Bet Could Pay Dividends

There’s a healthy pick six carry-over for the final week of Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet.

No one hit the pick six on Sunday, so there is a pool of $179,222, and a horse bettors may key on in the exotic wager is Awesome Dividend.

Trained by Bob Baffert for owners John and Bettina Deininger, Awesome Dividend, a 5-year-old son of Awesome Again, has won three in a row and five of six entering today’s sixth, a $60,000 optional claimer at one mile.

A loser of his first three starts before he beat $32,000 maidens by 13 lengths last summer at Del Mar, Awesome Dividend is two for two at Santa Anita. He won an optional claimer by half a length Jan. 21, then returned nearly two months later to win a starter allowance race by five lengths. Casey Fusilier will again ride the chestnut.

Like Awesome Dividend, Courtly Jazz also has won three in a row, all at Santa Anita. A loser in his four starts, including three when trained by Frank Brothers back east, the 4-year-old Dixieland Band gelding has flourished in California for trainer Gary Mandella.

Courtly Jazz beat maidens by a neck on Dec. 30, won an allowance race by two lengths on Feb. 4 and tallied again on March 11.

Race of the day: Madcap Escapade, who has won five of six starts for owner Bruce Lunsford and trainer Brothers, will try for her second victory in as many starts at Keeneland in today’s $200,000 Madison at seven furlongs. A Grade III, the Madison attracted six others, including Souris, who has won four in a row.

One for the road: Sweet Sweet looks like the controlling speed in today’s seventh at Aqueduct as she makes her first start since last June for high-percentage trainer Michael Hushion. Jose Santos will ride the 3-year-old Honour And Glory filly for owner Barry Schwartz in the $43,000 allowance for New York bred fillies at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A pick three using Awesome Dividend in the sixth, Never Surrender, Jack’s Silver and Beautiful Balance in the seventh and Gospodin, Silver Past, Rushing Wild and Fantastic Wager in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 2/201. Money: Previous day/meet total: $7.40/$1,108. Total money bet: $1,346.