The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are just days away and what a better way to get the week of thoroughbred racing started with a big Pick 6 pool in New York. That’s right, Belmont Park has a $46,126 carryover in their $1 Pick 6 after no one was able to connect the dots successfully on Sunday. This means a juicy pool to attack at approximately 2:12 PM eastern later this afternoon when the Wednesday Pick 6 kicks off with a state-bred special weight event over the grass. Here a few horses I consider must uses within the sequence.
Race 3:
The aforementioned NY-bred MSW event at 6.5-furlongs over the Inner Turf gets things rolling where I like the chances of #6 Karsten. The son of Mendelssohn competed twice in grass routes earlier this year to kick off his career before trainer Jorge Abreu moved him to the dirt for a pair of sprints where he lacked the energy late to get the job done. Now, Abreu makes the decision to move the Avanti Stable colt back to the grass where he should find the tricky 6.5-panel distance to his liking. He attracts Flavien Prat, which has often proven to be a significant rider upgrade. The two have won together at a 21% rate over a 152-race sample and those that have followed Prat over the years know he should have Karsten in the perfect spot early. This should allow him to out finish this modest bunch to kick the Wednesday Pick 6 off.
Play: #6 Karsten (3-1 ML)
Picks: 6-4-1
Race 5:
The pace in this $55k maiden claimer at 1 1/16-miles over the grass is likely to be contentious at the very least. This should bode well for those that can settle early and finish. I am hopeful that is the case with Florida-bred #3 Souper Cha Ching. The Live Oak homebred ships into New York and drops in for a tag for the first time for trainer Michael Trombetta. The 3YO gelding’s first two races came against protected maidens in the Mid-Atlantic, including last time out at Laurel Park where he had no real shot coming from off-the-pace in a race that was dominated by those on the front end. The son of Medaglia d’Oro draws favorably along the inside and adds blinkers for the first time. He should get a better setup than he did last out. Hopefully, the shades help him focus early because he has shown the ability to finish in both career starts.
Play: #3 Souper Cha Ching (8-1 ML)
Picks: 3-1-4
Race 7:
Trainer Chad Brown holds a strong hand in the Wednesday feature. Brown sends out 3-1-ML favorite #7 Arkhipov and 4-1-third choice #6 Market Timing in this 1 5/16-miles excursion for second-level allowance foes over the Inner Turf. I prefer Market Timing. The son of Laoban has only raced four times with three of his starts coming over the grass, including a pair of gate-to-wire victories. Last time we saw the 4YO gelding, he held on by a neck in early September at Saratoga under jockey Dylan Davis. Brown has given Market Timing nearly two months to regroup after his second career win and finds a spot for him where there is very little speed signed on. I expect Davis to make an easy lead, control the tempo, and have enough left late to hold off his stablemate in the final furlong.
Play: #6 Market Timing (4-1 ML)
Picks: 6-7-5
.svg){kind=logo}
