Gulfstream Today 1.6.23: Leonel Reyes: Gulfstream Longshot Player’s Best Friend

By David Joseph —-

Gulfstream Today

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Features Dania Beach, Ginger Brew

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Jockey Leonel Reyes lit up the Gulfstream Park toteboard once again after guiding Drinking Problem to a 24-1 score in the first race Friday.

The Jose Garoffalo-trained 3-year-old, who broke his maiden under a $35,000 claiming tag, was Reyes’ sixth winner from 34 starters during the Championship Meet and boosted the veteran jockey’s average win payoff to a fat $45.60.

Drinking Problem ($51.20) kicked off a $32,266.80 Early Pick 5 payoff.

In Thursday’s Race 4, Reyes scored aboard Adeliese’s Smile ($83.60) in the first leg of the 20-cent Rainbow 6, which went on to be solved for a $533,783.63 jackpot payoff.

A day earlier, the 36-year-old jockey won aboard Mitesse ($96.80) in Wednesday’s first race.

Reyes, who finished second in the Sunshine Meet standings, also has visited the winner’s circle with Souper Duper Ready ($16.80) Dec. 30, Strasbourg ($8) December 29 and Awesome Appeal ($17.20) Dec. 26 since the start of the Championship Meet.

The veteran jockey, who ventured to the U.S. in 2016 after riding more than 1400 winners in Venezuela, also finished second during the Royal Palm Meet while also coming in second in the Colonial Downs standings.

A $2 dollar wager on all of Reyes’ 34 mounts through Friday’s Race 1 would have yielded a $273.60 payoff on a $68 investment.

Notes: Carlo Vaccarezza-trained Little Jewel, a half-sister to 2012 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) champion Little Mike, made an impressive showing Friday in her first race in 2 ½ years. The 5-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map, who had finished third in her debut June 4, 2020 at Churchill Downs before going to the sidelines, overcame early bumping to finish a late-rallying second in Race 3, a five-furlong maiden special weight race on turf…. Jose Morelos took off his mounts for the remainder of Friday’s program with a sore elbow after hitting the starting gate aboard Mana Kai in Race 1…. Jockey Junior Alvarado moved to within four wins of the 2000-win milestone when he guided favored Frosted Oats to victory in the Race 8 feature.

Saturday’s Rainbow 6 Features Dania Beach, Ginger Brew

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved at Gulfstream Park Friday on the first day following a single-ticket jackpot hit for $533,783.63 The popular multi-race wager had gone unsolved for 11 racing days following a jackpot hit Dec. 18 for a $137,119 payoff.

The Rainbow 6 jackpot is 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.

The Rainbow 6 sequence Saturday will span Races 6-11, including the $100,000 Dania Beach, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds, in Race 7 and the $100,000 Ginger Brew, a mile turf stakes for 3-year-olds fillies.

Who’s Hot: Defending Championship Meet titlist Luis Saez and trainer Antonio Sano teamed for a double with Kukero ($15) in Race 2 and Kekere ($17) in Race 9.

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