn't seem to deter her at all. She was very relaxed and still showed a great kick in the latter stages.”
The sequence closes with the Race 8 finale, a one-mile claimer for 3-year-olds scheduled for one mile on the turf. An overflow field of 15 was entered including Leave 'Em Loaded, third May 28 at Pimlico in his second start off a layoff, and Jestful, shortening up after being beaten a neck when second in an off-the-turf maiden claimer at Pimlico June 12.
