Small Fields, Big Dreams

Primarily because of upset victories by two horses trained by John Sadler -- Our New Recruit ($20.40) in the fourth and Ben’s Courage ($22.20) in the ninth -- on Sunday, there is a pick six carry-over pool of $456,253 today.

Bettors won’t be facing large fields as Oak Tree heads into the final 10 days of its meet. There are seven horses in the first pick-six race, the third, a $50,000 claimer for 3-year-olds going about 6 1/2 furlongs on the turf. The other five races in the pick six have a combined 36 entrants.

The smallest field is in the fifth, a $65,000 allowance race at a mile on the turf that has only five entrants. Denied and Inesperado are the favorites in the race.

Vastly improved since joining the barn of trainer Jeff Mullins, Denied has crossed the wire first in his last four races on the grass -- he was disqualified and placed second on Aug. 18 at Del Mar -- and is a threat to go wire-to-wire.

Inesperado, trained by Bobby Frankel, has won eight of 17.

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Race of the day: During, who won the Jerome Handicap at Belmont Park on Sept. 13, is one of 11 3-year-olds scheduled to run in the $100,000 Discovery Handicap, the opening-day feature at Aqueduct. The 1 1/8-mile race is a Grade III. Jose Santos will ride During for trainer Bob Baffert.

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One for the road: Anstar returns to his preferred surface -- dirt -- and can get the money in his second start for hot trainer John Martin in the fourth at Bay Meadows.

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Exotically speaking: A pick four singling Denied in the fifth, Young Pioneer, Mud Shark and Big Decision in the sixth, Honeypenny and Sharpbill in the seventh and Dee Dee’s Cat in the eighth.

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Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/62. Money: Previous day/meet total: $20.60/$339.80. Total money bet: $384.