Gulfstream Today 12.10.11: Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $550,000

By David Joseph —-

GULFSTREAM TODAY

12.10.20

Moonlite Strike on Road to Florida Derby after Gutsy Win

Pay Any Price Calls It a Career in Friday’s Last Race

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Sonata Stable’s Moonlite Strike is likely to embark on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1) following his gutsy victory in Thursday’s featured optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream Park.

Moonlite Strike ($4.80) withstood race-long outside pressure before prevailing by a head over Peachtree Stable’s Kiger, a stablemate in trainer Saffie Joseph Jr’s. barn, in the mile optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds carded as Race 8 on a 10-race program.

“All races are under consideration. Kiger didn’t win so he’ll probably go back in one of those [optional claiming allowances] again, just because we have the option to develop him more. There are only stakes for Moonlite Strike,” Joseph said. “The Mucho Macho Man will be under consideration in about three weeks again. There is also the Holy Bull (G3) if we want to give him more time.”

The mile $100,000 Mucho Macho Man is scheduled to kick off Gulfstream’s Road to the Florida Derby on Jan. 2. The 1 1/16-mile $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) is scheduled for Jan. 30.

Moonlite Strike, who graduated by two lengths over a sloppy Gulfstream Park West in his second career start Nov. 14, broke cleanly from his No. 1 post position but was immediately confronted on the outside by Advance Cash and Real Talk. Jockey Edgard Zayas let the son of Liam’s Map settle into stride while racing inside of the early leaders before sending him to the lead on the far turn. Real Talk continued to press him into the stretch before tiring while Moonlite Strike forged ahead to open a clear lead in mid-stretch. Kiger, who was rated behind the early speeders by Emisael Jaramillo, made a steady run through the stretch but was unable to get the better of his stablemate. Hercules finished third 5 ¼ lengths farther back.

“Moonlite Strike had kind of a tough trip and did it the hard way,” Joseph said. “Kiger got the run of the race, basically. Both ran well. Kiger didn’t switch leads. He’s a bit of a weird horse. There’s a lot more talent there, but he just waits, waits, waits. He got a good education today.”

Moonlite Strike, who ran a mile in 1:38.96, was sold at the 2019 Keeneland September sale for $120,000.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $550,000

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $550,000 Friday at Gulfstream Park.

The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the seventh day of the Championship Meet Thursday, when multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $1,215.26.

The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.

There will also be a Super Hi-5 carryover of $3,204.66 heading into Friday’s card.

Friday’s Rainbow 6 sequence will span Races 5-10, including the last race of multiple-stakes winner Pay Any Price’s career in Race 10, a five-furlong optional claiming allowance on turf. Due to age restrictions, the 10-year-old gelding will be ineligible to race at Gulfstream Park next year.

Pay Any Price has won 19 of 33 starts, including nine stakes. The son of Wildcat Heir set a North American and Gulfstream record for five-furlongs on turf while winning the 2017 Silks Run in 53.61 seconds.

Pay Any Price, who is rated as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a full field of turf sprinters, most recently captured the Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint for the third year in a row.

In Race 9, a mile optional claiming allowance for 2-year-olds on turf, Tarantino is scheduled to make his first start for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Formerly trained by Bob Baffert, the 2-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile raced twice in California, including a debut triumph at Del Mar in September and a second-place finish in the Zuma Beach Stakes, in which he was beaten by a nose. Michael Maker-trained Risk Manager, an impressive debut winner at Keeneland, and George Weaver-trained Whatmakessammyrun, who finished second in the Atlantic Beach Stakes at Aqueduct in his last start, figure to provide plenty of competition.

Who’s Hot: Joe Bravo doubled on Thursday’s program, scoring career wins 5,457 and 5,458 aboard Freeze Turkey ($5.20) in Race 3 and Star Swept ($17.80) in Race 5.

Tyler Gaffalione and Paco Lopez each rode two winners. Gaffalione rode back-to-back winners in Races 6 and 7, scoring aboard Royal Meghan ($7) and War Canoe ($5), respectively. Lopez scored back-to-back wins with Get Rewarded ($6) in Race 9 and All About Kathern ($9) in Race 10.

Trainer Kent Sweezey saddled a pair of winners, Markistan ($4.80) in Race 2 and Star Swept ($17.80) in Race 5.

About The Stronach Group and 1/ST

The Stronach Group is a world-class technology, entertainment and real estate development company with Thoroughbred horseracing and pari-mutuel wagering at the core. The company’s consumer facing brand 1/ST (pronounced “First”) powers The Stronach Group’s forward-thinking 1/ST RACING, 1/ST CONTENT, 1/ST TECHNOLOGY, 1/ST LIVE and 1/ST PROPERTIES businesses, while advocating for and driving the 1/ST HORSE CARE mission. 1/ST represents The Stronach Group’s continued movement toward redefining Thoroughbred racing and the ecosystem that drives it. 1/ST RACING drives the best-in-class horseracing operations at the company’s premier racetracks and training centers including: Santa Anita Park, Golden Gate Fields and San Luis Rey Downs (California); Gulfstream Park – home of the Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, and Gulfstream Park West (Florida); the Maryland Jockey Club at Laurel Park, Pimlico Race Course – home of the legendary Preakness Stakes, Rosecroft Raceway and Bowie Training Center (Maryland). 1/ST CONTENT is the newly formed operating group for all of 1/ST’s media and content companies including: Monarch Content Management, Elite, GWS and XBTV. 1/ST TECHNOLOGY is horseracing’s largest racing and gaming technology company offering world-class products via its AmTote, Xpressbet, 1/ST BET, XB SELECT, XB NET, PariMAX and Betmix brands. 1/ST LIVE blends the worlds of sports, entertainment and hospitality by delivering uniquely curated events such as InfieldFest and Pegasus LIV Stretch Village. 1/ST PROPERTIES is responsible for the development of the company’s live, work and play communities surrounding its racing venues including: The Village at Gulfstream Park (Florida) and Paddock Pointe (Maryland). As the advocate for critical industry reforms and by making meaningful investments into aftercare programs for retired horses and jockeys, 1/ST HORSE CARE represents The Stronach Group’s commitment to achieving the highest level of horse and rider care and safety standards in Thoroughbred horseracing on and off the track. For more information please email david.joseph@gulfstreampark.com and visit www.1st.com