Pick Six Pool Could Swell to $3 Million

Hollywood Park can thank Ceeband for any extra business it does this afternoon.

Thanks primarily to the gelding’s $91.80 upset in the $296,000 Triple Bend Breeders’ Cup Invitational Handicap on Sunday, the Inglewood track has a record Pick Six carry-over heading into the holiday card.

For the first time on a day when a $1-million Pick Six pool was guaranteed, nobody had a perfect ticket, so there is a one-day carry-over of $691,095 awaiting bettors. The total pool could swell to more than $3 million.

The second-last race in the Pick Six is the Grade II $150,000 American Handicap at 1 1/8 miles on turf.

It attracted seven entrants, but only six betting interests because longshots Takarian and Raypour, both trained by Beau Greely, will race coupled. Takarian won the American two years ago, beating Montemiro by a neck at 31-1.

Touch Of The Blues, second to stablemate Irish Prize in the Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup Mile Handicap on May 28, will be favored to give trainer Neil Drysdale his fourth win in the American.

Owned by Sheik Maktoum al Maktoum, the 4-year-old French-bred will be looking for his sixth victory in 19 starts and will be ridden by Mike Smith. Touch Of The Blues has never run more than a mile.

Jockey Gary Stevens will be at Churchill Downs today to ride Irish Prize in the $250,000 Firecracker Breeders’ Cup Handicap.

Trained by Drysdale and owned by Gainsborough Farm, Irish Prize is looking for his third consecutive victory after taking the Fastness Handicap and Shoemaker at Hollywood Park in a 15-day span in May. The 5-year-old Irish River gelding will carry top weight of 122 pounds.