A $34,889 Jackpot 6 carryover awaits Friday night Cal Expo harness racing players, with that bet being one of four wagers on the program that come with a reduced 16% takeout rate.
The other wagers with the lower takeout are the Hi-5, which like the Jackpot 6 is a 10-cent minimum bet; the 50-cent Pick 5; and the 20-cent Pick 4, which comes with a $25,000-guaranteed pool.
The Jackpot 6 finds 70% of the net pool paying out to tickets with the most winners and with 30% of the net pool designated for the carryover.
If there is one unique ticket selecting six winners, the entire net pool and the carryover is paid to the holder of the ticket. If that should happen Friday night, they would receive the entire net pool and a cool $34,889 as a bonus.
By the way, the 50-cent Pick 5 on last Sunday’s program returned a healthy $6,975 for a 50-cent investment. The reduced takeout resulted in each ticket being worth $748 more than the $6,227 it would have paid with the regular takeout rate.
If you’re looking to turn a small investment into a nice payday, be sure to check out these reduced takeout wagers that are sprinkled throughout the program.
El Azteca gets top billing in featured Trot
El Azteca, who has been having some great battles with Its Not Over at the head of the class this season, gets away from that rival Friday and looms strictly the one to beat in the $5,000 Open II Handicap Trot.
A 10-race card is on tap Friday night with a first post of 6:40 p.m. The headliner will go as the third race on the program with a companion $5,000 Open II Handicap Pace occupying the fourth-race slot on the evening.
In an attempt to level out the playing field for the Trot, racing secretary Robin Schadt has assigned El Azteca the No. 10 post position, while breaking from the inside four slots are Winsom Kelly, Flight of the Kiwi, A Crown for Lindy and Silence Son.
El Azteca is a 6-year-old son of Panama Hanover out of the Jonathan Lobell mare Jonathan’s Girl who is owned, trained and was bred by Marco Rios with James Kennedy in his usual spot in the sulky.
He comes into this assignment with $140,000 in his bank account and a 1:54 3/5 mark that was set last year at Hoosier Park. He captured half of his 18 trips to the post last season and is perfect in four appearances this year.
Leaving from the assigned No. 10 post position for the second straight time in his most recent outing, El Azteca settled last of the six for the opening half-mile. He was out and moving on the final bend, ignited when the question was asked with a :27 2/5 final quarter and showed the way home by a half-length over his arch-rival Its Not Over.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s program, there will be a $10,000 California Sire Stakes for the 3-year-old pacing colts headed by Hi Ho’s Little Rev and Uringoodhands and an Open I Pace that has lured Windsong Jack, A real Miracle, China King, J C Onthebeach and St Lads Lotto.
By Mark Ratzky, publicity – Cal Expo Harness