$143,355 Single 6 jackpot up for grabs on Kentucky Derby day

Sep 05, 2020 J. Keeler Johnson

There are plenty of enticing wagers to play on Kentucky Derby day at Churchill Downs, but perhaps none more challenging—or potentially lucrative—than the Single 6.

The Single 6 jackpot went unclaimed on Kentucky Oaks day, which means there’s a $143,355 carryover pool up for grabs on Saturday. Even better, a mandatory payout is scheduled, so the entire pool (plus all fresh money wagered on Derby day) must be dispersed among the winning bettors

You can take part in the action at TwinSpires.com. New players will receive a $50 risk-free bet on their first win bet.

Hitting the Single 6 is the hard part. It’s not necessarily an expensive wager to play, since the minimum bet amount is just 20 cents. But the wager requires bettors to pick the winners of six consecutive races, and on Kentucky Derby day the six races are all competitive graded stakes events. There are 66 horses to consider before scratches, and every time you play more than one horse per race, the cost of your ticket increases.

The opening leg of the Single 6 is arguably the most challenging of the sequence. Race 9, the Pat Day Mile (G2), has drawn an elite field of nine 3-year-olds racing a mile over the main track. Several of the favorites were under consideration for the Kentucky Derby at one time or another, including morning line favorite #1 Cezanne. Sold for $3.65 million as a 2-year-old, Cezanne comfortably won his first two starts for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert before finishing a game fourth in the Shared Belief S., beaten just 1 1/2 lengths.

But #9 Rushie has held his own in higher-class races, placing third in the Santa Anita Derby (G1) and Blue Grass (G2), while #2 Echo Town and #6 Tap It to Win caught the eye when finishing first and second in the H. Allen Jerkens (G1). Throw in the improving Smiling Tiger S. winner #4 Vertical Threat and the stretch-running #5 Digital, and you have the makings of an ultra-competitive event with a bevy of possible outcomes. It’s tempting to guarantee a winner by hitting the “ALL” button to select every horse, though such an approach is expensive.

Fortunately, the final leg of the Single 6 appears much more straightforward. Race 14 is the Kentucky Derby, where #17 Tiz the Law looms as an overwhelming favorite. Already victorious in the Florida Derby (G1), Belmont Stakes (G1), and Travers (G1) during a stellar 2020 campaign, Tiz the Law combines speed with stamina into a perfect (and seemingly unbeatable) package.

Just as importantly, Tiz the Law has drawn a perfect outside post, giving him every opportunity to enjoy a clean trip stalking the pacesetters. There are no certainties in horse racing, but Tiz the Law is arguably the most formidable Kentucky Derby favorite in decades. Many Single 6 bettors will rely on the Tiz the Law to deliver victory at a short price, allowing them to stand alone with the favorite and spread deeper in other legs of the sequence.
The Single 6 mandatory payout sequence kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 5 in Race 9 at Churchill Downs. Post time is 3:35 p.m. ET.

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