Going Coast to Coast

On most days, the pick six at Gulfstream Park is easy to ignore.

For whatever reason, the wager isn’t popular at the Florida track and the pool, on non-carryover days, is usually minuscule when compared to what players are used to seeing in Southern California.

Things are a bit different today, however. Gulfstream is offering a $25,000 guaranteed pool in the pick six every Friday during its meet, which runs until late April, and the takeout on the bet is reduced to 20% instead of the usual 25%.

This means players can start with a pick six back east, then come right back at Santa Anita, which has an $83,389.71 carryover after Thursday, when the best anyone could do in Arcadia was five winners.

The fields for the Gulfstream Park races are large. Nine are scheduled to go in the fifth, a six-furlong sprint for $30,000 claimers; 12 were entered in the sixth, a route for maiden claimers; an overflow 14 were entered in the seventh, an allowance race for fillies and mares on the turf; 13 signed up for the eighth, a seven-furlong allowance; eight are supposed to go in the $100,000 First Lady Handicap, a Grade III sprint for older fillies and mares, and the day will wrap up with a full field (14 were entered) of fillies and mares going 11/16 miles on the turf.

The First Lady could set up well for the late-running Cat Cay, who has won two in a row.

At Santa Anita, the most logical pick six single could be Cashmina, the 9-5 favorite in the fifth. She was much troubled in her debut, when she was the 4-5 choice, and could make amends against seven opponents.

Race of the day: Glorious Linda is the 5-2 morning-line favorite in the third, a nine-furlong turf race for older fillies and mares and the first leg of the local pick six. The 8-year-old mare has won six times over the Santa Anita grass, but is winless in five previous tries at 11/8 miles.

Who’s hot: Pooh Bear. The Candi’s Gold filly, who lost her first 14 starts, has won two in a row at Golden Gate Fields. She’ll try for another victory in today’s eighth at the same track.

Who’s not: The field in today’s sixth at Gulfstream Park. The dozen maiden claimers are a combined 0 for 66.

Exotically speaking: A pick four singling Cashmina in the fifth, using Shabab, Confess, Flying Singer and Nikawa in the sixth, Mysterious Cat and Take It Outside in the seventh and Wiley Grey, Odeion, Call And Raise and Irish Terry in the eighth.

Winners: Previous Day/Meet Total: 4/47. Money: Previous Day/Meet Total: $41.80/$319.60. Total money bet: $290.