Crist ponders the new P4-5-6 landscape at GP..

[Kasept]

Some intriguing observations by Crist about the late 'Picks' at Gulfstream and what potential approaches make sense with the Sunshine 6...


Five Ways to End the Day at Gulfstream
By Steven Crist

The new dime pick-6 averaged just $15k a day opening week, but it grew each day and could take off this coming week if it continues to carry. This wager is a completely different animal from the other pick-x bets and from the conventional pick-6 because the front end of the pool and the carryover are paid out only if there is a lone winner. If two or more people go 6-for-6, they share the consolation pool and it carries again. This raises a number of fascinating strategic issues I have yet to resolve in my own mind; your thoughts are most welcome.

A conventional big-carryover approach of merely trying to "survive" a six-race sequence, singling heavy favorites and trying to get one or two interesting prices in along the way, being happy to be one of 20 or 50 winners, makes no sense: if successful, you'd be one of 20 or 50 people getting a small conso (sharing just 40 percent of that day's pool, with none of the carryover paid out.) You're not going to get one of those $5k or $10k payouts that can happen when nothing longer than a 5-1 shot wins during the sequence.

Also, it seems that the worst thing you could ever do is to have it more than once or play it for more than a dime a combo. If the point is to be the sole winner, having it twice would appear to disqualify you from the jackpot.