Gulfstream: Majesto Set for Return to Action in Friday’s Seventh Race

By David Joseph —-

Majesto Set for Return to Action in Friday’s Seventh Race
A Trio of Carryovers Up for Grabs on Friday’s Twilight Card
Late Pick 5 – $39,823; Rainbow 6 – $18,682; Super Hi-5 – $5,597
Rich Mommy Tunes Up for Summit of Speed with Sharp Score

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Grupo 7C Racing Stable’s Majesto, the runner-up in the 2016 Florida Derby (G1), is scheduled to make a return from an 11-month layoff at Gulfstream Park in Friday’s seventh race, a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance race.

The 4-year-old son of Tiznow followed up a maiden victory last year with a second-place finish behind heavily favored Nyquist in the Florida Derby. While Nyquist went on to extend his undefeated streak with a victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1), Majesto finished far back in the field following a troubled start in the Run for the Roses. The Delgado-trained ridgling raced once more in 2016, finishing sixth in the Curlin Stakes after a wide trip at Saratoga last July.

“Majesto is training very good, but he might need a race. He’s such a big horse. It’s hard for trainers with really big horses to get them ready,” said trainer Gustavo Delgado, who named Edgard Zayas to ride Majesto. “But it’s possible he could still win.”

Majesto was hit with a chronic viral condition while at Saratoga and the decision was made to turn him out for the rest of the year to give him enough time to recover.

Edgard Zayas has the mount.

Delgado is slated to also saddle Grupo 7C’s Prince Tito in the seventh race. The 3-year-old son of Pioneerof the Nile scored an off-the-pace 2 ¼-length victory at Gulfstream May7 to graduate in the fourth career start. Tyler Gaffalione is named to ride the highly promising colt.

“Prince Tito, I really like him. I think he’s going to be a really good horse,” Delgado said. “Maybe, they’ll run 1-2, who knows?”

A Trio of Carryovers Up for Grabs on Friday’s Twilight Card

Friday’s Twilight Program (First Post – 2:15 p.m.) will offer a trio of carryovers, including a Late Pick 5 carryover of $39,823.23, a 20-cent Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot of $18,682.62, and a $5,597.66 Super Hi-5 carryover.

No one held a ticket with all five winners of the Late Pick 5 Thursday, when four out of five winners returned $1,474.90. Friday’s Late Pick 5 sequence will span Races 5-9.

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 also went unsolved Thursday, when multiple tickets with five of six winners were each worth $4,883.60.

The Rainbow 6 carryover jackpot is routinely paid out only when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket sold, 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.

Friday’s six-race sequence spans Races 4-9, which will include Majesto’s return in Race 7, an optional claiming event headlined by multiple-stakes winner Concealedwithakiss in Race 8, and an optional claiming race on turf in Race 9.

Leading jockey Tyler Gaffalione rode the winners on Thursday’s card, scoring aboard Spring Up ($6.80) in the second, Aquemini ($5) in the fourth and Diaz ($5.60) in the ninth.

Rich Mommy Tunes Up for Summit of Speed with Sharp Score

Winds of Change Racing Stable Corp.’s Rich Mommy prepped for a start on the July 1 Summit of Speed program at Gulfstream Park Thursday, scoring a three-length triumph in the featured eighth race, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies.

The Victor Barboza Jr.-trained Rich Mommy ($11.60) is scheduled to return in the $75,000 Azalea, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on a card that will be highlighted by the $250,000 Princess Rooney (G2) and the $250,000 Smile Sprint (G3), a pair of Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” races.

Ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, Rich Mommy drew away from her seven rivals while completing furlongs in 1:10.51. Pacesetter Rashette finished a length behind a late-closing Lirica.

Barboza said VEB Racing Stable Corp.’s Distinta, who captured the Inside Information (G2) at Gulfstream March 18, is being pointed to the Princess Rooney. The daughter of Summer Bird hasn’t been given a break since her career-best performance in the Inside Information.

“After he last race, we wanted to give her time to relax,” said Barboza, noting the 5-year-old mare had started five times during the Championship Meet.

Distinta breezed five furlongs in 1:00.38 Thursday morning.

Gulfstream Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida, and is one of North America’s top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world’s largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; XpressBet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.