by Jerry Shottenkirk
June 20, 2020
It’s Mandatory Pick Six Payoff Day as Santa Anita closes out its season on Sunday, June 21 and bettors are challenged to go 6-for-6 in order to take down the estimated $5,000,000 pool, which includes a $1,089,836 into the card.
The sequence covers Races 7 - 12 and features the G3 American Stakes (Race 10) and the Melair Stakes (Race 7), along with a trio of maiden races and an optional claimer. The sequence gets underway at approximately 6:33PM ET. Here’s a capsule look at each race, along with a $86.40 suggested ticket.
7th Race (Melair Stakes, 6:30 p.m. ET)
BIG SWEEP is unbeaten in two sprints and seeks to take her act around two turns. Trainer Mark Glatt is cruising along at 33-percent. Her latest was in the Echo Eddie Stakes and she has finished well in both race. No reason to think she can’t stretch out. SMILING SMIRLEE sprinted to a win in the Evening Jewel Stakes last out and won going a mile two races back. WARREN’S SHOWTIME has the best chance at a closing move as this pace should be lively.
8th Race (Maiden Claiming, 7 p.m. ET)
The big players come from the outside and each is taking a drop in class for this maiden-claimer at a mile on the turf. DANCEFORMUNNY has taken on much better and likely will be much closer to the early action than she has been. SAPORI GIRL has had 10 chances and is coming closer to getting the maiden win. The 3rd-place finish in her latest could translate into a win here.
9th Race (Maiden Claiming, 7:30 p.m. ET)
COSMIC COWGIRL showed speed in maiden special races and that usually translates into more endurance with a class drop. Will not want to give up the rail and should be a strong player throughout. WITH THIS VOW was in good position for a half-mile of her debut and then faded. She is another that can improve with the step down the ladder as well as moving up with the benefit of having had a start. SAVING SOPHIE has been running two turns, gets back to a sprint and will likely be rolling late.
10th Race (Gr. 3 American Stakes, 8 p.m. ET)
The American Stakes looks the most difficult race in the sequence, and a foursome are represented on the sequence. JASIKAN makes his 1st of the year and has done little wrong in the U.S. starts after beginning his career in Ireland. He won the Oceanside at Del Mar last year and ended the second with a 3rd in the G3 LaJolla. Always seems to be moving well late. CLEOPATRA’S STRIKE was 2nd in the G2 San Marcos and G2 San Gabriel in his last two and deserves support. SHARP SAMURAI just missed in the G2 Del Mar Mile in August and has trained exceptionally well for his return. BOWIE’S HERO has no shortage of class, having won the G1 Shadwell Turf Mile and the G1 Shoemaker Mile during the past two years.
11th Race (Maiden Special Weight, 8:30 p.m. ET)
Which Baffert do you like? Trainer Bob is always difficult to beat in maiden races, and that problem is compounded as he has two in this one. PROVOCATION makes her career debut, and the Into Mischief gal has trained well. And getting Mike Smith aboard (30 percent) hurts nothing, either. HIMIKO started once, and it was an unsuccessful voyage over the turf. The American Pharoah filly has drilled well since then, and the $1 million weanling purchase is likely to make a huge improvement from her 1st start to this.
12th Race (Optional Claiming, 9 p.m. ET)
Veteran optional claimers on the turf end the day and sequence, and three of these appear to have an edge over the rest. OF GOOD REPORT lost by a nose at this level last out and has taken 4 of 11 on grass. Galloping mischief return off a 14-month layoff with a closing 4th in a fast sprint. She won’t have to improve much to be a strong player in the closing yards. SUCCEEDANDSURPASS was a closing 3rd at this level in his 1st of the year and was 2nd in the G2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita last year.
Rainbow Pick Six Sunday at Santa Anita:
Race 7) #1 Big Sweet, #2 Smiling Shirlee, #6 Warren’s Showtime.
Race 8) #10 Danceformunny, #11 Sapori Girl.
Race 9) #1 Cosmic Cowgirl, #3 With This Vow, #6 Saving Sophie.
Race 10) #2 Jasikan, #3 Cleopatra’s Strike, #5 Sharp Samurai, #8 Bowies Hero.
Race 11) #2 Provocation, #5 Himiko.
Race 12) #3 Of Good Report, #11 Galloping Mischief, #12 Succeedandsurpass.
Totaly Ticket Cost) 1,2,6/10,11/1,3,6/2,3,5,8/2,5/3,11,12 = $86.40 for $0..20