Longshots May Carry Day

Through the first five days of the Oak Tree meet, the Pick Six has carried over three times, including Sunday, so the second week of the season begins with a carryover of $140,724.

There was a two-day carryover last week and that is a possibility again because today’s Pick Six is wide open.

Brisquette and Smart Start, who will race coupled as the Mr. And Mrs. Martin Wygod-owned entry, will be a very short-priced favorite, but they are not in the Pick Six. They will anchor the early double in the second race.

The races in the sequence include a mile contest for older $40,000 claimers, a race in which four of the seven have a legitimate chance; a turf race for 2-year-old maidens, none of whom have demonstrated they can run much; a mile scramble for $12,500 3-year-olds; a $50,000 claiming sprint for 3-year-olds; a sprint for California-breds and a maiden claiming sprint for $25,000 fillies and mares.

Race of the day: The toughest of the Pick Six races might be the sixth, which attracted a full field of sophomores sprinting six furlongs. Contention runs extremely deep as some sort of case can be made for just about all of the runners. Those playing the Pick Six, a Pick Three or the Pick Four will have to spread to guarantee getting past this race.

Who’s hot: Alex Solis. The leading rider at Del Mar has picked up where he left off. He won nine races during the opening week to top the standings, and four of his victories came in stakes races.

Who’s not: Bob Baffert. Believe it or not, the country’s leading money-winning trainer was 0 for 14 last week. One of his runners finished second and four were third.

Exotically speaking: An early Pick Three using First Mesa, Lord Fhazio and Spilikin in the first, singling the entry of Brisquette and Smart Start in the second, then using Valiant Wonder and Another Star in the third.