It’s a Real Rush for Bettors

Some bettors skipped the pick six on Sunday, even with the $1-million guaranteed pool, thinking it was too difficult to isolate the winners of races 5-10 on the California Gold Rush program.

Thanks primarily to shockers by Ladylore ($65.40) in the Melair and Affairintheforest ($50.40) in the Big Jag, those same players are smiling now. Those upsets, plus another by Bear Fan ($23.60) in the Gourmet Girl, meant there were no perfect tickets in the pick six, so there is a carry-over of $683,636 for this afternoon.

There will be a massive pool--probably more than $3 million--and a lot of attention will be paid to the final six races on the first day of Hollywood Park’s second week.

There definitely is variety in the sequence.

The third is a $10,000 claimer for veteran sprinters; the fourth is a claimer for 2-year-olds; the fifth is a starter allowance at 11/2 miles on the turf; the sixth is a $50,000 maiden claimer; the seventh is an optional claimer at 71/2 furlongs, and the eighth is a $32,000 maiden claimer.

Race of the day: Sumati could be a legitimate single in the fifth.

Who’s hot: Craig Dollase. The trainer won with three of his four starters during the opening week.

Who’s not: Kevin Mangold. The apprentice jockey went 0 for 3 last week and is 0 for 49 this year.

Exotically speaking: On a day like this, a pick six is the only possible exotic play, so let’s play a $36 ticket using Mr. Reed, Scoop Of Ice and Jack’s Ole’ in the third; Maui Wish and Appealing Wayz in the fourth, single Sumati in the fifth, single Seven Charms in the sixth, use Futural, Radiata and Lethal Instrument in the seventh, and single Further in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/10. Money: Previous day/meet total: $10.40/$45.40. Total money bet: $86.