Gulfstream Today 12.6.18: Pegasus-Bound Audible Tops Harlan’s Holiday Noms

By David Joseph —-

Pegasus-Bound Audible Tops Harlan’s Holiday Noms

Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Climbs to $97,639

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Audible, who captured both the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) and $350,000 Holy Bull (G2), is the most prominent name on the list of nominations for the $100,000 Harlan’s Holiday at Gulfstream Park Dec. 15.

Trainer Todd Pletcher plans to use the 1 1/16-mile stakes as a steppingstone for a start in the $9 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 26.

The Harlan’s Holiday will be one of five graded-stakes on the Dec. 15 program that will serve as prep races for the $16 million Pegasus World Cup Championship Invitational Series, which includes the $7 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1), as well as seven other undercard stakes on the Jan. 26 program.

The Harlan’s Holiday, which attracted 15 nominations, will be Audible’s second start since his troubled third-place finish behind Justify in the Kentucky Derby (G1) May 5. Owned by China Horse Club International, WinStar Farm, Starlight Racing and Head of Plain Partners, the 3-year-old son of Into Mischief captured the seven-furlong Cherokee Run by two lengths on the Breeders’ Cup undercard at Churchill Downs Nov. 3.

Pletcher also nominated Bal Barbour, who has won his two most recent starts, an allowance at Keeneland and the off-the-turf Gio Ponti Stakes at Aqueduct; and Village King, a Group 1 winner in Argentina who recently won the off-the-turf Red Smith at Aqueduct.

Conquest Big E, an impressive three-length winner over 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming in the Gulfstream Park Mile (G1) last season, is among the more prominent likely challengers.

The Harlan’s Holiday will headline a stakes card that will include the $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2), $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3), $100,000 Rampart (G3) and $100,000 My Charmer (G3).

The Fort Lauderdale, a 1 1/8-mile stakes on turf, drew 30 nominations, including Grade 1 stakes winners Glorious Empire, Divisidero and Hi Happy.

The Sugar Swirl, a six-furlong sprint for fillies and mares, drew 13 nominations, including Stormy Embrace, the winner of the Princess Rooney (G2) on Summit of Speed day at Gulfstream June 30 and Curlin’s Approval, a multiple Grade 2 stakes winner.

The Rampart, a mile stakes for fillies and mares, attracted 17 nominations, including multiple graded-stakes winner Tequilita.

The My Charmer, a mile turf stakes for fillies and mares, drew 34 nominations, including multiple graded-stakes winner and multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed Hawksmoor.

Rainbow 6 Carryover Jackpot Climbs to $97,639

The 20-cent Rainbow 6 went unsolved for the fourth straight program at Gulfstream Park Thursday, producing a carryover jackpot of $97,639.86 for Friday’s program.

Multiple tickets will all six winners were each worth $27,319.90.

The carryover jackpot 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 $2,040.28.

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.