POMONA, Calif. (Sept. 20, 2006) - Pomona was the center of the racing universe on Wednesday, as bettors from all across the country tuned in to try their luck in Fairplex Park's Pick Six, which saw its pool swell to nearly $4-million.
The Wednesday card entered with a massive three-day Pick Six carryover of $988,445, and had an additional $2,952,697 bet into the Pick Six for a total gross pool size of $3,941,142.
When the dust had settled and the final race was posted official, there were 33 winning tickets, each worth $78,794. Consolation tickets with five of six returned $455.
Fairplex's all-sources handle of $10,390,081 was an all-time high for a single day, and Wednesday's jackpot established new records for Pick Six pool sizes here as well. Monday's total pool size of $1,524,156 for the Pick Six had already easily surpassed the previous mark of $910,150 set a year ago, and Wednesday's $3,941,142 shattered it. The $2,952,697 bet on Wednesday was also a new record for single-day pool size in the Pick Six, which had been $725,980 prior to Monday.
The highest all-time Pick Six payout in Fairplex history remains $416,435, which was awarded to one winning ticket on Sept. 29, 2002.
Wednesday's Pick Six proved to be more formful than last weekend, as favorites prevailed in the first three legs. Still, nailing all six proved to be no easy task. Scofield Honour got horseplayers off to a good start in the sixth, as the 6-5 favorite rallied in the stretch to catch 10-1 outsider Trinni at the wire and win by a half-length, returning $4.40. Precocious Rene ($5.60) and Virgo Genius ($7.60) then followed suit in the next two races, but 8-1 shot Signoretto Sig ($18.80) made things a bit more interesting in the ninth by running down even-money favorite Cat of Fifty Seven in the stretch.
Kimmy Potter ($7.20) then took day's feature, but 14-1 longshot Waltz Time ($30.60) connected in the eleventh and final to beef up the payoff.
In the featured $63,700 Black Swan Stakes, which was carded as the tenth race, Kimmy Potter took charge turning for home and pulled clear in the stretch to win by two lengths.
Ridden by Michael Baze, Kimmy Potter completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.72.
"The race shaped up almost picture perfect," Baze said after notching his first stakes victory at the bullring. She relaxed on the backside, and when I asked her, she took off.
"I was sitting quiet, and I knew anytime I wanted her to go, she would go. And the further we got along, the more confidence I had in the horse."
Kimmy Potter is trained by Gary Stute, and has won two of nine lifetime for $78,379.
Thursday's feature is the 37th running of the $65,000 Gateway to Glory Stakes for 2-year-olds. Scoonerwharfbardog is slated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite for the meet's leading trainer, Jeff Mullins. Jockey Michael Baze has the call.
First post Thursday is 1 p.m.
