Columnist Ralph Siraco: Pick Six handicappers enjoy historic day at the races

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears on Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Friday on the scoreboard page. Write to him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

t was just a matter of time. Las Vegas doesn't have the exclusive franchise anymore. It's the sign of the times. Sooner or later it was bound to happen. You're not in Kansas anymore Toto.

As technology brings the world closer and closer together, and gaming--otherwise known as gambling -- becomes more accepted into the fabric of the mainstream lifestyle, racing has seized the opportunity to bring the sport's jackpots to a venue near you. No matter where you may be.

It wasn't long ago in a land not far away -- like right down the street at a local race book -- that the great Silver State offered racing fans the unique opportunity to participate in any and all of racing's jackpot offerings.

Ever since the Nevada race book industry entered into the co-mingling world of pari-mutuel betting, race players in Las Vegas had the unique situation of wagering into any and all wagering pools that offered mega-bucks payoffs.

Such pools included trifectas (picking the exact order of the first three finishers in a race), pick-threes (picking the winners of three consecutive races) and the popular jackpot offering of the Pick Six (selecting the winners of -- you guessed it -- six consecutive designated races).

The most activity, by far, has always been in the Pick Six pools, especially when a carryover occurs (that being when no winning tickets are sold on the six races of the Pick Six) and the majority of the wagered monies rolls over to the next racing program.

Fresh money chasing a sitting pot of gold has always made for a positive-return risk in a carryover pool and such racing cards have always created a more-than-normal attraction for players.

Simply put, a substantial carryover pool at any track simulcast to Nevada race books makes for a crazy day at the races.

But, until recently, those crazy days at the races were limited to the host track where the "live" on-track action was, and the race books in Nevada.

Not anymore.

Since the proliferation of simulcast racing throughout the country, no longer are Nevada race books the ONLY place, besides the live track, that a player can participate in carryover pools of the Pick Six.

Now, major racing centers are providing not only the "live" product of their local races each day, but, are also importing full-card simulcast races from other racing venues to enhance the race-playing experience.

Supply and demand. And the sport's players demanded the supply.

So now, race fans from coast to coast can experience and participate in multiple daily exotics carryover pools that were once limited to their local "live" market and Nevada.

The state of California became the latest entrant into the full-card simulcasting frenzy with new legislation that now allows the Golden State's race tracks to accept two full-card signals per day in addition the the north-south in-state race imports.

With California the last link to complete the major centers of full-card simulcasting in place, a unique "first" happened on Sunday.

Pick Six carryover pools were offered at Gulfstream Park, Florida, at Aqueduct race track, New York, and at Santa Anita Park in Southern California. And for the first time in simulcasting history -- outside of special pool-guarantee promotions or Breeders' Cup -- each and all three tracks offered each of the other two track's PickSix betting through simulcasting.

Nevada race books no longer offer the only place to one-stop shop Pick Six carryover pools, and in addition to the race books, there was plenty of action from coast to coast on Sunday.

In addition to the big three, the Fairgrounds race course in Louisiana had $35,000 waiting in its Pick Six carryover that swelled the combined carryovers to $422,000.

Handicappers packed the books and tracks for their shot a the pot.

It all started on Saturday when key bombers rolled home to set up the carryover offerings. At the Fairgrounds Avies Miss assured their carryover with an $89.20 upset in the 8th race. At Aqueduct Shotgun Man at $77.50 got the job done in the 5th race. A one-two punch at Gulfstream Park of Tightlies at $43.40 in the 7th with the 10th race account of Grits'n Hard Toast at $31.40 upsetting the featured Holy Bull stakes iced the six there. And, a $95.40 shocker of Northern Call in the 9th and final at Santa Anita completed the windfall for Sunday.

Although final accounts are not in, if the three off-track centers equaled the activity of local race books, then the first major-track trilogy was a success.

Here's how they faired on Sunday.

* Aqueduct Pick Six: 3rd race 1A Midnight Tease ($5.30), 4th 6 Good ol' Blue ($14.60), 5th 2 Wafare Warrior ($20.40), 6th 3 Flamingo Way ($23.00), 7th 7 Get The Saint ($10.40) and 8th 1A Prime Directive ($3.30). Payoff: 6 for 6 $34,636 and consolation 5 of 6 $320.50 from a $92,000 carryover.

* Gulfstream Park Pick Six: 6th race 4 Tandoori ($4.00), 7th 6 Gold From The West ($4.00), 8th 7 Neater Peter ($11.60), 9th 2 Shegardi ($16.40), 10th 2 Cowboy Cop ($16.20) and 11th 1 Diamond Tie ($10.80). Payoff: 6 for 6 $59,434.20 and consolation 5 of 6 $252.60 from a $112,000 carryover.

* Santa Anita Park Pick Six: 4th race 8 Malibu Wesley ($6.40), 5th 2 Quianlong ($5.60), 6th 6 Finder's Gold ($3.80), 7th 9 Sing Because ($7.20), 8th 6 Turkish Prize ($5.20) and 9th 9 Miriam's Song ($4.20). Payoff: 6 for 6 $833.00 and consolation 5 of 6 $21.20 from a $192,476. carryover.

* The Fairgrounds Pick Six: 3rd race 2 Valet de Coeur ($7.00), 4th 12 Rat Red ($11.40), 5th 2 Versace ($12.60), 6th 1 Pay The Line ($3.80), 7th 6 Rugged Bugger ($4.00), 8th 6 Lightin' Gulch ($34.40). Payoff: 6 for 6 $54,294.40 and cosolation 5 of 6 $165.40 from a $35,000 carryover.

Business will be back to usual when racing resumes in the race books of Las Vegas with no carryovers today. The Pick Six fever has broken, but expect a relapse soon.

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